Week 24 - ATP 500 (Queen's) - London, UK - Grass

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Week 24 - ATP 500 (Queen's) - London, UK - Grass

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
The shirt is in the worst possible taste. Thank God he won't be able to wear it in SW19!
I really like the shirt !!!!
It goes with his socks......

Just noticed the matching bloody socks! disbelief If the, how shall I put, ensemble is meant to be some kind of fashion statement, then God alone knows what he's trying to say! In fact, I'd say send for the fashion . Anyway. it's all immaterial now: he's down & out! hmm

savva0122 · Intermediate Club Player

I didn't see the first set I presume Raonic was rusty and under par. The second two I saw showed typical Ward's lack of mental fortitude. I hope these wild cards dry up now.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Played pretty well considering he had such a bad attack of measles.

Seriously, he has won in DC against high-ranked players, but not as high as Raonic, has he?

savva0122 · Intermediate Club Player

He was in a position to get a great win and crumbled again. I'm not sure the DC thing isn't a red herring he's lost 3 out of the last 4 matches and was2-0 down against isner. He had the advantage in Leon in his ear there.

At 28 he's not going to get any better than this, in fact his ranking flatters him at the mo. I think the focus should be on Kyle, Liam and even Aljaz and Brydan now as they've still got chance to improve.

Sorry to be a party pooper

Jaffa · Challenger level

Can't play Ward in DC now. Chuck Kyle or Brydan in.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Boggo

Ratty · County player

savva0122 wrote:
He was in a position to get a great win and crumbled again. I'm not sure the DC thing isn't a red herring he's lost 3 out of the last 4 matches and was2-0 down against isner. He had the advantage in Leon in his ear there.

At 28 he's not going to get any better than this, in fact his ranking flatters him at the mo. I think the focus should be on Kyle, Liam and even Aljaz and Brydan now as they've still got chance to improve.

Sorry to be a party pooper

What I saw was that the better player took a bit of time to find his game after returning from injury. I'm sure that James Ward wants more than any of us to be better at tennis than he is, and so it seems pretty unpleasant to criticise his supposed lack of moral fibre.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yea, should be seeing off these WR 8s even after they've shaken off some understandable rust. Hmm ...

What Ratty said.

"crumbled again" and "was 2-0 down against Isner" are rather at variant.

Noone ever gets better after 28 apart from all those who have.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Agree with Ratty.

And agree with Indy.

And interesting that James' career high as a junior was ITF WR 1280

Now THAT'S low.....

The guy's obviously a slow burner but, tortoise and hare like, he's beaten nearly all the other far higher-ranked juniors that GB produced at the time. So keep the faith.

LouieG · County player

Good effort Ward, hard luck, keep fighting in Nottingham & then SW19.

scottie1 · Futures level

LouieG wrote:
Good effort Ward, hard luck, keep fighting in Nottingham & then SW19.

Thank God someone being positive about James, ok Raonic won but he was ranked 4 in world prior to injury so good try by James

How many recent British players apart from Henman Rusedeski and Andy in last 10 years ?

Only one I can think of is Martin Lee so for James and Kyle to reach 101 is great

goldfish · Futures qualifying

Back from my day at Queens and I did actually have a pleasant day despite the scheduling that was beyond unbelievable. Why was Kevin Anderson playing singles on centre court then scheduled for doubles on court 1 after suitable rest? It resulted in a haitus on court 1 followed by an exhbition doubles before he was able to play and a doubles demonstration on court 9 with Ross Hutchins explaining the ins and outs of doubles play (at least, I think that was what it was but didn't watch it). Dimitrov, the defending champion has a match hung over til tomorrow. Tuesday on court 9 has 3 singles matches. What is going on? I have handed in my letter of complaint to the tournament office. There were many other unhappy spectators.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Given James high as a junior, to be so close to top 100 is amazing! I think we are all looking at a player who is doing his absolute best to be the best he can be. The fact that only one of his cohort and those that followed has done better is not his fault. If he ditches the shirt I would be in favour of giving the bloke a break, he is tour pro good enough to make a living and fund a coach.

RJA · Hall of fame

It would obviously be unfair to criticise James for not being good enough to beat the world No8 but I would suggest that this match does show why he isn't in the top 100. In the first set he played beautifully but was never put under any pressure by a rusty Raonic who was absolutely useless whenever his serve didn't win him the point. He started the second set well at they key point of the match when the pressure was on he did indeed crumble. The way he was serving he should never have been broke 3 times in a row but he was and each time it was it was a poor unforced error on break point.