wolf wrote:

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I wonder if Neal might do what he did at the start of 2019 and play with Ken in 250s and Grand Slams and look singles players in 500s and 1000s.

That peroid he did very well with Ken but absolutely terrible in the bigger ATP events.

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 Hopefully he has raised his profile enough to get some decent partners in stronger events if he can't find a permanent partner this year. 

flamingowings wrote:

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JonH comes home wrote:

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emmsie69 wrote:

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Was Jamie the stronger player of the partnership though or was Neal carrying him somewhat.

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 That's a good point , I often thought that.

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 Hmmm I have my doubts about Jamie too. 

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 Me too.  I was really pleased when Jamie and Neal got together as I rate Neal as a player and I thought he would be good for Jamie who had been struggling at the end of his time with Bruno.  I also felt Neal was underrated and hoped that playing with Jamie would help raise his profile (as well as his rankling).  It's a shame the partnership didn't work out but I really hope Neal can now form a stable partnership with a top player which will enable him to fulfil his potential.  He surely deserves to play at the Tour finals at some point?  Sadly I feel Jamie is now past his best and I doubt he and Bruno will quite hit the same dizzy heights as before.

The Beeb's reporting it, so it must be official! 

Shhh wrote:

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I am not sure where I stand with this with Jamie? If the French Open is losing money then it strikes me as more than a little arrogant. Doubles would not survive at all as a stand alone event but, that said I really enjoy it and wish it featured more heavily than what it does sometimes.

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 Yes, I agree. Leaving aside the moving the dates bit, I don't see why Jamie thinks the doubles prize money should be sacrosanct. They've increased it for first round players etc. And made a whopping cut in 2020 for the single winner's prize cheque. Don't know about 2021.

I doubt doubles earns them very much at all (and must be loss-making after costs etc). And so many of the doubles players are just well-off, well-ranked singles players making an extra buck (not that I begrudge them that, in fact, it makes it far more fun for people to watch, if they're actually going to watch doubles) but it's hard to feel too much sympathy for having to keep a doubles pot that is miles out of proportion with ticket sales and TV rights. 

Sounds like sour grapes really. 

Toby wrote:

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What has happened to Bruno Soares?

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 Possibly injured. I think he and Jamie are on some forthcoming entry lists though.