Week 24 - ATP 250 - AEGON International, Eastbourne

Guid007 · Strong Club Player

RE: Week 24 - ATP 250 - AEGON International, Eastbourne

spud · Challenger qualifying

Yeh Lopez looks like hes dragging himself everywhere, his serving effort isnt too strong either

spud · Challenger qualifying

wins by retirement

Guid007 · Strong Club Player

Lopez retires at 6-3 5-4.

seagull · Hall of fame

wins by retirement!

spud · Challenger qualifying

would have been nice for lopez to just show up for the last game

seagull · Hall of fame

that was weird

Tennis36 · Masters Series Champion

this is hardly the man that beat nadal!! (4 days ago!!)

JM1138 · Lower Club Player

Yeah, fit enough to hold a service game, but couldn't possibly play out four points?!

spud · Challenger qualifying

Ward will definitely be in DC team for that.

spud · Challenger qualifying

Will face Schuettler next

Count Zero · Tennis legend

not a nice move by Lopez, denying Ward of the effective glory, but I'm also guessing he wouldn't be too keen on having a loss to a guy outside the top 300 on his record without the RET by it.

FD was there so it will be interesting to hear his report.

(also Boggo v Mahut should start soon)

seagull · Hall of fame

So points defended from last year and old man Schuettler in R2

steven · Tennis legend

Count Zero wrote:

set and a break up!

have to say you wonder if this is sensational stuff from Ward or a bit of tankage from Lopez.

Not sensational stuff from Ward, but very decent - he looked like he belonged out there, and held his nerve when it mattered.

I cannot believe the lack of class shown by F-Loppy though - retiring when your opponent is one game away and denying them their moment of victory. It was Wardy to serve too - even if he was having problems, all he had to do was just go out and stand there while James put 4 serves past him. What a ******!

steven · Tennis legend

I caught a bit of the match on German Eurosport once I realised it might be on there. F-Loppy was clearly hampered a bit by something, but James was playing, if not sensationally, at least really well, e.g. 15 winners and just 6 ues in the 1st set, despite a first serve % below 50.

I think an on-form F-Loppy would have punished some of the mid-court balls James left hanging, but James looked comfortable in most areas of the court, wasn't at all overawaed by the occasion and showed real heart to save 4 BPs in one game and to hold onto his advantage in both sets.

One return winner in the middle of the 2nd produced a "klasse Return von Ward!" ... and it really was

It's brilliant too that he did this on the court he's likely to have to win a vital DC rubber on next month. Ilhan, you're going daaaaaaaaahhhhhhn! wink

So:

- 10/10 to Wardy for making the most of a dire draw (Schüttler next, so who's to say he can't give him a fright too?) biggrin

- 0/10 to F-Loppy in the sportsmanship test bleh

- 0/10 to the AELTC/LTA for denying him a main draw WC to Wimbledon in order to placate the press when they must have known that the WC here was almost certain to stop him playing qualifying too - oh but I forgot, they had some great alternatives to give WCs too - like "next 3 direct acceptances" bleh