British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

Madadman · Grand Slam Champion

Week 25 - ATP 500 - HSBC Championships - The Queen's Club, London, Great Britain (grass) - DOUBLES

tramlines · Junior player

wolf wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
Comment posted by 9vicman on the singles thread:
Stephenson and Willis receiving doubles wild cards over Johnson and (foreigner) Sander Arends is a choice, especially when the latter pair are currently No. 11 in the ATP race.

I get the LTA not wanting to give doubles wild cards to a Brit and a random player, but someone should remind them that Patten and foreigner Heliovaara currently hold two Grand Slam titles.
Hear hear. Ridiculous choice IMO.
It is ridiculous.
When Harri played with Lloyd, they twice did a deal so that a Brit gets a WC into a Finnish challenger in exchange for a WC at Queen's. I wonder if something similar was proposed here and turned down by the Dutch Federation.
It's not like it's a random pairing. They would have been direct entrants if the entry list had been done after their French Open points went on.

Yes it was suggested but the Dutch tournaments are run by the clubs and not the Dutch Federation so was a no go.

miriam abc · Strong Club Player

Julia Carrot wrote:
wolf wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
I'm assuming that there'll be a fair few Brits in the doubles event (none competing in Halle), so feel that it warrants a separate thread. This being an ATP 500, there is, of course a qualies stage:
QR1: (q1) Sander Arends (NED) & Luke Johnson CR 63 (30+33) vs (qWC) Daniel Evans & Henry Searle UNR (*)
(*) CHs of 52 in April 2021 & 926 in February last year respectively
Interesting partnership there!

Yes indeed. Made me laugh out loud, not sure why, plenty of talent there anyway. I will definitely try to watch that one.
They already played Wimbledon last year on a WC...
I missed that - wasnt keeping my eye on the ball last year.

The real irony is that Marcus plays every other tournament with a different partner but gets a WC with a British partner but Luke with a regular non-British partner and a much better ranking and consistent play doesn't get a WC.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

miriam abc wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
wolf wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
I'm assuming that there'll be a fair few Brits in the doubles event (none competing in Halle), so feel that it warrants a separate thread. This being an ATP 500, there is, of course a qualies stage:
QR1: (q1) Sander Arends (NED) & Luke Johnson CR 63 (30+33) vs (qWC) Daniel Evans & Henry Searle UNR (*)
(*) CHs of 52 in April 2021 & 926 in February last year respectively
Interesting partnership there!

Yes indeed. Made me laugh out loud, not sure why, plenty of talent there anyway. I will definitely try to watch that one.
They already played Wimbledon last year on a WC...
I missed that - wasnt keeping my eye on the ball last year.
The real irony is that Marcus plays every other tournament with a different partner but gets a WC with a British partner but Luke with a regular non-British partner and a much better ranking and consistent play doesn't get a WC.

Maybe more to do with Marcus being so 'box office' rather than the nationality of his partner ???

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

On a more positive note, at least the opening doubles qualifier between them and Dan and Henry makes for a very interesting match.

Agree re LTA making a mistake, I expect Luke and Sander to still qualify and make the last 8 here at least - the qualifiers opponents are definitely beatable

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Julia Carrot wrote:
miriam abc wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
wolf wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
I'm assuming that there'll be a fair few Brits in the doubles event (none competing in Halle), so feel that it warrants a separate thread. This being an ATP 500, there is, of course a qualies stage:
QR1: (q1) Sander Arends (NED) & Luke Johnson CR 63 (30+33) vs (qWC) Daniel Evans & Henry Searle UNR (*)
(*) CHs of 52 in April 2021 & 926 in February last year respectively
Interesting partnership there!

Yes indeed. Made me laugh out loud, not sure why, plenty of talent there anyway. I will definitely try to watch that one.
They already played Wimbledon last year on a WC...
I missed that - wasnt keeping my eye on the ball last year.
The real irony is that Marcus plays every other tournament with a different partner but gets a WC with a British partner but Luke with a regular non-British partner and a much better ranking and consistent play doesn't get a WC.
Maybe more to do with Marcus being so 'box office' rather than the nationality of his partner ???

That's exactly what I thought, Julia

If the Queen's crowd would like to see Marcus a lot more than Luke (and I'm guessing they do) then that's what wildcards are for

If your ranking is good enough you qualify, if it's not then you're not entitled to a wildcard just because your ranking is close and better than the other guy's - wildcards aren't there just to bump up the ones who are close, they're there to boost crowd/tv spectators enjoyment and sponsorship profile

A lot of people will want to stop by or watch on TV a bit of Marcus' match - and they'll all be going 'do you remember in Wimbledon when he..... '

9vicman · Futures qualifying

All good points CD, but is the average Queen's spectator really going to remember Marcus's match from nine years ago? I do think though that more spectators will be interested in an all-GB pair they haven't heard of than a GB-Dutch pair they haven't heard of.

I guess it's a reminder of how difficult it is for doubles specialists to climb the rankings. Two top 30 doubles players can't get into the main draw of an ATP 500. But if choosing to specialise in doubles, no excuse in not going in eyes wide open.

