Week 22 - Challenger (€42,500) - Aegon Trophy, Manchester, UK (grass) - doubles

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Week 22 - Challenger (€42,500) - Aegon Trophy, Manchester, UK (grass) - doubles

Spectator · All-time great

That is a string of really rotten draws. Mr Marray (who could really do with a spot of luck) gets what must be the highest non-seeded pairing in the 1st round. The Skupskis get two people who are actually quite decent at doubles and (at least in Stakhovsky's case) partial to grass. Luke Bambridge and Dan Evans, who could do with some doubles points, get the 1st seeds - and if they get past them, one of two unseeded pairings of a very dangerous nature. And the other two are drawn against each other. All potentially winnable for (various) Brits, but on the face of it at least, no easy points.

Jeff Stelling · Club Coach

Challenger doubles largely an irrelevance, so not sure any draw can be termed "rotten".

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Spectator's fears, which I confess I shared, realised in the first doubles encounter involving a Brit:

R1: Purav Raja & Divij Sharan (IND/IND) CR 240 (102+138) defeated (3) Jonny Marray & Adil Shamasdin (CAN) CR 216 (94+122) by 6-3 7-6(5) cry

paulisi · Tennis legend

Jonny not at his best in the first set, Adil struggled a little in the second. Better team won.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Not a happy homecoming for Darren:

R1: (WC) Lloyd Glasspool & Brydan Klein CR 477 (264+213) defeated (WC) Liam Broady & Darren Walsh CR 628 (371+257) by 4 & 4

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

R1: (2) Ken Skupski & Neal Skupski CR 158 (76+82) defeated Dennis Novikov & Sergiy Stakhovsky (USA/UKR) CR 398 (188+210) by 0-6 7-6(5) [10-7]

I feared the worst after that first set & also when the boys were unable to kill off the second when they served for it at 6-5! Thank God they didn't panic! smile

*****

QF: (WC) Lloyd Glasspool & Brydan Klein CR 477 (264+213) vs (2) Ken Skupski & Neal Skupski CR 158 (76+82) bleh

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Just tuned into to the Evo/Bambo doubles match. They were MP down at 6-7* in the 2nd set TB and their opponents, serve a DF - and then another DF. An unreturned serve from Evo and it is 1 set all and into the MTB

philwrig · Hall of fame

Stircrazy wrote:
R1: (2) Ken Skupski & Neal Skupski CR 158 (76+82) defeated Dennis Novikov & Sergiy Stakhovsky (USA/UKR) CR 398 (188+210) by 0-6 7-6(5) [10-7]
I feared the worst after that first set & also when the boys were unable to kill off the second when they served for it at 6-5! Thank God they didn't panic!
*****
QF: (WC) Lloyd Glasspool & Brydan Klein CR 477 (264+213) vs (2) Ken Skupski & Neal Skupski CR 158 (76+82)

You're not the only one ! Phew ! Ken was struggling a little with the transition from clay to grass, and their opponents played very well. But the lads hit top form just in time.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Evo/Bambo were *8-4 up in the MTB and then lost 6 points in a row to go down 10-8 cry

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

For the record:

R1: (1) Marcus Daniell & Andreas Siljeström (NZL/SWE) CR 149 (72+77) defeated (WC) Luke Bambridge & Dan Evans CR 903 (287+616) by 7-6(10) 6-7(8) [10-8]

That was some tussle! hmm

paulisi · Tennis legend

The Skupskis were well below their best until the end of the second set, when they started returning well and cutting out the errors.

Evo and Bambo were unlucky. That match was tight all the way through and the boys had their chances at 8-4. Marcus Danielle is a terrific doubles player and carried the big man.

wolf · Tennis legend

Luke's returning really let the team down I feel.

paulisi · Tennis legend

I would agree that Bambo was the weak link today.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

I was surprised not to see Luke team up with Liam and Dan with Lloyd.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Wednesday 1st of June 2016 09:19:00 PM