Qualifying for Wimbledon starts tomorrow and by process of elimination it appears that Jacob Fearnley, James Story, Toby Samuel, Felix Gill, Harry Wendelken, Jack Pinnington Jones, Arthur Fery and Blu Baker are either injured or have main draw wildcards to join Anton Matusevich. In addition to 5 Brits, Leo Borg (Bjorn's son) received a wildcard for qualifying.
QR1
(WC) Connor Thomson v (14) Egor Agafonov (RUS)
(3) Stijn Pel (NED) v Oscar Weightman
(WC) Derrick Chen v (13) Thantub Suksumrarn (THA)
(5) Phuong Van Nguyen (VIE) v (WC) Finn Murgett
(WC) Peter Alam v (16) Andres Martin (USA)
(WC) Joseph White v (9) Roman Andres Burruchaga (ARG)
Ryoma Matsush1ta (JPN) d. (alt) William Nolan 7-6(3) 6-4 Andrew Dale (USA) d. (alt) Alexander Maggs 6-3 6-2 (WC) Connor Thomson d. (14) Egor Agafonov (RUS) 3-6 6-1 6-1 Oscar Weightman d. (3) Stijn Pel (NED) 6-4 7-5 (WC) Derrick Chen d. (13) Thantub Suksumrarn (THA) 4-6 6-1 6-4 (5) Phuong Van Nguyen (VIE) d. (WC) Finn Murgett 7-5 5-7 6-4 (16) Andres Martin (USA) d. (WC) Peter Alam 6-0 6-4 (9) Roman Andres Burruchaga (ARG) d. (WC) Joseph White 6-0 6-4 (11) William Grant (USA) d. Lui Maxted 7-6(3) 6-2
FQR
Andrew Dale (USA) v (WC) Connor Thomson Oscar Weightman v (12) Baptiste Anselmo (FRA) Cezar Cretu (ROU) v (WC) Derrick Chen
Unlike the girls the main draw has not been kind, with five drawing seeds. Anton and Jack's opponents are the Roehampton finalists
R1 (L64)
Anton Matusevich v (15) Gauthier Onclin (BEL)
Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) v (WC) Arthur Fery
(Q) v Blu Baker
(WC) Harry Wendelken v (5) Jiri Lehecka (CZE)
(WC) Jack Pinnington Jones v (12) Liam Draxl (CAN)
(13) Filip Cristian Jianu (ROU) v (WC) Toby Samuel
Nicholas David Ionel (ROU) v (WC) Jacob Fearnley
Nicholas Alvarez Varona (ESP) v (WC) Felix Gill
(WC) James Story v (2) Jonas Forejtek (CZE)
Andrew Dale (USA) d. (WC) Connor Thomson 6-3 6-3 (12) Baptiste Anselmo (FRA) d. Oscar Weightman 6-4 6-0 (WC) Derrick Chen d. Cezar Cretu (ROU) 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4
R1 (L64)
Anton Matusevich v (15) Gauthier Onclin (BEL) Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) v (WC) Arthur Fery Ct 5 match 3 (Q) Ryoma Matsush1ta (JPN) v Blu Baker (WC) Harry Wendelken v (5) Jiri Lehecka (CZE) Ct 6 match 4 (WC) Jack Pinnington Jones v (12) Liam Draxl (CAN) (13) Filip Cristian Jianu (ROU) v (WC) Toby Samuel Ct 15 match 1 (Q) Derrick Chen v (Q) Andrew Dale (USA) Nicholas David Ionel (ROU) v (WC) Jacob Fearnley Nicholas Alvarez Varona (ESP) v (WC) Felix Gill (WC) James Story v (2) Jonas Forejtek (CZE) Ct 5 match 4
Toby is on court - streamed - with the first 10 games going quickly with serve. The seeded Romanian has been playing Pro ITFs on clay since reaching the Roland Garros quarter-finals, and appears to be a baseliner from the one game I saw - which ended with Toby dropping serve, and hence the first set 7-5
Toby had his chances in the second set (broke for 5-3 but couldn't hold or convert set point on his opponent's next serve) and played an error-strewn tiebreak, so goes out 7-5 7-6(2)
Toby has a very good arm, nice eye, good timing, but needs to do really serious work on his legs.
In fact, he could drop tennis for three months and just spend time doing dynamic gym training.
And then six months with a demanding Spanish coach - someone who can actually yell at him to do his 'allegements'.
NB what is the word for that in English - the little bounce you have to do just at the very second the opponent is about to make contact with the ball.... to me micro footwork is the last second little adjustments you make (les petits pas), which is not the same - so do you just say 'bounce' in English? At French clubs, you hear it all the time - coaches yelling 'allegements, allegements'.
Anyway, whatever it's called, Toy doesn't so them!
And then 'appuis' - when you bend, and push into the ground - doesn't so that either - it's all arm.
He'll get stronger as he fills out, but unless he technically actually uses his legs, it won't really help him.
Very pleased for Arthur - really great how he's thrust himself onto centre stage this year, no matter what the LTA think.
He has a lovely technique and timing.
His main problem is he's small.
But having sat near his parents at Roehampton, his dad's quite a tall, stocky guy. And his mum is whippet thin, but also tall. So hopefully Arthur will have his growth spurt soon....