Weeks 26 & 27 - Wimbledon - men's main draw (grass)

savva0122 · Intermediate Club Player

RE: Weeks 26 & 27 - Wimbledon - men's main draw (grass)

LordBrownof · Futures level

savva0122 wrote:
EddietheEagle wrote:
It's not just a bunch of typical British players this year though, is it? There's quite a varied mix, what with a couple of relative outsiders, a pair of young guns, established members of the old brigade (Ward, Murray). It's not a group of unknown, LTA-subsidised ducks sitting in a row, so not such an easy target for the press.
I think that's true actually, it is a little different. But I think the the result will be the same
Liam's got a chance but in poor form at the mo, that would be a surprise
Ward's got Bob Hope
Bedene's definitely got a chance
Kyle's got a tough one, think he will struggle particularly over 5 sets if not 100% fit
Klein, hmm maybe but may be a bit of a big step up.

So firm money only on Andy, with 50:50 on Bedene's.
but I would be delighted to be proved wrong

I just don't buy the idea that Liam is in poor form. Yes, he's had a lot of losses in 2015 - but the overwhelming majority have been to players ranked higher. And when you look more closely at those stats (the Kokkinakis loss, Jaziri, Harrison) they were all pretty close. I think he's more consolidated his ranking in the high 100's/early 200s which is where he ended the season last year.

He's certainly not making the strides he once was but as we all know the higher you go, the finer the margins. It would be too easy to get down on him at this point. He's proved to me that the final 6 months of 2014 weren't some phase or fluke.

I still believe he'll end the year higher than where he started with a lot of additional learnings under his belt.

-- Edited by LordBrownof on Saturday 27th of June 2015 08:22:58 AM

RJA · Hall of fame

LordBrownof wrote:
I just don't buy the idea that Liam is in poor form. Yes, he's had a lot of losses in 2015 - but the overwhelming majority have been to players ranked higher. And when you look more closely at those stats (the Kokkinakis loss, Jaziri, Harrison) they were all pretty close. I think he's more consolidated his ranking in the high 100's/early 200s which is where he ended the season last year.
He's certainly not making the strides he once was but as we all know the higher you go, the finer the margins. It would be too easy to get down on him at this point. He's proved to me that the final 6 months of 2014 weren't some phase or fluke.
I still believe he'll end the year higher than where he started with a lot of additional learnings under his belt.

You can make a case either way over Liam's level of play, he has frequently pushed better players very close but he has had a few pretty bad losses as well.

The claim that he has consolidated his ranking is however very misleading. He has stayed where he is largely due to defending very few points in the first 6 months of the year. His YTD ranking is 343 with just 69 points.

-- Edited by RJA on Saturday 27th of June 2015 09:40:41 AM

LJR · Junior player

Awful draw for James and not good for Brydan. I also think Kyle's is pretty tough, and even if it is ok i'm not sure he's played enough since the French. I'm expecting Bedene to win, although I am wary of Stepanek on this surface. Wasn't really expecting Liam to do anything here but that is a great draw for him. It's strange, he hasn't done anything for a while but recently I imagined him springing a surprise and getting a win here and this is an opportunity for that to happen.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Gutted by that draw for Wardy furious

Yep, here's hoping he can channel his Davis Cup self smile

-- Edited by vohor on Saturday 27th of June 2015 01:12:40 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
LordBrownof wrote:
I just don't buy the idea that Liam is in poor form. Yes, he's had a lot of losses in 2015 - but the overwhelming majority have been to players ranked higher. And when you look more closely at those stats (the Kokkinakis loss, Jaziri, Harrison) they were all pretty close. I think he's more consolidated his ranking in the high 100's/early 200s which is where he ended the season last year.
He's certainly not making the strides he once was but as we all know the higher you go, the finer the margins. It would be too easy to get down on him at this point. He's proved to me that the final 6 months of 2014 weren't some phase or fluke.
I still believe he'll end the year higher than where he started with a lot of additional learnings under his belt.
You can make a case either way over Liam's level of play, he has frequently pushed better players very close but he has had a few pretty bad losses as well.
The claim that he has consolidated his ranking is however very misleading. He has stayed where he is largely due to defending very few points in the first 6 months of the year. His YTD ranking is 343 with just 69 points.

