steven wrote:

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The good news - all 3 Brits play unranked qualifying wild cards (2 of whom have never played on the ITF pro or junior circuits before) in their first matches ...

QR1: Lewis Burton WR 795 v (wc) Manuel Guinard (FRA) UNR

QR2: (q2) Dave Rice WR 287 v (wc) Loeiz Briand (FRA) UNR 
QR2: (q5) Marcus Willis WR 385 v (wc) Louis Fouilleux (FRA) UNR
QR2: Burton or Guinard v (q7) Dominic Meffert (GER) WR 391 (CH 161 in 2012)

The bad news - the winners of Marcus and Dave's matches will meet in the FQR 

-- Edited by steven on Saturday 29th of March 2014 10:20:47 AM

 Did anyone listen to Gary Lewis tennis interview  on Southampton FM 103.9 Today ?  

It was unrehearsed and off the cuff I was still remonstrating about what a mistake it was to let Rodger draper go as he was the only official at the Lta gave  us any support 

 

 

 

-- Edited by A1 tennis academy on Saturday 29th of March 2014 03:03:27 PM

Hi steve

Did wilbomb & burts get into maindraw of the Doubs ? I am well away from the glamour & chic of a French challenger for my sins  looking after goldfish (Lucas percy / Kent no7 18U ) at a grade 3 in Redbridge Essex  hoping still got alloys on the R8 when get to the car park ! Lol 

 

Ricey up 6-3 3-1

Dave wins 3 & 2 to set up the expected all-GB final qualifying match between him and Marcus

Main draw doubles made normally at noon on Sunday for challengers Gary.

Lewis got broken and Meffert served out the match Pushing the German this close might well be his best singles performance for a while though.

QR1: Lewis Burton WR 795 beat (wc) Manuel Guinard (FRA) UNR by 1-6 7-5 6-1

QR2: (q2) Dave Rice WR 287 beat (wc) Loeiz Briand (FRA) UNR by 3 & 2
QR2: (q5) Marcus Willis WR 385 beat (wc) Louis Fouilleux (FRA) UNR by 3 & 0
QR2: Lewis Burton WR 795 lost to (q7) Dominic Meffert (GER) WR 391 (CH 161 in 2012) by 2-6 6-3 6-4

FQR: (q2) Dave Rice WR 287 v (q5) Marcus Willis WR 385

ITF H2H 6-1, and Dave has won their last 4 Futures matches in straight sets.

I looked into why the WC players had got wildcards, when they (or at least, most of them) are SO far off the right level and seemingly they're local club players at St Brieuc and the club has a policy that they give wildcards to any of their club players (above a certain level, obviously, but not huge) who agree to help out with all the organisation and running of the tournament.

It seems quite a nice idea - volunteers don't get much reward or recognition and it takes a lot of them to make something like this run smoothly. It's quite a feather in their caps, to tell their mates they played a WR top 300 player, or whatever. AND won a few games. I know it's quite common for clubs to give WCs to their top players but this is going further down the pecking order than normal, and in return for help. I like it.