Week 25 - ATP 500 - The Aegon Championships, The Queen's Club (grass)

EddietheEagle · County player

Week 25 - ATP 500 - The Aegon Championships, The Queen's Club (grass)

JonH · All-time great

EddietheEagle wrote:
Newport is a throwback to those halcyon days - when tennis was but a Handful of Summers (sic).

Gordon Forbes- brilliant

Mark1968 · Intermediate Club Player

Queen's has only recently been upped from a 250 to a 500 and attracts a top field, no need / chance for it to be upped to a masters.

Newport is a great little event with much tradition. Yes, the field isn't so strong but it gives a great chance to many lower ranked players to succeed at ATP250 where they would otherwise struggle - just ask Bloomers! This is typical of the sort of event that Marcus could do well at and certainly Evo who is more than capable of winning his first main tour event there.

seagull · Hall of fame

Mark1968 wrote:
This is typical of the sort of event that Marcus could do well at and certainly Evo who is more than capable of winning his first main tour event there.

I agree - shame then that Evo hasn't entered

Jeff Stelling · Club Coach

Pretty sure it was Jarkko Nieminen he duffed up at Queens that year, but can't be @rsed to Google it.

EddietheEagle · County player

Mark1968 wrote:

Newport is a great little event with much tradition. Yes, the field isn't so strong but it gives a great chance to many lower ranked players to succeed at ATP250 where they would otherwise struggle - just ask Bloomers! This is typical of the sort of event that Marcus could do well at and certainly Evo who is more than capable of winning his first main tour event there.

. . . . our very own Martin Lee making the final there once, losing to Kevin Anderson's current coach, Godwin, who himself barely made the ATP top 100.

JonH · All-time great

Newport cut off tends to be lower than several challengers, incl Surbiton for example! Nonetheless, tradition is a good thing and although it sits a little awkwardly in terms of the structure of the dgrass season, it is a good little event. And presumably last years Newport points could impact on the Wimbledon seedings if any of the top 32 players were in the field last year?

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

Martin Lee did really well on the back of his efforts at Newport. The points he made boosted his ranking sufficiently to gain entry to many ATP events. so, instead of scapping for trivial money in challengers, he stayed in decent hotels and a first round loss would yield a one or two thousand $ which was decent money all those years ago. I also remember Martin saying he hit the two best passing shots of his career to break serve in the final set of the semis.

I agree that Marcus should make every effort to go if he is fit. I have never been to Newport, but I get the impression he'd fit in well with his English banter and make loads of useful contacts for the future. I may be wrong, but I don't get the impression that Marcus sees his future as a touring pro.

Mark1968 · Intermediate Club Player

Thanks Eddie and Steve, I'd forgot about Martin, this is a perfect example of why any of our players who are comfortable on grass with rankings high enough should go there. It looked like changing things a little for Bloomers as well until he got injured a few months later. You never know the same could happen for another one of our men.

I've previously said similar about Marcus not being full time, I won't repeat the reasons but he must play here. I can just picture him relaxing in the sun exchanging witty repartee with the Yanks whilst sipping Pimms and maybe changing a nappy or two.

the addict · Tennis legend

Kyle has just made the main draw, after Schwartzman withdrew. A spare wild card for someone ?

indiana · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
Kyle has just made the main draw, after Schwartzman withdrew. A spare wild card for someone ?

Should be. They've apparently only announced two MD WCs so far, Kyle and Evo. That's now one and I hope Evo's injury doesn't make it none, so certainly spaces.

paulisi · Tennis legend

I cannot see them offering it to another British player...

the addict · Tennis legend

Rafa has withdrawn now, everyone move up a place ! (except Andy !)

JonH · All-time great

Aljaz would only be one place away now. I think. WOuld he play in the event he got into first (having turned down a Queens WC?)

indiana · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
Rafa has withdrawn now, everyone move up a place ! (except Andy !)

Unless Rafa pops up and wins somewhere else before Wimbledon Andy is now guaranteed to go into Wimbledon still as the 'in running' world #1 even after his 2016 Queen's and Wimbledon title points are taken off.

A good Queen's again and he increases that lead.