QR1: (q3) Alex Ward WR 410 v Francesco Mattion (ITA) UNR QR1: (q8) Oliver Golding WR 530 v Sami Reinwein (GER) WR 773
Not good that they are in the same quarter but at least one of them should get through.
Yes, as you say, at least one of them should get through.
I guess that the LTA are hoping that it's Oli. They must have been writing a lot of top-up cheques for Alex recently - GBP500 for every time he's qualified for the Challenger MD and 500 extra for making it through to the second round - all good stuff !
Mattion has only played one match in an ATP-ranked event before - in QR1 here last year, where he took a set off an unranked player who is 2-4 in Futures qualifying matches.
Reinwein hit a career high of 566 in 2011 when he was 19. Against Brits this year, he has lost 1 & 3 to James Ward in China and beaten Dan Smethurst 9-7 in a 3rd set tiebreak in Cardiff in February before losing 2 & 5 to Tom Farquharson (who is due to be back in action in Belgium next week, btw) in the following round.
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!