It was a great shame that Jamie B was unable to reach the final to give himself a chance of taking his first title for a good few months in Santo Domingo earlier today, but it looks as though he's staying in the Dominican Republic for another week: he's on the entry list for next week's tournament, though will probably drop down the seedings to 5.
Alex Ward will probably be having another crack at qualifying, too - if the qualy draw is again a 64-man affair...
Ward is indeed there, and he is joined by fellow his fellow youngsters Neil Pauffley and Thomas Knights. Unfortunately both Alex and Tom find themselves in the same section as the top seed Ryan Young (USA) WR 639. It says a lot for the strength of the qualifying here that Alex is only the 17th highest ranked player, so is not even seeded despite being in the top 1000.
QR1: Thomas Knights UNR v (WC) Eduardo Pou (DOM) UNR QR1: Alexander Ward WR 977 v Lofo Ramiaramanan (MAD) WR 1823 QR1: Neil Pauffley WR 1481 v John Valenti (USA) UNR
Hopefully Jamie will refind some form this week. He'd win the title at a canter if he was playing like he was before the illness
__________________
Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive.... those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience
QR2: Thomas Knights UNR v (WC) Leury Arias (DOM) UNR QR2: Alexander Ward WR 977 v Pedro Sousa (POR) WR 1106 QR2: Neil Pauffley WR 1481 v Adam El Mihdawy (USA) 7 WR 743
And the winner is.... Alex Ward by 2 & 3. No great surprise, I'd have thought, any more than this is:
L32 Q Alexander Ward WR 977 vs (4) José Checa Calvo (ESP) WR 330!
Second match on the Stadium court. And, Jamie B must have withdrawn as there is a LL playing the No.2 seed; no sign of JB anywhere.
Damn & blast! Completely missed that! Didn't scroll down the draw sheet far enough when I checked it to see whom Alex had drawn in the first round. Hope he's OK...