Neither Dave nor Ahmed made it into the main draw as direct entrants, and both lost in qualifying, which was completed today.


FQR (GBR unless stated)

Andrew Bettles d. (1) David Thomson 4-6 7-6(3) 7-6(3)
(9) Alfredo Moreno (MEX) d. (2) Ahmed El Menshawy 6-4 4-6 6-3
(15) Christopher Simpson d. David O'Leary 6-3 4-6 6-3
(16) Lewis Burton d. (5) Ben McLachlan (NZL) 7-6 (4) 6-4
(12) James Chaudry d. (6) Emilio Gomez (ECU) 6-4 6-1
(7) Sudanwa Sitaram (IND) d. (11) Matthew Thomson 6-3 6-3
(8) Jordan Kelly-Houston (NZL) d. (14) Jordan McCullouch 6-2 6-2

George Morgan and Tom Farquharson must have won the remaining WCs in a play-off. Andrew Bettles' reward for his first win over a top 100 player is a crack at the French Open champion. The main draw starts on Sunday and the British matches are:

R1 (L64)

(1) Daniel Berta (SWE) v (Q) Andrew Bettles (GBR)
Alexander Domijan (USA) v Alastair Barnes (GBR)
Maximilian Neuchrist (AUT) v (Q) James Chaudry (GBR)
(SE) Mate Zsiga (HUN) v (Q) Christopher Simpson (GBR)
(14) Federico Gaio (ITA) v (WC) Richard Gabb (GBR)
(WC) James Marsalek v (LL) Emilio Gomez (ECU)
Tristan-Samuel Weissborn (AUT) v (Q) Lewis Burton (GBR)
(WC) Tom Farquharson (GBR) v (3) Agustin Velotti (ARG)
(WC) Jack Carpenter (GBR) v Emanuele Molina (ITA)
Marin Draganja (CRO) v (WC) Liam Broady (GBR)
Jose Pereira (BRA) v (WC) Oliver Golding (GBR)
Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN) v (WC) Ashley Hewitt (GBR)
(WC) George Morgan (GBR) v (2) Liang-Chi Huang (TPE)

Some impressive results today, with Richard Gabb claiming a top 20 scalp.

R1 (L64)

(1) Daniel Berta (SWE) d. (Q) Andrew Bettles (GBR) 6-0 6-1
Alexander Domijan (USA) d. Alastair Barnes (GBR) 6-3 6-0
(Q) James Chaudry (GBR) d. Maximilian Neuchrist (AUT) 6-4 6-7(9) 6-2
(Q) Christopher Simpson (GBR) d. (SE) Mate Zsiga (HUN) 5-7 6-3 6-4
(WC) Richard Gabb (GBR) d. (14) Federico Gaio (ITA) 7-6(10) 4-6 6-4
(WC) James Marsalek (GBR) d. (LL) Emilio Gomez (ECU) 6-2 6-0
(Q) Lewis Burton (GBR) d. Tristan-Samuel Weissborn (AUT) 7-6(8) 6-1
(3) Agustin Velotti (ARG) d. (WC) Tom Farquharson (GBR) 7-5 6-4
(WC) Jack Carpenter (GBR) d. Emanuele Molina (ITA) 6-4 2-6 6-2
Marin Draganja (CRO) d. (WC) Liam Broady (GBR) 6-2 6-3
(WC) Oliver Golding (GBR) d. Jose Pereira (BRA) 6-7(4) 6-4 6-1
(WC) Ashley Hewitt (GBR) d. Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN) 7-6(4) 1-6 6-3
(2) Liang-Chi Huang (TPE) d. (WC) George Morgan (GBR) 0-6 6-3 6-4

R2

Francis Casey Alcantara (PHI) v (Q) James Chaudry (GBR)
(Q) Christopher Simpson (GBR) v Andrei Vasilevski (BLR)
(WC) Richard Gabb (GBR) v (WC) James Marsalek (GBR)
(Q) Lewis Burton (GBR) v (3) Agustin Velotti (ARG)
(8) Denis Kudla (USA) v (WC) Jack Carpenter (GBR)
(15) Filip Horansky (SVK) v (WC) Oliver Golding (GBR)
(WC) Ashley Hewitt (GBR) v (2) Liang-Chi Huang (TPE)

Olly comes up against the top 1993 boy

A stunning win today for Ashley over the world no.4

R2

(Q) James Chaudry (GBR) d. Francis Casey Alcantara (PHI) 6-4 6-3
(Q) Christopher Simpson (GBR) d. Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) 4-6 6-3 7-6(4)
(WC) James Marsalek (GBR) d. (WC) Richard Gabb (GBR) 4-6 7-6(1) 6-2
(3) Agustin Velotti (ARG) d. (Q) Lewis Burton (GBR) 6-0 6-7(5) 7-5
(8) Denis Kudla (USA) d. (WC) Jack Carpenter (GBR) 7-6(6) 4-6 6-1
(15) Filip Horansky (SVK) d. (WC) Oliver Golding (GBR) 6-4 6-2
(WC) Ashley Hewitt (GBR) d. (2) Liang-Chi Huang (TPE) 7-6(6) 3-6 6-3

R3

(Q) James Chaudry (GBR) v Devin Britton (USA)
(Q) Sundanwa Sitaram (IND) v (Q) Christopher Simpson (GBR)
(WC) James Marsalek (GBR) v (3) Agustin Velotti (ARG)
(15) Filip Horansky (SVK) v (WC) Ashley Hewitt (GBR)

Am I being too harsh in saying it looks like we have a lack of talent coming up behind the 1990 generation. We barely have anyone inside the top 100 juniors for boys and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon. Surely this is where Draper should be judged after 5 or so years in charge now. Where are all the inner city kids that we supposed to be attracted to playing the game.

I'm not trying to be personal towards Golding but when you see his website it seems as though we have the same over pampered middle class kids coming into the game as before, I really hope he proves me wrong and one day wins Wimbledon though

I think it's got a lot to do with the fact that team sports hace so much higher a profile than individual sports in the UK, which is not the case to quite such an extreme extent in other countries. It's worst of all in schools, which tend to pretent that individual sports don't even exist until kids are about 16.

I realise that being able to be an effective member of a team is an important life skill, but so is being able to take complete responsibility for yourself as you have to in tennis.