Wimbledon Wild Cards

Count Zero · Tennis legend

RE: Wimbledon Wild Cards

wolf · Tennis legend

There is no reason why we shouldn't give all eight qualifying wild cards should be given to Brits, so there should be six initial selections plus two from the play-off.

I suppose there is a possibility Fleming turned one down to play Eastbourne doubles but he really should have been offered one. I guess Marray's loss to Alex Ward at Notts hardly helped his chances though and other than that there is no-one that really stands out other than Baker because of his injury and I think it is better he plays futures for the time being.

I would have given Marray (if he is fit) and Fleming qualies ones and let the younger ones battle through the play-off.

scottie1 · Futures level

sorry saw dan cox in edinburgh too light by far i think he will be out of his depth at wimbledon even in qualifiers. Dan Evans to me looks as if he will fill his potential

better youngsters than Cox like Willis Smethurst but not yet ready to step up

indiana · Tennis legend

ForeverDelayed wrote:

Wow.... I can't believe that they've given Boggo a WC...didn't expect it to happen and I can imagine just how bad the negative press around this is going to be, but he is still the British number two and by the system that the LTA have set out, he has to get a WC.

Ha ha, sure something will be made of it, but after not believing it you answer yourself why it happened

Basically he's still a British player in the top 250.

If he was 251, I'd be saying, sorry son.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 9th of June 2009 08:47:51 AM

The Hoose · Satellite level

Spot on Indiana - if the LTA want to play this on the basis of rankings, then they have to take the rough with the smooth and give one to the Bogster. In the communications we've seen on these pages from Draper and others, reiterating the criteria, it seemed clear that they were not going to make an exception for Alex.

steven · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:

There is no reason why we shouldn't give all eight qualifying wild cards should be given to Brits, so there should be six initial selections plus two from the play-off.

I suppose there is a possibility Fleming turned one down to play Eastbourne doubles but he really should have been offered one.

Colin has turned up in the playoff draw, so clearly wasn't offered a QWC, which is rough given that he's made the top 500 in well under a year from a standing start, is higher-ranked than Cox and has picked up more than twice as many points as Slabba so far this year - you'd think one of those criteria would have got him in.

I assume he's going to be playing at Aorangi in the mornings and Queen's in the afternoon, though you have to wonder why Queen's didn't schedule his first doubles match yesterday and why they've scheduled it as first doubles match on court 9 today ... doh

If he gets through the playoffs this week, I wonder if he's going to shuttle between Eastbourne and Roehampton next week, if he gets far enough for that to be necessary.

Other than that, the Wimbledon WC and QWC allocations look remarkably fair to me. smile

-- Edited by steven on Tuesday 9th of June 2009 09:22:03 AM

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Maybe for once Boggo will get a good draw in the first round - a nice, dedicated clay-courter who is terrified of grass - and romp through, so being able to thumb his nose at the media?

PaulM · Tennis legend

Boggo's had good draws before.

I think he is destined to be like Julie Pullin - no matter who you get, its just not gonna happen

Salmon · Tennis legend

scottie1 wrote:

sorry saw dan cox in edinburgh too light by far i think he will be out of his depth at wimbledon even in qualifiers. Dan Evans to me looks as if he will fill his potential

better youngsters than Cox like Willis Smethurst but not yet ready to step up

So you just see people play one match and understand how well (or not) they'll do eventually? Impressive.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

Boggo has Drawn, in order:

Nic Escude WR 33, S16 - 4 sets
Sargisan WR 66 - 3 sets
Federer WR 1 S1 - 3 sets
Kevin Kim WR71 - 4 sets
Nadal WR 2 S2 - 3 sets
Guccionne WR 96 - 3 sets
Bolleli WR 46 - 4 sets

So in nearly half of his attempts (3/7) he has drawn a seed and over half (4/7) he has drawn a top 50 player.

He had 2 good chances vs Kim & Gucci. Gucci rarely put a serve wrong and came up with some great volleys on big points. Should have beaten Davy next rd but choked right at the end. So that really just leaves Kim, which was a good chance, and Alex was furious with himself over that match. In the match Kim Alex was ranked 195.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Bolleli and Sargisan were good draws too (probably a little better than Gucci actually). In reality, rankings don't count for as much on grass.

And given there are 32 seeds, its not surprising he has faced one 3 times.

I'm not getting on at him, I'm pleased he got the wildcard, I'm just saying that unfortunately we may all have to accept that its just not going to happen for him.

I would absolutely love to be proved wrong tho - and I envy anyone who is courtside if it happens

Count Zero · Tennis legend

Bolleli on the face of it seemed a good draw, but he did beat Gonzo, S14, in the following rd b4 going out to Hewitt. Alex played well that match, i'm not sure what more can be expected of him?

Sargisan was a goodish draw, but he just totally overpowered Alex. He did come in to that match in good form that year tho. having reached the final at surbs and 2nd rd at both queens and notts.

-- Edited by Count Zero on Tuesday 9th of June 2009 01:24:23 PM

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Sargsian probably wasn't as easy a draw as he may have appeared to have been given that 2003 was his best season of his career, reaching two of his three ATP finals, having his highest end of year ranking and having his best result at Wimbledon where he reached round three, but Boggo should have pushed him a bit closer than he did.

Bolelli last year was having a good season, but it's a match that he perhaps should have won, as he had set points, although on Bolelli's serve, in the first and the fourth sets.

Guccione played a really good match against him, and he was having the best year of his career then as he beat Nadal earlier in the year.

The loss to Kim though was a match he probably should have won, while the Guccione/Bolelli matches were ones that he possibly could have won as well.

But in 7 years though, he hasn't actually had a draw where you would say he was favourite or even close to favourite. He's not had a draw like Eaton did last year or Bloomers had against Berlocq or against anyone who is a total clown on the grass.

If he had those kinds of draws, I'm sure he'd have won a match, and if he got that kind of draw this year, he'd go on to win.

I've just got a feeling though that he's going to get another horror draw this year against one of the top seeds and thus have no chance of winning...I can see Bogdanovic drawing Murray in the first round...

Robxon · Lower Club Player

Don't forget that Jamie Baker had beaten Gucci in Nottingham qualies just a week before!

Count Zero · Tennis legend

if Alex had to draw a top seed, then i'd prefer it to be Andy, would be interesting match to watch i feel. i reckon Alex could get a set.