SF:  (WC) James Ward WR 614 vs Maximilian Neuchrist (AUT) WR 295 (= CH)

I think I'm glad that Dino will be playing the more established Austrian in the semi rather than the young whippersnapper...

Vandenburg wrote:

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Toby wrote:

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Well as Dan so succinctly stated during the second set for all to hear Ive had three f*****g qualy matches, thats why I cant f******g move, thats exactly why I cant f*****g move!

-- Edited by Toby on Thursday 24th of May 2018 05:42:52 PM

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 I agree, what makes this worse is when clowns like Bainbridge get main draw wildcards, it is obvious Bainbridge has given up on singles.  Madness not to give Evans a WC. 

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I don't know that a main draw WC would have been the right plan though.  Dan is limited to 3 and this is only his second tournament back so I think his own plan is to play qualifiers and get match sharpness and then use the main draw wildcards once he has his rhythm during the grass season.  It is frustrating for him at this stage but taking a longer term view he will be better off for having played all these matches qualifying at the two challenger events he has played. 

BRITAINS WARD ADVANCES TO LOUGHBOROUGH TROPHY SEMI-FINAL; BAMBRIDGE AND OMARA INTO DOUBLES FINAL

It was a fantastic Friday for the Brits at the Loughborough Trophy ATP Challenger, with come-back kid James Ward advancing to the semi-finals while home-town hero Luke Bambridge and Jonny OMara cruised through to the doubles final.

Ward maintained a steely focus throughout a dramatic match against Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili, winning the first set 75 and looking strong in the second before Gabashvili retired mid service game at 45.

Earlier in the set, Gabashvili called for the physio and appeared to struggle with an elbow injury. The disruption in play continued, however, when Gabashvili challenged line call after line call and repeatedly approached the umpires chair.

I havent been in a match like that [before], it just got ridiculous in the end. He was causing all sorts of problems and trying to break up the play and stoppages and all sorts, said Ward post-match.

Its not great to be a part of, [but] youve got to stay focused and youve got to do your job because hes not injured - because hes hitting the ball harder in the second set than he was in the first. As I said, I did my job, I stayed focused, I served well again today and thats the key for me.

Ward, who received a wildcard to the tournament and fired down 12 aces against Gabashvili, added: Ive won three matches this week so Im happy with that, hopefully we can carry on and keep pushing on.

The Londoner will play Austrian Maximilian Neuchrist, who won a two hour and five minute epic against fellow countryman and qualifier Jurij Rodionov: 36 76(6) 63.

The tournaments second semi-final will see a Japanese double header with eighth seed Hiroki Moriya up against Yosuke Watanuki.

In the doubles, Bambridge and OMara were too strong for Bradley Mousley (AUS) and Tim Puetz (GER), putting them away 64 62.

Im really looking forward to the final on Sunday, said Bambridge, who lives in a small town called Plumtree just 20 minutes outside of Loughborough.

For me its a very special moment to play a final here thinking back to when I was putting in hours of work in when I was just 12 or 13 years old so Im really looking forward to that.

A win in Sundays final means Bambridge can expect his doubles ranking to settle inside the top 100 for the first time in his career.

Thats a great goal its in the back of my mind," he said. "Im really trying to focus on my performance. I know my level has improved and thats why my ranking is climbing up there."

He added: Its the same too with Jonny were playing some great tennis and Im really looking forward to the upcoming weeks no matter what ranking I am. Its going to be a lot of fun for both of us.

Sundays final will be the second ATP Challenger doubles final for OMara in as many weeks after the Scots Glasgow Trophy result.

Im playing good tennis. Its great that there are two Challengers in Britain and Ive made the most of them so far, making a final in Glasgow and now a final here, said OMara.

The crowd in Glasgow was unbelievable and hopefully on Sunday its going to be exactly the same. It was my home tournament in Glasgow and now its Lukes home tournament here, so hopefully the crowd is just as good, he added.

The third seeds will play the winner of Saturdays semi-final, in which Britains Joe Salisbury and Denmarks Frederick Nielsen face American duo Robert Galloway and Nathaniel Lammons (USA).

First set won in a tight TB

Stircrazy wrote:

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SF:  (3) Luke Bambridge & Jonny O'Mara CR 234 (111+123) defeated (2) Bradley Mousley & Tim Pütz (AUS/GER) CR 222 (134+88) by 4 & 2 

55 ranking points & 1,550 euros apiece thanks to that win.  Not a bad little haul! 

Now for Joe & Freddie to see off the Yank interlopers & give us a ¾-Brit, ¼-honorary Brit final! 

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SF:  (4) Frederik Nielsen (DEN) & Joe Salisbury CR 269 (183+86) defeated Robert Galloway & Nathaniel Lammons (USA/USA) CR 403 (217+186) by 7-6(6) 7-6(5)

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Final:  (4) Frederik Nielsen (DEN) & Joe Salisbury CR 269 (183+86) vs (3) Luke Bambridge & Jonny O'Mara CR 234 (111+123)

Wardy now up a set and a break at 6-1 *2-1