No, I think he still has to play Seb Jackson. It'll be a great opportunity for Matt if he qualifies - you can only gain from playing guys like Kendrick and Delic.



That was a smart move from the director - waiting till the first round was over before they got a player. You get free top quality lodging and the chance to play matches on grass, plus some money, too. No one will refuse that!

Skupski lost by 3 and 4. Probably a result just tending towards impressive in case he lost by two breaks.


Seb Jackson qualified by beating Matty. Seb is 36 years old, by the way, and I would have liked it if Matt had won but well done and good luck to him.


Tomorrow Seb plays Kendrick and Skupski plays Tomic.

-- Edited by Greenleaf at 17:58, 2008-06-10

It now says Ken beat Tomic 7-6(9) 6-3

Still, I'm a bit worried about this, because doesn't it mean that unless he loses to Seb Jackson in his last RR match, he'll have to miss Nottingham qualifying?

-- Edited by steven at 18:47, 2008-06-11

I guess it depends on how Tomic does against Seb Jackson and Kendrick? On paper he should beat Seb and lose to Kendrick, so it's most probable that Skupski will have to miss Nottingham qualies.

Slightly rude article on how Liverpool may want to become an ATP event -

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/other-sports/2008/06/13/liverpool-international-08-andrea-borg-ready-to-put-on-liverpool-tennis-supershow-100252-21068734/




Also, whatever was Tomic trying to mean when he said this -

This has been my first time on grass, ever!" declared the six feet one inch prodigy.

Reared since the age of three on the hard courts and clay courts Down Under, his opening experience of the unpredictable green stuff was a chastening one.

He lost to Liverpool's fast rising Ken Skupski, but yesterday showed he is quick to adapt.

Game and engaging qualifier Sebastian Jackson was highly competitive in his opening clash with Robert Kendrick, but yesterday he struggled to keep pace with the vibrant youngster who rained down a series of virtually unplayable shots.

"I played one set on grass when I was about eight years old, but I never really got the feel for it," he said.

"So this has really been my first few days on grass but I always thought it would suit my game.

I thought that it would be slightly weird if an Australian hadn't played on grass since he was 8 given that they are one of the very few countries which have a junior programme that pays attention to grass (Britain doesn't).

I saw his site's trophy cabinet and a few names that struck me -

win 14s Optus Australian Grasscourts Championship SINGLES 2005
win 14s Optus Australian Grasscourts Lead In SINGLES 2005
win 14s Optus Australian Grasscourts Lead In DOUBLES 2005
win Australia Grasscourt Champ 12/u 2003
win Miammi Grass 12/u 2002
win Miammi Grass 12/u 2001



-- Edited by Greenleaf at 06:36, 2008-06-14