-- Edited by 9vicman on Sunday 15th of June 2025 08:34:13 AM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
All good points CD, but is the average Queen's spectator really going to remember Marcus's match from nine years ago? I do think though that more spectators will be interested in an all-GB pair they haven't heard of than a GB-Dutch pair they haven't heard of.

I guess it's a reminder of how difficult it is for doubles specialists to climb the rankings. Two top 30 doubles players can't get into the main draw of an ATP 500. But if choosing to specialise in doubles, no excuse in not going in eyes wide open.

-- Edited by 9vicman on Sunday 15th of June 2025 08:34:13 AM

If its about what the crowd would like, then Dan and Henry would be a better wild card choice - just saying

Julia Carrot · All-time great

9vicman wrote:
All good points CD, but is the average Queen's spectator really going to remember Marcus's match from nine years ago? I do think though that more spectators will be interested in an all-GB pair they haven't heard of than a GB-Dutch pair they haven't heard of.

I guess it's a reminder of how difficult it is for doubles specialists to climb the rankings. Two top 30 doubles players can't get into the main draw of an ATP 500. But if choosing to specialise in doubles, no excuse in not going in eyes wide open.

-- Edited by 9vicman on Sunday 15th of June 2025 08:34:13
Marcus's matches, especially live are pretty much guaranteed to be entertaining. My daughter, not a great tennis follower and had never heard of Marcus, had tickets from her work for Wimbledon last year. I can't remember the match she was watching but I recommended she stayed for the doubles which was following and featured Marcus. She and a friend absolutely loved it.

-- Edited by Julia Carrot on Sunday 15th of June 2025 09:42:30 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
All good points CD, but is the average Queen's spectator really going to remember Marcus's match from nine years ago? I do think though that more spectators will be interested in an all-GB pair they haven't heard of than a GB-Dutch pair they haven't heard of.

I guess it's a reminder of how difficult it is for doubles specialists to climb the rankings. Two top 30 doubles players can't get into the main draw of an ATP 500. But if choosing to specialise in doubles, no excuse in not going in eyes wide open.

-- Edited by 9vicman on Sunday 15th of June 2025 08:34:13 AM

Given the pretty middle-aged and geriatric nature of the spectators (no offence! smile ), to be honest I think there's a very good chance they do indeed remember Marcus

They probably still remember John Lloyd playing and think the recent past was Tim Henman's exploits

9vicman · Futures qualifying

Maybe someone attending Queen's next week could do a straw poll!

indiana · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
Comment posted by 9vicman on the singles thread:
Stephenson and Willis receiving doubles wild cards over Johnson and (foreigner) Sander Arends is a choice, especially when the latter pair are currently No. 11 in the ATP race.

I get the LTA not wanting to give doubles wild cards to a Brit and a random player, but someone should remind them that Patten and foreigner Heliovaara currently hold two Grand Slam titles.
Hear hear. Ridiculous choice IMO.
It is ridiculous.
When Harri played with Lloyd, they twice did a deal so that a Brit gets a WC into a Finnish challenger in exchange for a WC at Queen's. I wonder if something similar was proposed here and turned down by the Dutch Federation.
It's not like it's a random pairing. They would have been direct entrants if the entry list had been done after their French Open points went on.

Yes, I certainly recall the 2022 nonsense with doing a deal with the Finnish authorities to let Lloyd & Harri have a Queen's WC when they were an established well ranked pair, fresh from reaching the French Open QF. And they then went on to reach that Queen's final!

At least Luke & Sander have a shot, with their Q WC. And not really making great use of that so far, having lost the first set to Dan & Henry 2-6.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
wolf wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
Comment posted by 9vicman on the singles thread:
Stephenson and Willis receiving doubles wild cards over Johnson and (foreigner) Sander Arends is a choice, especially when the latter pair are currently No. 11 in the ATP race.

I get the LTA not wanting to give doubles wild cards to a Brit and a random player, but someone should remind them that Patten and foreigner Heliovaara currently hold two Grand Slam titles.
Hear hear. Ridiculous choice IMO.
It is ridiculous.
When Harri played with Lloyd, they twice did a deal so that a Brit gets a WC into a Finnish challenger in exchange for a WC at Queen's. I wonder if something similar was proposed here and turned down by the Dutch Federation.
It's not like it's a random pairing. They would have been direct entrants if the entry list had been done after their French Open points went on.
Yes, I certainly recall the 2022 nonsense with doing a deal with the Finnish authorities to let Lloyd & Harri have a Queen's WC when they were an established well ranked pair, fresh from reaching the French Open QF. And they then went on to reach that Queen's final!
At least Luke & Sander have a shot, with their Q WC. And not really making great use of that so far, having lost the first set to Dan & Henry 2-6.

Is that right, well done so far to Evo and Henry

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QR1: (qWC) Daniel Evans & Henry Searle UNR defeated (q1) Sander Arends (NED) & Luke Johnson CR 63 (30+33) by 6-2 2-2 retired smile cry

Hope it's nowt serious.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

And someone has retired - Evo and Henry?

sorry - didnt see SCs post- Luke and Sander, 2 all in fact

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Sunday 15th of June 2025 03:39:53 PM

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Sunday 15th of June 2025 03:40:18 PM