Week 26 - Wimbledon men's qualifying

Rich · Lower Club Player

Week 26 - Wimbledon men's qualifying

Jaffa · Challenger level

I can honestly say I am happier about Alex's result than I was Marcus' last year.

A man that has given his life to tennis, suffered setback after setback, then after all that he's gone and done this.

Well done that man.

Jan · Hall of fame

Fabulous from Alex - really pleased for him!!!!!!!! biggrin biggrin biggrin

Spectator · All-time great

That makes my week. Well, well done, Mr Ward. I feel sorry for Gabashvili ... but I am glad that Mr Ward had put himself in the position to benefit and did so. Absolutely thrilling. Hurrah! Banana well justified. In fact, I might have gone for more than one.

Edit: And yes, Jaffa, my sentiments exactly. This is someone who seems constantly to do the best for himself, his team and the people who support him .... and whose steadfastness is all the more remarkable because of all the injuries. Once again, hurrah!

-- Edited by Spectator on Thursday 29th of June 2017 04:38:15 PM

Rich · Lower Club Player

Get in there Alex Ward

thejester · Satellite level

Stircrazy wrote:
FQR: (qWC) Alex Ward WR 855 defeated Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) WR 176 by 6-7(3) 6-4 7-6(6) 6-1
That'll do his ranking a power of good!
FQR: (q9) Illya Marchenko (UKR) WR 117 defeated (qWC) Marcus Willis WR 374 by 6-4 6-7 7-6(4)
FQR: Sebastian Ofner (AUT) WR 215 defeated (qWC) Jay Clarke WR 396 by 2-6 6-7(9) 6-4 6-4 6-1

Likely to be up nearly 300 places, though of course a favourable draw and it can still get even better.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Watched a bit of Marcus and a bit of Jay. Marcus looked injured from the start. Walking awkwardly between points, although moving well enough during them, and flexing his leg during breaks in play. A pity really because fit or not he has exceptional touch, imagination and skill on a grass court and frequently bamboozled his opponent. I take on board Spectator's point that we should be careful in discussions about weight and that Marcus is a big solid chap and probably always going to look on the heavy side but when he played you could quite clearly see a very spare tyre and then some. I made my earlier comment about his weight in frustration rather than malice. In a year since he played last year he could have made so much more improvement in that area to back up his abundant skills. Still whatever his shape and size, FQR is quite an achievement.

As for Jay, I watched sets 2 & 3 and great shots, serve and real power. Yes, the odd silly error but what impressed me the most was his demeanour on court. Just so focussed and calm whether going well or going against him. IMO one of the biggest skills in tennis. I haven't seen him play for about 18 months and was also impressed with how muscular he looked by comparison. Partly this must be coming out of the gangly teens but I suspect a lot of work has gone on behind the scenes. Can't wait to follow his progress.

Nix · Futures level

Jaffa wrote:
I can honestly say I am happier about Alex's result than I was Marcus' last year.

A man that has given his life to tennis, suffered setback after setback, then after all that he's gone and done this.

Well done that man.

This!

well done Alex

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

And very very well done to Alex!! What do the bookies know!!

freerider · Futures level

Big congratulations to a-ward!!!! He seems to have slipped through under the radar this week with all the onus on willis and young clarke. So when was someone with a ranking outsude the top 800 last qualify for a grand slam?

KK · Club Coach

So pleased for Alex! The prize money should help to keep him going for the next year.

indiana · Tennis legend

hoots wrote:
Jaffa-Castle always IS insufferable. [Today he put the commentator's curse on Jay by thinking he'd won when he went two sets up then realising he hadn't]Should have been replaced long ago.John Lloyd's a pain to listen to too .

-- Edited by hoots on Thursday 29th of June 2017 04:23:29 PM

Quelle surprise !

I think it was a couple of years ago during Queen's he displayed his ignorance re the Wimbledon Q WC play-offs clearly thinking that these play-offs were to get into the main draw.

It's pretty close to unacceptable that he thinks he can away with a bit of patter and clearly so little research re the tournaments he is directly commentating on or discussing ( though some things you would just think he would know ). Or indeed often players.

wales1994 · County player

Spectator wrote:
That makes my week. Well, well done, Mr Ward. I feel sorry for Gabashvili ... but I am glad that Mr Ward had put himself in the position to benefit and did so. Absolutely thrilling. Hurrah! Banana well justified. In fact, I might have gone for more than one.
Edit: And yes, Jaffa, my sentiments exactly. This is someone who seems constantly to do the best for himself, his team and the people who support him .... and whose steadfastness is all the more remarkable because of all the injuries. Once again, hurrah!

-- Edited by Spectator on Thursday 29th of June 2017 04:38:15 PM

Couldn't agree more! I really applaud him for not giving up, I wasn't all that fussed about Willis' performance last year... it was more of a humorous run. But Ward strikes me as a guy who has stuck in there despite injury after injury, and now FINALLY he's getting a big reward. I'd absolutely love to see him carve out an even bigger paycheque by making the 2R!

Massive shame for Jay, but he's never played a five set match before - so it was always going to be uncharted ground. Hope he takes a lot of confidence from this and takes it all as experience, he's clearly a talented youngster.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Castle remains the only person to have blocked me on twitter for correcting him about the French Open when I was in Paris 2 years ago. The man is a clown doesn't have a clue.

Delighted for Alex, hope he gets as much attention if bit more than Marcus who has had his fill. As many have said Alex deserves this a lot more and continues the long hard slog on the futures tour after so many injuries. I don't often hope for weak draws but be good if he got a mind draw to help him push on.

Not worked it out but I think both Marcus and Alex rankings will ironically be about the same now around the 500-600 mark.

hoots · Intermediate Club Player

Jaffa wrote:
I can honestly say I am happier about Alex's result than I was Marcus' last year.

A man that has given his life to tennis, suffered setback after setback, then after all that he's gone and done this.

Well done that man.

Totally agree.