Daily Bagel: No Wimbledon wild card for Brian Baker

The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet. • Video: So, who's ready for that Wimbledon thingy?

The Daily Bagel is your dose of the interesting reporting, writing and quipping from around the Internet.

• Video: So, who's ready for that Wimbledon thingy? Six days and counting....

• Peter Bodo laments Wimbledon's decision not to award Brian Baker a main draw wildcard. Baker begins his qualifying campaign today. Personally, I think Baker hurt himself by failing to qualify at Queen's. He's shown he can play on clay, but can he play on grass? The AELTC weren't convinced. Then again, David Goffin hasn't proven that either, but so it goes.

• Speaking of the AELTC, Wimbledon is looking to expand the break between the French Open and Wimbledon from two weeks to three. Please make this happen. The players need it, the journalists need it, and the fans need it.

• Steve Tignor reflects on the dueling careers of Roger Federer and Tommy Haas and how Haas' maturity is paying dividends.

The injuries have hurt him over the years, but there was also a sense in the locker room that, when Haas was younger, he didn’t rise to the big occasions—if Andy Murray is the best player never to win a major, Haas could be the best never to reach a Slam final. We all remember angry Tommy letting out his spiky frustrations on his coaches, and that may have been the biggest difference yesterday. When a fan made a noise during a crucial point late in the match and distracted him, Haas stared in his direction, appeared briefly ready to snap, but kept himself under control. Has angry Tommy finally mellowed? With less pressure on him now, will he handle the stress better in his dotage? If he does, this probably won't be his last significant win.

• A tremendous tribute to Jelena Jankovic over at WTA Backspin. Trust me, the day she hangs up her make-up back will be a day of great sorrow.

• It's always surprised me how under wraps Wimbledon keeps its qualifying tournament, which takes place off-site in nearby Roehampton.

• Non-tennis: If you didn't see this goal from crazy Mario Balotelli (the Gael Monfils of European soccer, in my opinion), you should.

See or read something that you enjoyed and want to share? Feel free to email or tweet us links to pieces from around the Internet that may have slipped past our radar.