QR1: Josh Pistorius UNR lost to Sergey Schetinin (RUS) UNR by 2 & 4 QR1: Thomas Wright UNR lost to (q8) Julian Onken (GER) WR 1591 by 4 & 2 QR1: Charles Broom UNR bt Nikola Boskov (GER) by 0 & 2
QR2: Charles Broom UNR lost to (q14) Lukas Marsoun (CZE) by 1 & 4
It's terrible bad luck looking at Neil's draws in isolation, which you very understandably are.
But there are so so many draws occurring it will happen, just not to Neil tennis gods ! - he's a fine lad, well so I hear
P.S. : For a non seed with 24 available slots, the odds are 1 in 24 x 24 x 24 rather than 1 in 31 x 31 x 31, I.e. the other seeds automatically avoid the number 1 seed, it's the other 24 that are at risk. So the odds for a specific player getting the number 1 seed 3 times in a row in a specific 3 tournament grouping are "just" 1 in 13,824. Bet that makes you and Neil feel a whole lot happier - not.
It does a bit thanks haha - I mean, it's more than halved the odds hasn't it? As a 'bog standard' main draw player - you accept there's a good chance you'll get a seed first round, but to get the 1 seed 3 times in a row! Not only that...they've all been good 1 seeds. Like you say Bob, let's hope its third time lucky!
sherbert, I know it sounds a bit naff and not much consolation but, really, if Neil is SO close to beating some of these top 500, top 400 players, as he has shown in the last couple of weeks, he really must be playing well and whatever he's doing is working. Do SO hope he doesn't get too down over it. Can't help but feel that the good times are just round the corner.......
sherbert, I know it sounds a bit naff and not much consolation but, really, if Neil is SO close to beating some of these top 500, top 400 players, as he has shown in the last couple of weeks, he really must be playing well and whatever he's doing is working. Do SO hope he doesn't get too down over it. Can't help but feel that the good times are just round the corner.......
Thanks Coup Droit. Its killing me at the sides watching him lose 7-5 in the 3rd. He didn't serve as well today. We've both been suffering with a bit of heat exhaustion - Germans don't apparently believe in air con in hotels and fans have sold out everywhere! I'm hoping it may fall in to place next week - courts are much better there too and the hotel definitely has air con!
Neil never seems to get too down, he's the same in 'real life' as he is on the court. He just loves playing tennis! I hate seeing his ranking where it is, because it just doesn't reflect his ability.
It's lovely to hear from you, sherbert, and to hear of your support for Mr Pauffley - who has always come across well even to those of us who are "remote" British tennis fans and haven't met him. To love doing what you work at is a real gift - and like CD, I hope that good times are coming and will reflect that enthusiasm and his ability.
