Boys: Wimbledon Juniors 2011

DavidC · Tennis legend

RE: Boys: Wimbledon Juniors 2011

Tennis36 · Masters Series Champion

hats off to the aussie, played well when let into the match, altough i do think vesely, kern and kubler were tougher matchups than this one, shame

indiana · Tennis legend

Pity for Liam, but he's shown again in these Championships what a great prospect he is.

Think he's certainly played better than today, forehand wasn't whipping through as consistently successfully as previous and was going long a bit much. Serve wasn't as consistently effective either with also too many double faults creeping in.

Still quite an experience no doubt to play there on Court 1, and maybe he can come back stronger and better and win it next year.

Pretty ridiculous by the way for the BBC not to stay a minute or two more for the presentations on the Red Button.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 2nd of July 2011 02:32:14 PM

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
Pretty ridiculous by the way for the BBC not to stay a minute or two more for the presentations on the Red Button.

They did on my TV.

indiana · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
indiana wrote:
Pretty ridiculous by the way for the BBC not to stay a minute or two more for the presentations on the Red Button.
They did on my TV.

I've just got the Freeview 301 channel and they went to Moto GP qualifying, well initially a load of waffling, just as the presentations were getting underway.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 2nd of July 2011 02:09:16 PM

RJA · Hall of fame

Perhaps I am clutching at straws here but he might actually have done himself favour. Had he won the the media would have built him up as some kind of wonder kid who inevitably win Wimbledon one day. Baggage like that is not particularly helpful.

steven · Tennis legend

I wonder whether playing 18 matches (singles and doubles combined) in just 2 weeks ended up taking its toll. It's still been a much better couple of weeks for Liam than we'd have dared to hope and it was good to see him still able to smile at the end.

When top juniors do actually make it on the main tour (to the top 10/20, I mean), they often do it in pairs (or more), probably partly because they were pushed so hard as juniors, so hopefully this will turn out to be one of those years.

-- Edited by steven on Saturday 2nd of July 2011 02:16:51 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
Perhaps I am clutching at straws here but he might actually have done himself favour. Had he won the the media would have built him up as some kind of wonder kid who inevitably win Wimbledon one day. Baggage like that is not particularly helpful.

Maybe, particularly if he had also gone to JWR 1, which would have been a possibility depending on how the doubles event shaked out.

Peter too · Tennis legend

A great shame, he seemed to be in total control at set and break up but then the wheels came off and he lost 11 points in a row to go to *4-5 and 0-40 in the 2nd set. He saved two set points but never seemed to get back the fluidity of stroke play that he showed early on. In the first set he was moving his opponent around well with his backhand and finishing him off with a blistering forehand. That combination seemed to desert him for the 3rd set. I think he should still be young enough to have another shot next year.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Disappointed for Liam but it may be a blessing in disguise in the long term. I agree with steven that he just got a little bit tired after alot of long matches preceding this. In the first set and a half of the match I've never seen better ball striking by a junior.
IMO Liam will have a very successful senior career because 1. he has major weapons 2. he has very good foot speed and 3. he has a strong mentality.

RJA · Hall of fame

Will be interesting to see how Liam picks himself up for his doubles match.

indiana · Tennis legend

I'm not sure that Liam was particularly physically tired, I think more the occasion got to him a bit.

I know we have been impressed by his mentality and generally it is very good, but he's still a young lad and was playing the final of Wimbledon Boys, his home Grand Slam in front of a full Court One.

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
I'm not sure that Liam was particularly physically tired, I think more the occasion got to him a bit.
I know we have been impressed by his mentality and generally it is very good, but he's still a young lad and was playing the final of Wimbledon Boys, his home Grand Slam in front of a full Court One.

I agree that the occasion got to him at the end of second set. the *4-3 game was an absolute sticker. However there was possibly a bit of mental fatigue in the third set.

RJA · Hall of fame

Here is a brief snippet of an interview with Liam after the match

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/14002500.stm

Re-enforces the impression of that he has given all week as a lad with a great attitude.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Shame for Liam. I was very impressed with how he did until 6-2 4-3 then he ssemed to just fall apart as saville got better. Have to say wasn't too impressed by him. Yes big serve but his movement at times was shocking