Tennis: Wimbledon blow for Wheaton

DAVID WHEATON, who has won the Direct Line Insurance tournament at Beckenham for the past two years, pulled out of this year's event after aggravating a pulled muscle in his shoulder in his third- round match with Britain's Andrew Richardson yesterday.

Wheaton is now doubtful of appearing at Wimbledon, where he reached the semi- finals three years ago. The 24- year-old American retired after winning the first set on a tie-break, giving Richardson a place in the last eight.

He will be joined by his compatriot, Jeremy Bates, who beat Australia's Paul Kilderry 7-5, 6-2. Bates meets the South African Greg Stafford in today's quarter-finals, with a probable semi-final against Stefan Edberg awaiting the winner. Edberg yesterday put out another Briton, Paul Hand, 6-4, 7-6.

Two British women are also through to the quarter- finals. Monique Javer, the national No 2, came through a fierce battle with South Africa's Mareeze Joubert to win 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. And Julie Pullin, the 18-year-old from Sussex ranked No 6, won an all-British encounter with Karen Cross, 6-3, 6-4.

Lucie Ahl, the British No 9, missed three match points as she went out 2-6, 7-6, 6-1 to Japan's Rika Hiraki, the No 3 seed, while Kerry-Ann Guse beat her fellow Australian Kristin Godridge.