The 2014 In Between Grand Slam Thread

yerwanthere123

James McGee won his first qualifying match today, first ever win at a grand slam

I doubt he'll be able to qualify unfortunately, his section also contains Zemlja and Zeballos. Fingers crossed though!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Even if he could get to through the next match there's always the chance of someone withdrawing and him getting in as lucky loser. It's great experience anyway.

the_monkey

When's his next match ?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

^Should be tomorrow, I think, but there's some messing with today's schedule because of the weather so we'll have to wait and see what they get done today.

Another set of Woz/Rory break up rumours doing the rounds today, seem slightly more legit than before.
EDIT: Confirmed by Rory himself at a presser for whatever tournament he's playing this week.

Rjd2

Gus Friday Morning for the main French Draw aye?:o

RosyLily

What a time to call off the wedding after posting invites over the weekend. No word from Woz's camp yet, it's been all Rory. I'm sure she'll get loads of questions at the French Open.

Interesting article on The Tennis Space about who can beat Serena at RG. 3 picks - Jelena Jankovic, Li Na and Ana Ivanovic. AFAIK, it's usually someone unexpected that takes out Serena...and then loses in the next round.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

^ Who would have thought a guy that dumped his long term girlfriend a matter of days before getting with you could do something so cold. Shocking.

Seriously though, he seems a bit of a twat.

RosyLily

When I heard they recently sent invites, it reminded me of this...

Except Turk eventually posted them and they marry.

Anyway, I digress! FO draw out on Friday. Looking forward to seeing who gets who.

yerwanthere123

Feel bad for Caroline, this must be humiliating. McIlroy is an ass.

From a tennis point of view though, this can only be a good thing in the long run!

Floppybits

RosyLily wrote: »

What a time to call off the wedding after posting invites over the weekend. No word from Woz's camp yet, it's been all Rory. I'm sure she'll get loads of questions at the French Open.

Interesting article on The Tennis Space about who can beat Serena at RG. 3 picks - Jelena Jankovic, Li Na and Ana Ivanovic. AFAIK, it's usually someone unexpected that takes out Serena...and then loses in the next round.

Li Na is the best of those 3 to beat Serena. Jelena needs to get her head sorted after what I seen from her in her semi final in Rome. Ana as mush as I would like her to win she badly needs to sort out that serve.

Floppybits

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Feel bad for Caroline, this must be humiliating. McIlroy is an ass.

From a tennis point of view though, this can only be a good thing in the long run!

Hopefully it will be a good thing for her in long run but she really needs to get the head down.

yerwanthere123

James one win away from FO main draw Not only that, but a guy named Andrea Arnaboldi has managed to take out Zeballos, so James really couldn't have asked for more. Would be amazing for him if he could get in!

RosyLily

Men's FO draw just finished.

Top half men's projected R16s: Nadal-Haas, Dimitrov-Ferrer, Wawrinka-Fognini, Gasquet-Murray.
Bottom half men's projected R16s: Berdych-Isner, Youzhny-Federer, Raonic-Nishikori, Tsonga-Djokovic

Gasquet/Tomic and Dimitrov/Karlovic could make for some good first round matches!

RosyLily

OUCH! Sharapova is in Serena's quarter! Wasn't expecting that tbh!

From the Roland Garros twitter: "Projected #RG14 women's QFs: (top) Serena Williams vs. Sharapova, Radwanska vs. Kerber, (bottom) Kvitova vs. Halep and Jankovic vs. Li Na"

Serena-Lisicki could be a R16 match. A big could considering it's Lisicki....and FO is not on grass!:p

EDIT: Venus vs. Belinda Bencic first rounder...that could be good! And we could see a Williams Sisters showdown in 3rd round.

Pighead

James McGee loses the first set against Arnaboldi. Best of three so must win next two.

James Ward involved in an epic struggle in his final qualifier against Rola. Had a match point saved, then unsuccessfully served for the match and now he's after saving two match points. Rola currently 8-7 up in the final set.

Pighead

Ah the dream is over. McGee loses 6-3 6-4. He was 2-0 up in the second set but got broken back straight away. Ward eventually won 12-10 in the third to become the first British player to get through the qualifying rounds in Paris in 41 years.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

How does the lucky loser thing work? Someone's bound to pull out of the main draw before their R1 match. Is it done by ranking or just whoever's still around to play?

