2024 ITF Wheelchair Tour

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

2024 ITF Wheelchair Tour

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

In the ITF Series 2 warm up for the World Cup, in Turkey, some Brits are taking part.

Left in at the semis stage is Lucy Shuker in womens singles, and she is also in with Abbie Breakwell in the doubles.

In mens, all of our players are out of singles, but Bartram and Ward are in doubles semis

In quads, top seeded Andy Lapthorne surprisingly went out at the semis stage in singles. He and Greg Slade also gave a walkover in doubles so hope Andy isnt injured for the World Cup.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

All Brits went out in Turkey today, Lucy shuker losing her singles and then giving a walkover in doubles, like Andy Lapthorne yesterday. Hope both are ok and its just resting up.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

The group stage draw for GB is shown below, although the ITF havent published the full draw or order of play

www.lta.org.uk/fan-zone/world-team-cup/news/2024-preview-format-draw-and-how-to-watch/

In the mens , we appear to have Japan in our group - if thats correct, thats a humdinger of a draw. Japan may not be seeded top 4 though, suggesting they have players missing ie Oda? We will see when the full draw is published and OOP.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

The women are in the Netherlands group, which is a bad draw, but we must aim at a top 2 place to hopefully progress.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Analysis of the World Cup draw

www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/2024-bnp-paribas-world-team-cup-draw-made-in-turkiye/

Play starts today. Britains men, quad and junior teams in action on day 1.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Opening day -

Mens team won against South Africa but it was hard fought, Alfie winning a third set tie break against an opponent Id never heard of before

Quad team lost to Australia 2-1, Andy Lapthorne losing his singles and doubles.

Japans mens team seems massively depleted - none of their top players taking part, including Oda, which is why they lost to Brazil today and are unseeded. Good for Britain but bad for the event and not sure why they are all missing, maybe some falling out?

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

In day 2 of the World Cup:

Britains juniors lost heavily to the USA team

The women lead Brazil 1-0 and are up in the second singles, this is their opening tie.

The quad team are 1 all with the USA after Andy Lapthorne won his singles and Greg Slade went down. They lost their opening match yesterday so the doubles becomes a must win rubber.

The mens team lead Brazil 1-0 after Gordon Reid won the opener. Alfie is against struggling and lost the opening set against his much lower ranked opponent. Japan again are losing to South Africa with their depleted team, so a British win would see them into the last 8, assuming Japan lose today.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Alfie won his match 7-5 in the third set - really going through some unexpectedly tight matches but he wins and I think sees Britain through the group into the mens last 8.

9vicman · Strong Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
Opening day -

Mens team won against South Africa but it was hard fought, Alfie winning a third set tie break against an opponent Id never heard of before

Quad team lost to Australia 2-1, Andy Lapthorne losing his singles and doubles.

Japans mens team seems massively depleted - none of their top players taking part, including Oda, which is why they lost to Brazil today and are unseeded. Good for Britain but bad for the event and not sure why they are all missing, maybe some falling out?

I suspect it's a case of managing their schedules in a Paralympic year.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Opening day -

Mens team won against South Africa but it was hard fought, Alfie winning a third set tie break against an opponent Id never heard of before

Quad team lost to Australia 2-1, Andy Lapthorne losing his singles and doubles.

Japans mens team seems massively depleted - none of their top players taking part, including Oda, which is why they lost to Brazil today and are unseeded. Good for Britain but bad for the event and not sure why they are all missing, maybe some falling out?
I suspect it's a case of managing their schedules in a Paralympic year.

That would make sense, hadnt thought of that. Yes, it would make sense to do that.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

End of day two:

Juniors - we are played one and lost one; in a 4 team group, must win match tomorrow if we want to have a chance to progress

Quad - played two and lost two, so sadly we are out with one match to play

Womens - played one and won one but next we play Netherlands and winner will top the group. I believe it is just the top team that progresses from a 3 team group so it looks certain we will get knocked out; NL are clearly the best in the womens game

Men - played two and won two. Alfie Hewett though has really struggled against the world ranked 25 and 19 and scraped through. We should beat the weakened Japanese in the next match and we are certain of progressing to the last 8. I expect Alfie will be rested from singles with Gordon Reid and Ben Bartram taking the two spots and Alfie playing doubles with Dahnon Ward or with Gordon.

It feels like it will only be our men with a chance of taking a title this year, with quad team out, womens up against an impossible mountain and juniors looking like they will be outclassed this year.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Worth noting we were seeded 2nd in quads so disappointing to lose twice; in juniors we are seeded 4th and could still progress to the last 4 but looks like wed struggle to take the title.

In the womens we are 6th seeds and NL top; in mens we are top seeds and clearly so ahead of Spain, NL and France. Japan ended as 9th seeds.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

In todays play:

Juniors - Britain beat NL. With Australia losing to USA, USA go through and Britain and Australia have a straight match tomorrow with the winner progressing to the semis stage. Still in it!

Quad - Britain down to Turkey and look like losing their third match as they head out

Women - Britain lost to NL and head out of the event.

Men - Britain leading Japan 1-0 after Ben Bartram won; Gordon Reid playing next as Alfie is rested.

So British men are through to the semis and the juniors alive to battle for a semis spot with the Aussies tomorrow.

The quad and womens teams will continue to play for minor positions.

The quad and womens finals will be Saturday; the mens and juniors finals are Sunday, if we get there.

Good luck to both the mens and juniors teams as they battle for a title or medal positions.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
In todays play:

Juniors - Britain beat NL. With Australia losing to USA, USA go through and Britain and Australia have a straight match tomorrow with the winner progressing to the semis stage. Still in it!

Quad - Britain down to Turkey and look like losing their third match as they head out

Women - Britain lost to NL and head out of the event.

Men - Britain leading Japan 1-0 after Ben Bartram won; Gordon Reid playing next as Alfie is rested.

So British men are through to the semis and the juniors alive to battle for a semis spot with the Aussies tomorrow.

The quad and womens teams will continue to play for minor positions.

The quad and womens finals will be Saturday; the mens and juniors finals are Sunday, if we get there.

Good luck to both the mens and juniors teams as they battle for a title or medal positions.

Juniors went down to AUstralia and exit the event.

But

The men are playing France in the semis and in the opener, Gordon Reid thrashed his opponent, Cattaneo, and puts us 1 match up. Alfie plays Houdet next!