Week 27 - Great Britain F12 ($15,000) - Manchester (grass)

paulisi · Tennis legend

RE: Week 27 - Great Britain F12 ($15,000) - Manchester (grass)

indiana · Tennis legend

Does seem maybe a bit strange scheduling.

Though yesterday, did they not effectively decide fairly early on to put off the singles until today, and schedule the doubles rounds for indoors ? OK, the weather cleared late on, but the singles players were presumably not in a position to suddenly play, if they were even all around.

Today though, am I understanding they have only been using two outside courts for the singles QFs ??

The LTA, as has been mentioned before, often seem to use so many courts that they give spectators a very short programme. Then today, when it surely seemed to make sense to play all four QFs at once, they haven't ?!

steven · Tennis legend

Josh breaks again (winning his 6th game in a row) and will serve for the match

LouieG · County player

Josh through 7-5 in the 3rd!

paulisi · Tennis legend

Josh won - Oli hardly won a point in the last few games.

steven · Tennis legend

One of the most bizarre matches of the year - from a set & 1-4 down, Josh won 5 games in a row then lost 5 games in a row then won 7 games in a row.

QF: (1) Dave Rice WR 316 beat (Q) Keelan Oakley WR 1321 by 3 & 1

QF: (8) Josh Milton WR 570 beat (3) Oli Golding WR 359 1-6 6-4 7-5

QF: (4) Brydan Klein WR 460 beat (WC) Joe Salisbury WR 1623 by 4 & 3

QF: George Coupland WR 810 beat (2) Ed Corrie WR 355 by 4 & 1

SF: (1) Dave Rice WR 316 v (8) Josh Milton WR 570 *
SF: (4) Brydan Klein WR 460 v George Coupland WR 810

* H2H 1-4 but they last met in 2011

indiana · Tennis legend

Very very strange, though saying "shameful" from Oli is quite a call from, I presume, scoreboard watching.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Well, congratulations to Josh !

Without having any idea whatsoever exactly what happened, there's a lesson to be learned that it's never over till it's over. And Josh obviously could have thrown in the towel and didn't . . . so bravo that man!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

NB In smaller tournaments, you'd often schedule four matches as two rounds of two matches (as opposed to one round of four) because that way you only have to pay two umpires (umpires are usually paid 'per morning' or 'per afternoon', not per match so you get two matches for the one fee, so to speak).

I don't know if that's the case here, or for any 15k, (means the umpires can get pretty tired) but just a possibility. (Doing it for the benefit of the crowd is obviously another possibility - more spectators per match, as opposed to splitting them over four matches, means more atmosphere and a longer 'day out').

Anyway, not sure that Oli should be tweeting discontent and grumbles, in between, half way through the day, but kudos still to Josh, all the same.

steven · Tennis legend

I was wondering about the umpire situation but you'd think Oli would have known about that if it was the case. Maybe not (or maybe he did and didn't think it was sufficient excuse - in which casem he wouldn't be the first player to approach these issues from a purely selfish point of view)

steven · Tennis legend

Brydan has won the 1st set against George 7-5 (just one break)

paulisi · Tennis legend

George is one set all now.

In terms of the umpiring situation, on Tuesday there were 5 courts in action with umpires on each and different umpires ready to take on the next games. There were no lines judges. So there were at least 10 umpires. The umpires were not British and i assume were part of the Wimbledon contingent who were no longer required.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Yes - George makes the final 5-7 6-4 6-4

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Oh, well done Mr. Coupland !!!

(and, thanks, paulisi for the scores)

steven · Tennis legend

Well done to George on making his first Futures singles final!

(he's had to beat all the seeds who could have been in his way to do it too!)