FQR: (q5) Matthew Short WR 854 v (q14) Javier Pulgar-García (ESP) WR 1076 (CH 1074 in Feb)

L32: (1) Dan Cox WR 243 v Qualifier
L32: Luke Bambridge WR 616 v Kevin Griekspoor (NED) WR 706 (CH 663 in Oct)
L32: (6) Liam Broady WR 460 v Qualifier
L32: (5) Ashley Hewitt WR 393 v Qualifier
L32: Josh Ward-Hibbert WR 705 v (WC) Ali Al-Saygh (QAT) UNR
L32: James Marsalek WR 619 v (3) Chen Ti (TPE) WR 266 (CH 200 in May)

The winners of the first two matches above will meet in R2, with Liam also in the top quarter. The winners of James and JWH's matches will meet in R2 as well.

Lots of Brit interest in the doubles:

R1:  (3) Luke Bambridge & Antoine Benneteau (FRA) CR 857 (401+456) vs Jaime Pulgar & Javier Pulgar (ESP/ESP) CR 1915 (304+1611)
R1:  (WC) Mubarak al Harrasi & Gabor Borsos (QAT/HUN) UNR vs Dan Cox & Matt Short CR 2180 (1500+680)
R1:  Ashley Hewitt & James Marsalek CR 1528 (762+766) vs (2) Liam Broady & Josh Ward-Hibbert CR 717 (395+322) 

Luke's won the first set 6-3

Luke won 5 games in a row at one point and I think it might have been at the end, since he was a break down in the 2nd set the last time I checked.

L32: Luke Bambridge WR 613 beat Kevin Griekspoor (NED) WR 705 (CH 663 in Oct) by 3 & 5

The other Brits play their R1 singles matches tomorrow. Luke will play the winner of Dan's match (i.e. hopefully Dan!) in R2.

Spectator wrote:

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CD will have a clearer sense than I, but I would have said that both Mr Cox and Mr Broady had potential banana skins in their R1 draws - though equally they may coast through. (Nothing like nailing your colours to the mast ...)

For those who are Francophone, Mr Bambridge's doubles partner for this (and last) week, Antoine Benneteau, does a blog for L'Equipe, "L'autre circuit par l'autre Bennet'" which includes this really lovely piece about the day his brother won bronze in the Olympic doubles: lautrecircuitparlautrebennet.blogs.lequipe.fr/ Seems a good sort.

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 maxime Tchou. is definitely a good cut above the boys playing in the French challenger this week and has been playing a LOT of tennis this year, and has some good/very good results in the domestic stuff, but overall, in ITF events, he's had a pretty poor time this year, losing in the first round practically everywhere (although against higher ranked players).

UP UNTIL last week, where he suddenly had a great run and won three rounds, including against the no. 4 and no. 6 seeds. So, maybe Gulf tennis suits him and he's coming into form. OR it was a bit of a blip and nothing to worry about.

Frankly, I think Dan Cox should deal with him without too much bother (although it's also true that Dan didn't cover himself with glory last week, against a youngster who just gets a lot of balls back).

(Not too sure about Broady () - isn't he playing some Croat player?)

Dan has got the first set re Max Tchou. 6-3

Liam is a break up adn serving for the first set.

 

edit - which he wins

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Tuesday 1st of April 2014 12:54:23 PM