Wildcards for Wimbledon have been announced, with qualifying starting today:
Main Draw WCs
James Marsalek Jack Carpenter Richard Gabb George Morgan Tom Farquharson Oliver Golding Lewis Burton Ashley Hewitt
Qualifying R1 (2 rounds)
Jordan Kelly-Houston (NZL) v (12) Alastair Barnes (GBR) (2) Richard Becker (GER) v (WC) Andrew Bettles (GBR) (WC) Christopher Simpson (GBR) v (10) Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) (4) Mate Zsiga (HUN) v (WC) James Chaudry (GBR) Jesus Bandres (VEN) v (14) David Thomson (GBR) (WC) Ben Davis (GBR) v (13) Robert Rumler (CZE) (6) John Morrissey (IRL) v (WC) Liam Broady (GBR) (8) Emanuele Molina (ITA) v (WC) Tom Allen (GBR) Sam Barry (IRL) v (15) Ahmed El Menshawy (GBR)
why don't barnes and el menshawy get WC as our best ranked boys?
Serveandvolley said in the Wimbledon juniors preview thread that they were not going to give any WCs at Roehampton or Wimbledon to 1991 boys, and that has proved the case. I think the crux of the argument is that though they are the highest ranked (and might reach the US Open main draw with strong performances here) the 1992/1993 boys have achieved more relative to their ages, and still have potential to reach top 50 before next year's Wimbledon, plus are being looked towards as a group to compete with each other.
Alastair, Ahmed and Dave Thomson have not done anything to enhance their case at Roehampton / Eastbourne ATP. James Chaudry was at least rewarded for qualifying and winning a couple of rounds at Roehampton by being given a qualifying WC, along with some 1992-4 boys
QR1 (12) Alastair Barnes (GBR) beat Jordan Kelly-Houston (NZL) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 (WC) Andrew Bettles (GBR) beat (2) Richard Becker (GER) 6-4, 6-2 (10) Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) beat (WC) Christopher Simpson (GBR) 6-4, 6-3 (4) Mate Zsiga (HUN) beat (WC) James Chaudry (GBR) 6-4, 6-2 (14) David Thomson (GBR) beat Jesus Bandres (VEN) 6-4, 6-4 (13) Robert Rumler (CZE) beat (WC) Ben Davis (GBR) 6-3, 6-3 (WC) Liam Broady (GBR) beat (6) John Morrissey (IRL) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 (8) Emanuele Molina (ITA) beat (WC) Tom Allen (GBR) 6-1, 7-5 (15) Ahmed El Menshawy (GBR) beat Sam Barry (IRL) 6-3, 6-3
FQR (12) Alastair Barnes (GBR) v (1) Kevin Krawietz (GER) (WC) Andrew Bettles (GBR) v (9) Alessandro Bega (ITA) (14) David Thomson (GBR) v (4) Mate Zsiga (HUN) (WC) Liam Broady (GBR) v (11) Kaza Vinayak Sharma (IND) (15) Ahmed El Menshawy (GBR) v (8) Emanuele Molina (ITA)
I haven't found the results from final qualifying but Dave Thomson and Liam Broady both feature in the main draw, whilst their FQR opponents do not, so they have both qualified. Liam is unfortunate to draw the Roehampton finalist, whilst James Marsalek faces the top 1993 boy and Ashley Hewitt has a chance to repeat this week's win over the number 2 seed. George Morgan and Oliver Golding have particularly tough draws against Bernie Tomic and Gianni Mina (French Open finalist) respectively.
Main Draw
Dominik Wirlend AUT v (Q) David Thomson GBR Alexander Domijan USA v (Q) Liam Broady GBR Sebastian Lavie NZL v (WC) Jack Carpenter GBR Filip Horansky SVK v (WC) James Marsalek GBR (11) David Souto VEN v (WC) Lewis Burton GBR Pierre-Hugues Herbert FRA v (WC) Richard Gabb GBR Alessandro Bego ITA v (WC) Tom Farquharson GBR (WC) George Morgan GBR v (3) Bernard Tomic AUS (6) Gianni Mina (FRA) v (WC) Oliver Golding GBR (WC) Ashley Hewitt GBR v (2) Liang-Chi Huang (TPE)
Sebastian Lavie NZL v (WC) Jack Carpenter GBR Court 17 4th match (11) David Souto VEN v (WC) Lewis Burton GBR Court 15 4th match (WC) George Morgan GBR v (3) Bernard Tomic AUS Court 7 1st match (11am) (WC) Ashley Hewitt GBR v (2) Liang-Chi Huang (TPE) Court 19 4th match
George was untroubled for 5 service games, dropping only 5 points, but had to save 2 breakpoints in the last game, but held to take us into a tiebreak (7 aces so far)