British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

thanks for all the updates Bladetiger, it was great to be able to read through the matches this evening.

Just out of curiousity (because I'm taking a politics degree so I need to know these things) when did the People's Republic of Norfolk declare independence and was there any fighting before they established a government?

imoen wrote:

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thanks for all the updates Bladetiger, it was great to be able to read through the matches this evening. Just out of curiousity (because I'm taking a politics degree so I need to know these things) when did the People's Republic of Norfolk declare independence and was there any fighting before they established a government?

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It was in 60.AD see http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/pasttimes/pt_boudicca.htm 
Thats why the government haven't built motorway or even full duel carriageway into norfolk.

Right, I have battled my way back from the wilds of County Durham and fed Husband and cat (and self)

I apologise for any problems with the texts. Texting is not my forte, I am i n c r e d i b l y   s l o o o o w w   at it. Simple scores are not too bad but if I add a comment I have missed the next game-and-a-half.

Add to this the problems trying to keep track of two games simultaneously, with miniscule scoreboards which give no detail of the past position (i.e. you can see the current game situation and the situation in sets but not the scores of the sets if you have missed them), and nothing at all for tiebreaks except what the umpires call out. As there are at least two matches at a time, that is often drowned out by the other umpire shouting/banging of balls/screeching of shoes on rubber court/swearing and smashing of racquets by beaten player etc.

Because of these problems (we won't mention senility) I don't feel able to give reports as such, I didn't have time to take many notes and can't remember details, but here are a few things I can remember.

Lee v Goodall

Josh got off to a good start, serving well (I think there were 3 aces in game 5) then broke Martin in game 6. Martin seemed a bit slow off the mark, many balls were just out, but just is enough. Josh went on to take the set 6-3.

In the second set Martin got himself together and started hitting the lines, while Josh struggled badly with his first service game before holding. He went on to lose his second service game, and never managed to break back, losing his temper and throwing his racquet around a bit in the process. Martin took the set 6-3.

In the third set Josh served first and again struggled to hold but did so after coming back from 15-40. In his next service game he was again 15-40 down, came back somewhat (I was distracted at this point by something in the other match so didn't get the exact score) but failed to hold. He was broken again and Martin moved to 5-1, then Josh held to 5-2 but Martin took the set, and the match 3-6 6-3 6-2.

Bachelot v Munoz de la Nava

I wasn't actually watching this, but saw bits. Bachelot looks a classy player, elegant and with good placement (and volleys!!), while Munoz seemed to have more power and was very good at retrieving. Munoz took the first set 6-3, the second set went to a tiebreak with Bachelot running out the winner 11-9, then going on to win the match 3-6 7-6(9) 6-4.

Senor Munoz is very noisy and vociferous about linecalls. One time in particular I remember, he got very annoyed with the umpire who would not overrule a ball in the far corner from him - I actually thought the call was correct anyway and I was about the same distance away as the umpire and at a better angle.  I think it is as well I do not speak Spanish!

Auckland v Marx

At the start of this I was a bit distracted by the goings-on on the next court where the above match was finishing, and by the end was also trying to keep track of Bloomfield v Burn which followed on that court. James raced away to a 5-2 lead, then took the set 6-3 much to the annoyance of Herr Marx - and yes, I do speak German, and understood at least some of the swearing!

The second set was much closer, James broke Marx in the 5th game - more swearing and banging of racquets - and held on to take the set, with at least two aces in his final service. Final score 6-3 6-4.

Bloomfield v Burn

As I explained I was trying to watch two matches at the same time - and I'm not clever enough!  General impression of first set - Richard was never in any danger of losing his serve, Tom fought hard on his serves but dropped the first two, held the third and dropped again in the final game to give Richard the set 6-1.

The second set was much closer score-wise and I saw more of the end of it as the other match finished part way through. Again though, although Tom managed to hold his serves, it was with some difficulty whereas Richard held easily.  The set went into a tiebreak and Tom got an early minibreak, but lost it again as Richard leveled to 5-5 then took the tb at 8-6.  Final score 6-1 7-6(6).

One interesting point - according to some LTA officials standing behind me, the umpire was a Mr Keothavong. "His sister plays", stated one official a little off-handedly. I thought being the Brit no 1 merited a bit more enthusiasm than that!

Sherwood/Lee v Motti/Munoz de la Nava

This was rather a scrappy match, a mixture of brilliant play, ding-dong rallies and some glaring errors by all players.  Martin looked a bit flat, perhaps tired after his three-set singles earlier. David looked very good on service in the first set, but Martin was broken in game 7 and they never broke back, losing the set 4-6.

The second set was more of the same, but with a lot of service breaks on both sides. At one point, as David and Martin watched flat-footedly as a ball whizzed between them, Martin called out loudly, "Girls tennis!". No press there to lambast him however. It went to a tiebreak, with the Italian/Spanish combo coming out the winners. Final score to them, 6-4 7-6(3).

Bamford/May v Bachelot/Qureshi

I couldn't see this match, they moved it to an empty court further away, I could only see the scoreboard with binoculars! Bamford and May lost 5-7 4-6. (I found that out later!)

Anyone actually going/gone today?

Any 'live' reports from semis?

Lee on court 10.30, Aucks vs Bloomers to follow

mjd wrote:

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Anyone actually going/gone today? Any 'live' reports from semis? Lee on court 10.30, Aucks vs Bloomers to follow  

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Great Result !!!

Lee bt Bachelot 7-6 4-6 7-5

Well done

Next up Auckland vs Bloomfield ! (C'mon James.......)