Week 25 - ATP Nottingham - 2008 - Main Draw

Count Zero · Tennis legend

RE: Week 25 - ATP Nottingham - 2008 - Main Draw

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Count Zero wrote:

alex is 3rd mtach. dont know which ct, hopefuuly centre so will be on radio

It should be centre court as he's the only Brit left in the singles, but I'd wouldn't be too surprised if they didn't put him on it.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

oop updated, centre ct, 3rd match as i said, 2nd one after 1.30pm.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

so guys how do we think alex will do tomorrow?

hopefully he can go onto court relaxed, his exploits here along with the wimbldon wc should ease any money worries he may of been having (which i am sure alos play on the mind along with points), and a win tomorrow would push him all the way up to around 220, along with a crack at Johansson who has only played 1 set this week due to Kei's retirement and Dima's withdrawl. A relaxed and confident boggo can match players well above his ranking on grass as he has often proved in the past, and in an odd way a win over Ward may have been better for him than the win over Kunistyn confused

(only for boggo could be beating a player outside the top 450 be better than beating a top 100 guy for confidence biggrin

).

but Cilic ceratinly wont be easy, a big fight back from the Croat to reverse a 16 deficit aginst PHM and gain rvenge for PHM's win over him at Queens the week b4. Cilic also bt Melzer in the 1st rd at queens in 2 tb sets.

Cilic was also notorius for recieving a wc to queens 07 ahead of gb's tie vs croatia later that year, he put the wc to good use knocking out Henman, Falla & Tsonga b4 losing to A-rod (fresh from his A-Bog scare). In the DC tie he lost to Andy in 5 sets (cant remember was it numpty andy that day?) b4 beating baker in a dead rubber. His last 10 matches on grass are W6 - L4.

So Alex will need to be at his best, but this shouldnt necesaaily be beyind him and grass is probably the best surface for him to have a go at Cilic on.

As Bryant says 'I need the old Boggo back, I need the magic'

Drew · Jun 17, 2008

Thanks for those thoughts Count....how do you see him doing at Wimbledon ?

Count Zero · Tennis legend

ask me when the draw is out

wimbledon is getting to be a unique situation for alex, there is a word to describe it perfectly, but it eludes me for the moment.

i think all of the loses and pressure/hype around the event get to alex, as we know he isnt that publcity mad and will not try to get interviewed etc, but at wimby you just cant avoid it. all the years he has lost there (6?), without ever really getting close to winning a match are starting to take their toll have have formed a big psychological barrier for him, in some ways i think the closes the came to winning was in his 1st year were he pushed a slighty injured Escude. If he gets a match he is fav to win he tends to get tight, or he might get someone who just outclases him. it makes it tough as that doesnt leave too many players, i think once he gets a win he can get that grandslam monkey off his back and maybe relax a bit with regards to his whole career. get a win on the big stage as such, like a dc or slam match maybe some belief will come back.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Cilic is overrated, let's get that out of the way to begin with.

That said, he's still the favourite going into tomorrow and I'd be surprised if Boggo did win this match... but he's beaten better players in the past so if it happens to be one of those days then he's got a chance of a win.

I'm thinking Cilic is 2 sets, something like 6-3, 6-4, with Boggo throwing in 2 games where he doesn't get enough 1st serves in, but even if he does lose as I think he will, as long as it's a decent performance and he doesn't fold after losing the first then (or choke badly) it will be acceptable.

In terms of Wimbledon we can't really predict anything until we see the draw (if he gets Federer in round 1 then it's going to be a short tournament), but he's had a good week this time and so looks as if he could get that first GS win, if he gets a good draw.

And he must be due a good draw, having had to face Federer, Nadal and Escude, as well as Sargisian and Guccione who are both at their best on grass, while Kevin Kim was the only 'nice' draw he's ever had, and that's not that great a draw compared to what he could have got.

How must he pray for the draw he got at the US Open when he drew Alex Calatrava in the first round - that kind of player would be ideal at Wimbledon

Count Zero · Tennis legend

boggo got a win over cilic back in 06 indoors at aachen, 76 in the 3rd so tight then.

i agree FD, there is always the fear boggo will throw in a bad game a set, meaning he often needs to 2 breaks to be safe, as he did vs ward today, or its better breaking late in the set!

still he does seem to have been serving well here so hopefully he can keep that up.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

the mail online has an article up, mainly same stuff that has been covered alrady, but it has a really unflattering pic pf baker! i am sure tye choose them deliberaty. i have never seen a pic of fed or nadal gurning during a shot. but all the recent ones of ward baker and boggo seem tio get the guys at theior wrost. boggo is notoriusly bad.

link

steven · Tennis legend

Jamie looks like Confucius in that pic ...

steven · Tennis legend

Count Zero wrote:
Cilic was also notorius for recieving a wc to queens 07 ahead of gb's tie vs croatia later that year, he put the wc to good use knocking out Henman, Falla & Tsonga b4 losing to A-rod (fresh from his A-Bog scare). In the DC tie he lost to Andy in 5 sets (cant remember was it numpty andy that day?) b4 beating baker in a dead rubber. His last 10 matches on grass are W6 - L4.

As Bryant says 'I need the old Boggo back, I need the magic'

My brother-in-law was coming up to Wimby to join me for the DC tie that day and really wanted to see Andy play, but his car got broken into and he was a couple of hours late. I remember texting him that Mandy was doing his level best to make sure he was still on court when he arrived doh

so I think it was a case of him making heavy weather of a match he should have won in straights.

Bryant?

-- Edited by steven at 23:41, 2008-06-17

john · Top national player

Just to say that I saw a little of Groth over the weeked when he beat Tipsy. The guy has a huuuuge serve as I'm sure you've worked out and he was playing some great tennis behind it too I'm really shocked that Baker got as close as he did in his first match back. Groth has the perfect game for grass and is playing really really well.

gazzpash · Club Coach

Weird thing on the betting, I see that Tursanov has been thrownm out of the singles, but Coral are still taking bets on his match against Johannson, with Tursanov still favourite. Just put bet on Johannson to win and its accepted so might be some free money here

The Hoose · Satellite level

According to Coral's rules, if the match fails to start, bets are voided. In any case, bookies are not liable if they make an obvious error.

In the past, I've twice bet on events after they've taken place! On both occasions, the bookies paid out but on one of the occasions they subsequently noticed their error and were able to reclaim their money.

Still, hope it works out!

-- Edited by The Hoose at 12:05, 2008-06-18

gazzpash · Club Coach

Well at least will get my money back. That's why only put a little bit on as I wasnt sure what would happen