Week 25 - ATP World Tour 250 - Eastbourne, UK (Grass)

LouieG · County player

RE: Week 25 - ATP World Tour 250 - Eastbourne, UK (Grass)

LouieG · County player

Is he injured or something :/ this is pathetic

RJA · Hall of fame

LouieG wrote:
Is he injured or something :/ this is pathetic

Why would you think he is injured?

Aside from a couple of Davis Cup matches James has done nothing in the last two years to suggest that he can compete with top 100 players. Somewhere around 150-180 in the world seems to be his level.

-- Edited by RJA on Tuesday 17th of June 2014 07:10:57 PM

airsmashers · County player

Was there a stream then or is this based on live scores?

Julia Carrot · All-time great

There was a poorish stream via Live Score Hunter. Though I'm mostly watching Heather's match on BT sport, much better quality.

Jaffa · Challenger level

There was a stream, it was unforced error after unforced error

indiana · Tennis legend

Didn't see any of it, but James does have an irritating and all too regular habit of flinging in fairly awful matches from time to time.

He is one person, who for whatever reason(s), too often plays some way below his best form.

I think it is more understandable to go through periods of poorer form, such as with Sam and Tara, but this match to match stuff must be very frustrating for James more than anyone.

steven · Tennis legend

L28: (WC) James Ward WR 155 lost to Donald Young (USA) WR 69 (CH 38 in 2012) by 3 & 2

L28: (WC) Dan Evans WR 144 lost to (Q) Tobias Kamke (GER) WR 90 (CH 64 in 2011) by 2 & 3

L28: (WC) Kyle Edmund WR 284 lost to Sam Querrey (USA) WR 77 (CH 17 in 2011) by 7-6(5) 6-3

The first time for 3 years that no Brits have made it to R2.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

steven wrote:
L28: (WC) James Ward WR 155 lost to Donald Young (USA) WR 69 (CH 38 in 2012) by 3 & 2
L28: (WC) Dan Evans WR 144 lost to (Q) Tobias Kamke (GER) WR 90 (CH 64 in 2011) by 2 & 3
L28: (WC) Kyle Edmund WR 284 lost to Sam Querrey (USA) WR 77 (CH 17 in 2011) by 7-6(5) 6-3

The first time for 3 years that no Brits have made it to R2.

Probably wouldn't even make it to Round 1 - some of them - if they were not given WC's to the main draw. In Ward's case I just wonder if at the back of his mind his attitude was something like - I've got my precious wild card for the Wimbledon Main Draw (which sometimes comes across as though he feels it's his birth right) so I can rest easy knowing I'll pick up 27 grand whatever happens next week.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

That's a bit harsh. James has a history of being very up and down, but I don't think it is at all deliberate.

indiana · Tennis legend

How does James sometimes give the impression that he feels that a Wimbledon MD WC is his birthright ?

( of course, he would currently expect it, not that I have heard him talk about it, since the precedent, whatever we may think about it, is clearly there )

As both myself and Madeline have indicated, he can be very up and down, and that's at any time of the year.

We get that you don't like Slam MD WCs ( and I'm largely with you on that, though I think we are in the minority ), but no need for what seems rather spurious implications about a player, who dared to accept such a WC.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

indiana wrote:
How does James sometimes give the impression that he feels that a Wimbledon MD WC is his birthright ?

( of course, he would currently expect it, not that I have heard him talk about it, since the precedent, whatever we may think about it, is clearly there )

As both myself and Madeline have indicated, he can be very up and down, and that's at any time of the year.

We get that you don't like Slam MD WCs ( and I'm largely with you on that, though I think we are in the minority ), but no need for what seems rather spurious implications about a player, who dared to accept such a WC.

As it's you Indy - my apologies - birthright was perhaps not the best word/phrase to use.

