Week 2 - Australian Open Qualifying

Jiwan · Club Coach

RE: Week 2 - Australian Open Qualifying

Priesty · Challenger level

Great report Jiwan cheers smile

goldenboy · Club Coach

Few comments from kyle here:

www.ausopen.com/mobile/en_AU/news/articles/2015-01-17/allertova_leads_charge_into_ao_main_draw.html

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Such mixed emotions this morning. On the one hand, I am totally buzzing for Kedders. I think it is safe to say that he has put that 3rd set hoodoo to bed once and for all. For any player to qualify by right for their first Slam is a tremendous achievement.

On the other hand of course, I am gutted for Liam. Given he had beaten Russell previously, I really fancied him to make it through as well. But as he said in his tweet - that's tennis. I have no doubt whatsoever that having come so close, Liam will be hungrier than ever when the next slam comes around at RG. Having had a taste of what could be, he is going to want more. Liam's time will come. He is too good a player and too strong a person for it not to happen. Of course, there is still the chance of an LL spot. Liam has confirmed he will stay in Melbourne just in case.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Just to make it official.

FQR: Liam Broady (GBR) WR 193 lost to Michael Russell (USA) WR 156 (CH = 60 in August 2007) 7-5 6-3
FQR: Kyle Edmund (GBR) WR 192 beat (qWC) Dane Propoggia (AUS) WR 323 (CH = 320 last December) 6-7(3) 6-4 9-7

Off to the MD thread for you now Kedders smile smile smile

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Great fight from Kyle to win that one. A shame for Liam but it's still been a great first GS outside of Wimbledon and another stepping stone. The thing is now to keep this going on the challenger circuit and mixing in more ATP events and keep on climbing.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Jiwan I would like to echo Priesties appreciation for the report. Absolutely nothing for Kyle to loose now and from the report it sounds like from your report if Kyle gets a flier he good trouble anyone outside the top 50.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Sorry much to much reporting going on there!

GBJ · Club Coach

Great to have the first hand report, thanks Jiwan!

So the qualifiers have now been placed and they've decided which half plays which day. Kyle plays Steve Johnson some time on Tuesday - not quite what I'd hoped for as Johnson's neither the easiest draw nor the most exciting - I think that honour goes to wanna be Brit Mr Bedene who I'm pleased to see has qualified and been rewarded (?) with a match against Nole!! Hoping the BBC show a good portion of that and Edmund's match but doubt it.

I guess I should post this in the other thread now too!

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Confession time.

OK. So having not stayed up to follow the match, I woke up blurry eyed at about 5.30am. Picking up the iPhone, I opened up the Aus Open app. Struggling to focus through still being half asleep, I finally found Kyle's match and just about managed to see the 7 against Propoggia's name for the 3rd set. At which time I swore rather loudly, not realizing that there were no tiebreaks in the 3rd and thinking that it must have been a 7-5 or 7-6 defeat in that final set.

How fortunate for me then, that I decided to try and see just how close Kyle had come and I looked again for HIS score. It was only then that I saw the 9 and let out a scream of a different variety. Getting back to sleep after that, with the adrenaline flowing, was not easy.

Thanks Jiwan for the report as well. Interestingly enough, I think Kyle has mentioned 1st set nerves a couple of times after his wins this week. Perhaps now he has made the MD, he can relax and play well from the start. If he does so, he has a chance against Johnson, although will clearly start as the underdog.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Saturday 17th of January 2015 08:35:06 AM

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Great for Kyle but equally gutted for Liam.

Clearly a very positive GS qualies for the Brits though, reminds me of when Heather and Laura were both battling for GS MD

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Liam just tweeted that there is no LL spot for him.

Not got in as lucky loser so home tomoz and onto Dallas.

Spectator · All-time great

Very glad for Mr Edmund - and glad for Mr Broady that he did so well in the tournament and impressed so many people, though not able to get past Mr Russell. Mr Russell was, to my mind, one of the tougher FQR draws - hungry, with a point to prove (but that goes for everyone, I suspect!) ... and hugely experienced, which one suspects is the key difference.

But Mr Broady still "belongs" - as this exchange makes clear (
http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-01-17/201501171421471580206.html):

Q. Three British men in the draw.

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it's great. I mean, obviously Liam Broady as well got to the last round, too. I don't know if Heather won.

Q. She won.

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, so that's great. Johnny Marray and my brother won the doubles last week. So it's been a good start to the year. Yeah, hope Laura can get fit soon and start playing again on the tour and doing well. Yeah, it would be nice to have a very good year for all the British players. But, yeah, very pleased for Kyle. It's good to see that Liam is doing very well, too. They both work very hard. When you see someone or people putting in the effort, it's nice to see them get the rewards. So it's good that both of them are heading in the right direction.

Must be an encouragement.

-- Edited by Spectator on Saturday 17th of January 2015 08:59:55 AM

Priesty · Challenger level

Liam is still fairly new to being at this level on a day-to-day basis, let's not forgot he was still in Futures a few months ago. As has been said his time will come.

EddietheEagle · County player

The rankings don't lie. Edmund up 16 places to 176, Broady 4 to 189. Some nice comments from Andy Murray too. Our very senior player now seems well disposed to our two up and coming top players rather than show ambivalence, as he did towards Evans (understandably so). I can see further support coming from his direction. Ward has certainly gained from his training block in Florida.