Week 23 - ATP 250 - AEGON Championships, Queen's Club

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

RE: Week 23 - ATP 250 - AEGON Championships, Queen's Club

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Mahut served at 92% 2nd set.

airsmashers · County player

it seems work Oli has put in on his movement has paid off, it definitely seems improved from last year

British_is_Best · County player

First time I had seen Golding play and I thought it was very impressive and he acquitted himself very well. Certainly has the weapons to be a good player but is still very raw (as is expected)

indiana · Tennis legend

From what I saw of the match that was very encourgaing from Oli.

I have looked at his results this year and worried a bit about how his game was progrssing.

But I thought he looked a player who had certainly moved on from Junior Wimbledon last year. His movement as mentioned was certainly better and his first serve had real zap and could be quite a weapon. If he can combine that in time with a better second serve that will be useful.

Temperament was good in that he had an air of wanting to be there and not put off, and I would hope in time the junior-like things can be put in the past rather quicker than with Muzza.

As TMS said, was some serving from Mahut towards the end that offered Oli little chance to make any sort of comeback but he hung in well, as they said he wasn't going to go away.

Still very young and as was said in commentary nothing fundamental that he can't work on and improve while rertaining his strengths.

Not bad at all.

Spectator · All-time great

Queens and Nottingham seem to be confirming much of what we already knew. Mr Bogdanovic, Mr Bloomfield and Mr Ward are talented and quite dangerous on grass. Mr Golding is a big potential talent -- 6/3, 6/4 v Mahut on grass is terrific. To express views that may be unpopular, I can't see dipping below Ward for MD WCs on the men's side, unless it's either to the two "Bs" (not going to happen) or to some of the under 18s. (I await with joy the moment that others on this board remind me of that comment if someone else gets one and wins.) The one place where an exception to the rule would seem wholly merited is the doubles for Rice/Thornley ... as with Ward last year, one senses it's an accident of timing that they won't be 250 at Wimbledon-tide.

I also wholly understand not putting the British match on Centre Court. People have paid exorbitant sums to attend; few of them will be BT fans who know the challenger/futures level players; and to be honest, there was no guarantee that Ward/Cox would be an unusually scintillating match (as apparently, it wasn't). If I were a non-BT ticketholder who had paid enormous sums to get on to Centre Court only to find that the outer courts contained players I'd heard of, and the inner sanctum was given over to a challenger-level player easily beating a futures-level player, I would not be thrilled . . .

-- Edited by Spectator on Monday 6th of June 2011 04:51:45 PM

DavidC · Tennis legend

murray_2k9 wrote:
All over for Oli but he did much better than many 17 yos would do. 6-3 6-4 is very decent against a tricky player like Mahut on grass.

Is Oli playing jr Wimbledon? Would fancy him to at least match last years effort based on that performance!

All our top junior boys, including Oli, are entered for both Roehampton and Wimbledon juniors. However Oli would have to withdraw from the former if given a Wimbledon main draw WC.

Based on today's promising Tour debut I would not be surprised if Oli were given a Wimbledon main draw WC given the lack of alternative options within the LTA criteria (Dan Cox could arguably meet the criterion of "a younger player who has performed particularly well prior to the Championships", but that's only in Futures and today's performance won't help his cause). Just a shame that we don't currently have more than 1 Challenger level player to avoid the danger of throwing too much too soon at our juniors.

RJA · Hall of fame

I would be inclined towards giving Oli a main draw wild card. Normally I would be hesitant to give one to such a young player but he strikes me as having the attitude to handle the big occasion. I think it would be a big boost to his career.

steven · Tennis legend

Of course, we do have one other player who could pretty fairly be classed as a Challenger level singles player - he even beat one of the players a Brit lost to today (Ito) in his last but one singles tournament (a Challenger) and followed that up with a win against someone (Brugues-Davi) who has gone 25-1 since losing to him, including wins against Boggo (3 & 1) and the Gooch, the loss being to Schüttler.

Unfortunately, Colin Fleming is a doubles specialist.

lukela85 · Newbie

Hi all,

I'm going to Queens tomorrow and am after a ground pass. I was just wondering if any of you have been before and can give me a rough estimate of the latest time I can get there to guarantee myself a ground pass. Thanks

-- Edited by lukela85 on Monday 6th of June 2011 08:12:13 PM

British_is_Best · County player

OOP out for tomorrow. So we have the British number 2 playing the tournament 4th seed in a 2nd round contest, Centre Court right? Well no, actually, it is out on Court 9!! doh bleh

scottie1 · Futures level

I agree with david C I think Golding will be awarded a main draw Wc for Wimbledon but Liam Broady deserves one as well aged 17 and higher ranked tham Oli. Cox I think will get one but may be out of his depth shades of Evans when he was awarded a WC

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

lukela85 wrote:
Hi all,

I'm going to Queens tomorrow and am after a ground pass. I was just wondering if any of you have been before and can give me a rough estimate of the latest time I can get there to guarantee myself a ground pass. Thanks

-- Edited by lukela85 on Monday 6th of June 2011 08:12:13 PM

Hi, welcome to the board. I'm afraid I can't help, I have never been there. But I'm quoting your post in the hope somebody else who can help will see it.

Spectator · All-time great

British_is_Best wrote:
OOP out for tomorrow. So we have the British number 2 playing the tournament 4th seed in a 2nd round contest, Centre Court right? Well no, actually, it is out on Court 9!!

Centre Court might have been putting a lot of pressure on Mr Ward -- but perhaps Court 1? The one that I find hard to understand is the placement of Fleming/Hutchins on Court 10. They're the UK's highest-ranked specialist doubles team and can be expected to perform well. Ljubicic is a well-known player, and Kunitsyn fairly so. Would have put them somewhere better ...

Keyser Soze · Social player

i agree that rice/thornley should get one for doubles. and that golding would rise to the occasion if he got one in singles. however if cox gets a main draw wildcard i think it would be embarrassing to the sport