-- Edited by RJA on Saturday 27th of June 2015 09:40:41 AM

Indeed after his second half to last year and relatively very few points to defend in the first half of this year, he had a huge window to push up the rankings.

One can argue how "poor" his form has been, and how he may have been better than his results / points gathering indicate. But it has been far from as good as folk and he himself must have been anticipating.

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

A late night out at Wimbledon live last night not ideal preparation

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

So Matosevic has lost 15 matches out of 18 this year.

11 consecutive defeats.

And hasn't won a match since Feb. 23rd.

Now THAT'S got to be the definition of 'not in form'....

LordBrownof · Futures level

RJA wrote:
LordBrownof wrote:
I just don't buy the idea that Liam is in poor form. Yes, he's had a lot of losses in 2015 - but the overwhelming majority have been to players ranked higher. And when you look more closely at those stats (the Kokkinakis loss, Jaziri, Harrison) they were all pretty close. I think he's more consolidated his ranking in the high 100's/early 200s which is where he ended the season last year.
He's certainly not making the strides he once was but as we all know the higher you go, the finer the margins. It would be too easy to get down on him at this point. He's proved to me that the final 6 months of 2014 weren't some phase or fluke.
I still believe he'll end the year higher than where he started with a lot of additional learnings under his belt.
You can make a case either way over Liam's level of play, he has frequently pushed better players very close but he has had a few pretty bad losses as well.
The claim that he has consolidated his ranking is however very misleading. He has stayed where he is largely due to defending very few points in the first 6 months of the year. His YTD ranking is 343 with just 69 points.

-- Edited by RJA on Saturday 27th of June 2015 09:40:41 AM

Quite correct. I was thinking "level" but wrote "ranking".

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

indiana wrote:
RJA wrote:
LordBrownof wrote:
I just don't buy the idea that Liam is in poor form. Yes, he's had a lot of losses in 2015 - but the overwhelming majority have been to players ranked higher. And when you look more closely at those stats (the Kokkinakis loss, Jaziri, Harrison) they were all pretty close. I think he's more consolidated his ranking in the high 100's/early 200s which is where he ended the season last year.
He's certainly not making the strides he once was but as we all know the higher you go, the finer the margins. It would be too easy to get down on him at this point. He's proved to me that the final 6 months of 2014 weren't some phase or fluke.
I still believe he'll end the year higher than where he started with a lot of additional learnings under his belt.
You can make a case either way over Liam's level of play, he has frequently pushed better players very close but he has had a few pretty bad losses as well.
The claim that he has consolidated his ranking is however very misleading. He has stayed where he is largely due to defending very few points in the first 6 months of the year. His YTD ranking is 343 with just 69 points.

-- Edited by RJA on Saturday 27th of June 2015 09:40:41 AM

Indeed after his second half to last year and relatively very few points to defend in the first half of this year, he had a huge window to push up the rankings.
One can argue how "poor" his form has been, and how he may have been better than his results / points gathering indicate. But it has been far from as good as folk and he himself must have been anticipating.

Indy - I'm bound to say this is one of the reasons I would do away with GSMD wild cards and insist players who, for whatever reason, failed to make direct entry go through qualifying.