How does he give the impression? Generally, and assuming he was not misquoted, there have been a couple of articles in the press/media one quite recently and the other a few years ago when he got upset because he was offered a qualifying wild card and not one to the main draw. He refused, or for whatever reason, decided not to play qualies and play at Eastbourne and in fairness did reasonably well there. But it was just how it came across even if it might have been six of one half a dozen of the other. It was as though he shouldn't have to bother playing qualies - perhaps you and maybe others might remember the incident. In the recent article let's jus say he was very much defending the status quo - but then again he would do.

indiana · Tennis legend

Thanks, A131, I honestly don't recall any quotes from him with regards to Wimbledon WCs, which was essentially why I asked ( to see if you knew any :) ).

Interesting, if perhaps not really too surprising.

PS : no need to apologise to me, indeed feel free to argue the toss on occasion. I'm a big boy, and don't mind a good debate / argument, though I have learned over time who to sometimes avoid in these or at least tread more diplomatically. And for good or bad, you are not one of my avoidees :)

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

indiana wrote:
Thanks, A131, I honestly don't recall any quotes from him with regards to Wimbledon WCs, which was essentially why I asked ( to see if you knew any :) ).

Interesting, if perhaps not really too surprising.

PS : no need to apologise to me, indeed feel free to argue the toss on occasion. I'm a big boy, and don't mind a good debate / argument, though I have learned over time who to sometimes avoid in these or at least tread more diplomatically. And for good or bad, you are not one of my avoidees :)

Thanks Indy - I forgot to mention on my initial reply that there was an also an article or there was a piece either on TV or in the paper several years ago now where Tim Henman (I think he was still playing at the time) remarked that he felt that there was this sense of entitlement attitude among other British players - in short did not work hard enough. I have also heard Sam Smith remark in the past that she felt a lot of players want it on a silver platter.

Now admittedly, they were not referring to Ward specifically and he might have only just started his career, or not long started, and certainly before Wimbledon introduced the top 250 rule. But I just wonder whether that sort of culture has seeped through.

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

A131 wrote:

Thanks Indy - I forgot to mention on my initial reply that there was an also an article or there was a piece either on TV or in the paper several years ago now where Tim Henman (I think he was still playing at the time) remarked that he felt that there was this sense of entitlement attitude among other British players - in short did not work hard enough. I have also heard Sam Smith remark in the past that she felt a lot of players want it on a silver platter.
Now admittedly, they were not referring to Ward specifically and he might have only just started his career, or not long started, and certainly before Wimbledon introduced the top 250 rule. But I just wonder whether that sort of culture has seeped through.

I think there was such a culture in the past but I don't think it's present (definitely not widespread) any longer - not since the clear criteria have been set out by the Lta for being put forward for wildcards. Just as I don't think there is a blanket "grass court advantage" as I saw someone mention on one of the other threads a couple of days ago. The lta is by no means perfect but there have been changes recently and whilst there's still a long way to go I think we (all, I'm not trying to get at anyone in particular - it's a trait I'm trying to guard myself against as much as anyone else) need to be careful not to continue judging the current crop of players on the assumptions from the last set.

I hope Wardy doesn't feel it is his "birthright" to get a wimbly MD wildcard but I don't see why it would be wrong for him to expect one each year he meets the prescribed criteria, or to rely on the income they provide. I was glad to see during the Queens coverage that the gruesome twosome and the beeb seem to have also taken this line, taking the time to point out exactly how little income Ward and Evans had made this year so far and therefore how the first round loser money from Wimbledon whilst a lot for one week is not unreasonable when taken as part of a whole.

We can argue on here till we're all blue in the face (or perhaps till our fingers bleed is a better metaphor) about whether wildcards are too much of an unfair advantage to those who happen to have been born to a grand slam country, but don't forget all the other threads where we have bemoaned that our most talented prospects weren't born in France or Spain and how if they'd come through those systems they'd be in the top 10 by now, or how if they'd been born in Serbia to the Djokovic family they'd have the hunger from playing tennis in an empty swimming pool and would have won grand slams aplenty. My point is, we should not judge the players for using whatever advantage they can take to get to the top be it funding, wildcards, even a change of nationality there are over 2000 ranked tennis players out there and at least 2000 of them will never make a living from this business debate the system all you want but lets avoid personal attacks on people trying to make ends meet so they can continue to reach for their dreams.