Week 24 - ATP 500 - Aegon Championships, The Queen's Club, London (grass)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Week 24 - ATP 500 - Aegon Championships, The Queen's Club, London (grass)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Madadman wrote:
Alex so unlucky! The game he got broken, the first point looked like it caught the line to me but was called out. He would have won the next point but a ball from an adjacent court came on. He slipped in the next point I think. Also looked out of the 2nd set Tie break but managed to get back in it!
A great game and he didn't look outclassed by a player ranked 167 places above him.

Thanks, Madadman. Real shame. But good to hear.

RJA · Hall of fame

Coup Droit wrote:
And Bedene gets Paire !

Only James Ward (sort of) bucks the trend, with Muller.

Given that Paire has openly stated that he can't stand playing on grass and that he obviously has no desire to change that it is a great draw for Aljaz.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I would LOVE Bedene to beat Paire - one of my least favourite players.

And agree that it's a good draw.

However, I wouldn't put too much credence on what comes out of Paire's mouth.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L32: (1) Andy Murray WR 2 vs Nicolas Mahut (FRA) WR 49 (CH = 37 in May 2014)
L32: Aljaz Bedene WR 58 (CH = 45 last November) vs Benoît Paire (FRA) WR 24 (CH = 18 in January)

L32: (WC) Dan Evans WR 93 (CH = 86 last month) vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) WR 60 (CH = 12 in April 2008 - he, like Mahut, is now 34)
L32: (WC) Kyle Edmund WR 84 (CH = 82 in February) vs (8) Gilles Simon (FRA) WR 18 (CH = 6 in January 2009)

L32: (WC) James Ward WR 178 (CH = 89 last July) vs Gilles Müller (LUX) WR 44 (CH = 34 in February last year)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

OK. In the top 1/4 of the draw, I am going for 3 out of 4 GB victories, with victories for Aljaz, Dan & Kyle, and just an inform Mahut upsetting the apple cart by dumping Andy out in the 1st round. I also think Gilles Muller will have to much for Wardy.

Given where I am situated in the 2016 predictions competition right now, I wouldn't pay too much credence to what I have just typed.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Have to say that I am also surprised that Kyle hasn't played either Manchester or Surbiton. His record on grass has not been stellar recently and if memory serves, he hasn't won a match on the grass in 2 years. (I am sure someone will put me right on that stat if I am mistaken). I just thought a Challenger warm-up might have been a good idea before Queens. Also a semi in Manchester for example, may well have had him on the plane to Rio the way things have worked out.

indiana · Tennis legend

Rather remarkable British vs French top quarter of the draw.

So odds on R2 :

Andy vs Aljaz

Dan vs Kyle

??

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
L32: (1) Andy Murray WR 2 vs Nicolas Mahut (FRA) WR 49 (CH = 37 in May 2014)
L32: Aljaz Bedene WR 58 (CH = 45 last November) vs Benoît Paire (FRA) WR 24 (CH = 18 in January)
L32: (WC) Dan Evans WR 93 (CH = 86 last month) vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) WR 60 (CH = 12 in April 2008 - he, like Mahut, is now 34)
L32: (WC) Kyle Edmund WR 84 (CH = 82 in February) vs (8) Gilles Simon (FRA) WR 18 (CH = 6 in January 2009)
L32: (WC) James Ward WR 178 (CH = 89 last July) vs Gilles Müller (LUX) WR 44 (CH = 34 in February last year)

There are two other pesky Frenchies in the draw: Richard Gasquet (4), also in the top half of the draw, & Jérémy Chardy.

Spectator · All-time great

Hmm. Well, it's an even year ... but I'm still going to go with Andy Murray over Nicolas Mahut in the singles. And will be full of hope for Mr Bedene. Hard after that. Have to say, I hadn't realised the PHM had managed to haul his ranking back up to such an extent. Well done to him!

Alex Ward's second round opponent, by the way, wouldn't have been John Millman; it would have been Frances Tiafoe, who has just vanquished Millman in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

-- Edited by Spectator on Saturday 11th of June 2016 12:37:20 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Nico Mahut has to get his final in Hertogenbosch played first, and back to the UK, before he can play Andy.

Which is looking dodgy as the women's final is on first and that's been held up for rain.

RJA · Hall of fame

Coup Droit wrote:
Nico Mahut has to get his final in Hertogenbosch played first, and back to the UK, before he can play Andy.

Which is looking dodgy as the women's final is on first and that's been held up for rain.

And Mahut's opponent is Gilles Muller who also has to get to London to play James Ward.

RJA · Hall of fame

Okay I am going to call out the organisers on this. Tomorrow Murray will play Mahut and Ward will play Muller just one day after Mahut and Muller completed the final of Hertogenbosch. I know it suits our guys but it is just plain wrong. There is no reason why these two R1 matches couldn't have been left until Wednesday.

Once again compare the situation elsewhere. Thiem and Kohlschreiber completed the Stuttgart final on Monday morning. Both are playing in Halle this week and both will not have to play their first round until Wednesday.

Spectator · All-time great

Yes, I agree. And that's not because Mahut and Muller are two of my favourite non-GB players; it's because you shouldn't do what's unfair to a particular player, whoever they are ... and I think it makes GB organisers look shabby. Yes, they'd announced that AM would play on Tuesday, and yes, a lot of people probably bought tickets on that basis (which I presume is the reason for keeping the schedule when it's manifestly unfair to the two finalists). But it's not as if there are no other star players in the tournament and people wouldn't get a decent afternoon's tennis, weather permitting. And it does look like, even if that's not the intent, a deliberate giving of advantage to the home side.

-- Edited by Spectator on Tuesday 14th of June 2016 06:52:17 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Re scheduling, the one thing I do think that Queen's has got wrong is the kick-off time.

The weather is dodgy. In London, it's dry and OK now and forecast OK-ish for the morning but getting worse. Might get lucky. Might be unlucky. But it's going to be unsettled.

But Queen's isn't getting going until 11.30.

Which is 30 mins, I believe, earlier than they would do normally.

Either way, it's hardly giving yourself or the players a fighting chance of getting finished.

Obviously TV rights and ticket sales are behind many of the decisions. But it's daft.

And surely TV could flim the earlier match and show a re-run of that, if it's raining in the afternoon (in the scheduled TV slot), which has got to be better than showing endless re-runs of Andy's old final.