In Liam's case - nothing against him at all and I'm sure he's a very nice lad but I think he could be in a no win situation here. If he loses (whether it be in straight sets or five) his first round then I think he could come in for a bit of flak but if he wins then there could also be a chorus of people (maybe not on this forum) who will say that he only won because he drew a player who on current form is one of the worse players in the draw. There will be those of course who will praise him and even if he goes to lose his second round match will see it as justification for him to get a wild card next year irrespective of his form and/or irrespective if his ranking drops between now and then. You know full well where I stand on that but I think this situation does have a chance of materializing.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

A131 wrote:
indiana wrote:
RJA wrote:
LordBrownof wrote:
I just don't buy the idea that Liam is in poor form. Yes, he's had a lot of losses in 2015 - but the overwhelming majority have been to players ranked higher. And when you look more closely at those stats (the Kokkinakis loss, Jaziri, Harrison) they were all pretty close. I think he's more consolidated his ranking in the high 100's/early 200s which is where he ended the season last year.
He's certainly not making the strides he once was but as we all know the higher you go, the finer the margins. It would be too easy to get down on him at this point. He's proved to me that the final 6 months of 2014 weren't some phase or fluke.
I still believe he'll end the year higher than where he started with a lot of additional learnings under his belt.
You can make a case either way over Liam's level of play, he has frequently pushed better players very close but he has had a few pretty bad losses as well.
The claim that he has consolidated his ranking is however very misleading. He has stayed where he is largely due to defending very few points in the first 6 months of the year. His YTD ranking is 343 with just 69 points.

-- Edited by RJA on Saturday 27th of June 2015 09:40:41 AM

Indeed after his second half to last year and relatively very few points to defend in the first half of this year, he had a huge window to push up the rankings.
One can argue how "poor" his form has been, and how he may have been better than his results / points gathering indicate. But it has been far from as good as folk and he himself must have been anticipating.
Indy - I'm bound to say this is one of the reasons I would do away with GSMD wild cards and insist players who, for whatever reason, failed to make direct entry go through qualifying.
In Liam's case - nothing against him at all and I'm sure he's a very nice lad but I think he could be in a no win situation here. If he loses (whether it be in straight sets or five) his first round then I think he could come in for a bit of flak but if he wins then there could also be a chorus of people (maybe not on this forum) who will say that he only won because he drew a player who on current form is one of the worse players in the draw. There will be those of course who will praise him and even if he goes to lose his second round match will see it as justification for him to get a wild card next year irrespective of his form and/or irrespective if his ranking drops between now and then. You know full well where I stand on that but I think this situation does have a chance of materializing.

Sorry - meant to say that if he wins it will not be solely because his opponent is out of form but it will be factored in so to speak.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

vohor wrote:
Gutted by that draw for Wardy
Yep, here's hoping he can channel his Davis Cup self

-- Edited by vohor on Saturday 27th of June 2015 01:12:40 PM

Then again, as I have said before, he should be grateful he is the main draw at all. Even more grateful that this his 6th wild card in 7 years. Infact, I don't think he has ever made to the main draw of a regular main tour event in this country, without a wild card. Admittedly I am not a fan of his so I am not as gutted so to speak as some but I think he should be told now that next year, if he wants to play in the main draw at Wimbledon, he should either get in on merit or go through qualifying - especially if he loses. Bit like they did with Bogdanovic.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

I think someone else pointed out earlier that if there were no WCs at all Wardy would have got into the MD on merit this time.
A nice draw would have given him a good shot at breaking into the top 100 which I would really like to see him achieve; drawing Ferrer sees that chance recede; so, I remain, Gutted of Shropshire cry

-- Edited by vohor on Sunday 28th of June 2015 10:46:04 AM

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

vohor wrote:
I think someone else pointed out earlier that if there were no WCs at all Wardy would have got into the MD on merit this time.
A nice draw would have given him a good shot at breaking into the top 100 which I would really like to see him achieve; drawing Ferrer sees that chance recede; so, I remain, Gutted of Shropshire

-- Edited by vohor on Sunday 28th of June 2015 10:46:04 AM

That is true (re if there were no wc's) and I'd be fine with that - perhaps something I forgot/overlooked. Still think he should be made to qualify next year though unless his ranking his good enough to give him DE.

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

Ferrer has withdrawn; apparently it's Luca Vanni for James.