Pighead

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

How does the lucky loser thing work? Someone's bound to pull out of the main draw before their R1 match. Is it done by ranking or just whoever's still around to play?

Found this on www.oncourtadvantage.com

Any player that loses in the final round of qualifying and then signs-in for the singles main draw is eligible to receive a lucky loser spot into the main draw. The lucky loser spots are awarded in order of highest ranked player to the lowest, hence the term, despite losing they are lucky to still compete in the main draw.

yerwanthere123

Gutted for James. Hopefully he can get into Wimbledon in a few weeks, or perhaps he might get a lucky loser spot this week.

I'm equally disappointed that Sharapova's quest for another RG will probably end in the QF's I never root against Serena, but I actually hope someone takes her out to clear the way for Sharapova

Floppybits

Hingis and lisicki to play in the doubles at Roland garros.

Hunchback

Apologies if I am repeating people because i am almost too excited to read through the thread but I just wanted to say I LOVE LOVE Marion Bartoli doing her bit on itv3.

I don't know what it is about her but I just find her fascinating and really likeable (although I do recall commentators at Wimbledon remarking that she was very marmite, at least as a player and amongst players).

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

^ I hated her as a player, mainly because of all her jumping around and bizarre super intense personality.

I've only seen/heard bits of her on ITV so far but I'm surprised by how likable she actually is. She's very knowledgeable too, knows all the young players and not just from some stat sheet, she knows them all.

Floppybits

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

^ I hated her as a player, mainly because of all her jumping around and bizarre super intense personality.

I've only seen/heard bits of her on ITV so far but I'm surprised by how likable she actually is. She's very knowledgeable too, knows all the young players and not just from some stat sheet, she knows them all.

Hopefully the bbc get her for their Wimbledon coverage.

Rjd2

CKonetheonlyone wrote: »

Apologies if I am repeating people because i am almost too excited to read through the thread but I just wanted to say I LOVE LOVE Marion Bartoli doing her bit on itv3.

I don't know what it is about her but I just find her fascinating and really likeable (although I do recall commentators at Wimbledon remarking that she was very marmite, at least as a player and amongst players).

I always liked her as well, always struck me as someone with a personality unlike some of the zombies on the court, I'd rather have a pint with her than someone like Sharapova or Aza tbh.

yerwanthere123

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Gutted for James. Hopefully he can get into Wimbledon in a few weeks, or perhaps he might get a lucky loser spot this week.

I'm equally disappointed that Sharapova's quest for another RG will probably end in the QF's I never root against Serena, but I actually hope someone takes her out to clear the way for Sharapova

Yay for me, this happened! :)

Amongst all the excitement of RG, I failed to realise that McGee is actually playing Queens qualies this weekend, and he has won two matches! Will play Daniel Brands for a spot in the main draw.

RosyLily

SHOCKER! Lisicki injured and will miss Birmingham. She's hoping to fit for Wimbledon.

Floppybits

Murray has appointed Mauresmo as his new coach. Should be interesting.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

James McGee just missed out on qualifying for Queens this morning. Lost 7-5 in the 3rd against Daniel Brands. So close!

I think Wimbledon qualifiers are next. You'd think they'd give him a Wild Card as a gesture of goodwill now we're best friends. Maybe we should get Michael D. to give them a call and see what he can do. You know there'll be Brits you never heard of, or will hear of again, getting WC's in and doing nothing with them.

Henry9

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

James McGee just missed out on qualifying for Queens this morning. Lost 7-5 in the 3rd against Daniel Brands. So close!

I think Wimbledon qualifiers are next. You'd think they'd give him a Wild Card as a gesture of goodwill now we're best friends. Maybe we should get Michael D. to give them a call and see what he can do. You know there'll be Brits you never heard of, or will hear of again, getting WC's in and doing nothing with them.

That's a sickener. At least it means he's playing well on the grass and some tight matches behind him, bodes well for Wimbledon qualis.
Needs the luck of the draw then.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Henry9 wrote: »

That's a sickener. At least it means he's playing well on the grass and some tight matches behind him, bodes well for Wimbledon qualis.
Needs the luck of the draw then.

Not sure how many of them were actually played on grass due to the weather. I know in Nottingham this week they had to play most of the matches on hard indoors.