[Coldmarek]

Folks, is anyone going to Queens this year? General sale starts on Monday and I'm looking for some more details such as when will Andy play etc. My guess is on Wednesday June 17th. If anyone is coming or knows anything,please let me know. Also apologies if there's been a thread created on this topic already.

[Ruthie]

yes I got early tickets by succumbing to the scam of paying a 'joining' fee to Queens I'm ashamed to say.  Despite the horrible people there I enjoy Queens as it's so small and easy to access.  Have bought tickets for centre court for Wed and Thurs but Andy might well start before that now it's a 500. 

[blueberryhill]

@coldmarek and atl
I really like Queens as well, in spite of the "Hooray Henries!".   It's small and intimate. However, the huge downside is, that if the weather is pants, there is absolutely nothing to do, and little cover for us plebs.
Anywhere on centre would be fine, tho obviously as near the front as poss.
I'm going Monday and Tuesday but now really worried that Andy wont be on till Wednesday.

[Coldmarek]

I can only do one day and Andy must be playing obviously. So in conclusion he will definitely not play on Monday,right? Thursday for sure if he goes through the first round??

[amongsttheleaves]

Coldmarek, I was thinking....dangerous I know Assuming Nole/Fed/Rafa won't be at Queens, then Andy will be seeded 1 and surely will be on on Monday? Unless he asks not to tho. I suppose.  Don't know where Kei will play or whether he will still be just above Andy in the rankings.
But as it's a 500 they'll play every day, won't they? So assuming Andy stays in, he'll play every day, or am I missing something?
Eek!

This guess work thing about when Andy might start is complicated isn't it?! Last year he started on Wednesday, but wasn't the top seed, and there's no way to guess if he will be this year, but I'd say that right now the signs are good.

Something just occurred to me. The draw at Queens is bigger than the average 500 tournament because it has 64 players (inc byes) rather than 32. That probably influences when the top players begin their matches. Going from the ticket prices I'd say it is unlikely the very top players will begin on the Monday, but I'm guessing. Assuming the draw remains 64 players as it was when Queens was a 250 then I don't know if they will still have byes or not. If they have byes then probably a Wednesday start, if they don't have byes then it will be a Tuesday start. 32 player draws in 500s don't have byes, but the other 64 player 500 draw I can think of is Barcelona and that does have first round byes for the top 8 seeds.

Fed will go to Halle, Djokovic doesn't play a grass tournament before Wimbledon, Nadal has gone to Halle for years, but used to come to Queens.

I saw some totally unconfirmed rumours on the internet late last year that Berdych might not play Queens, and that Nadal might not play Halle, apparently Uncle Toni indicated Rafa could go to Stuttgart (though that is right after the FO, whereas Queens and Halle have the week before them, so who knows). Heard nothing either way since. Raonic and Nishikori played Halle last year.

[amongsttheleaves]

Djokovic will play Queens I believe

Really? Last time he was entered there in 2011 he withdrew and has only played grass exhibitions since then. Before that he was a bit haphazard about playing a grass tournament before Wimbledon, and his record at Queens is erratic. I sincerely hope he doesn't play Queens.

Is this just a hunch, or do you have something to substantiate it?

[amongsttheleaves]

It's just some rumours I've read, especially with the tournament now being a 500.

Ok, believe it when we see it then.

I'm not sure how much it being a 500 will influence him really, particularly since he has twice won Wimbledon without playing a grass warm-up. As far as his 500 commitment goes he has played Dubai, usually plays Monte Carlo which counts towards the 4 500 tournaments, will play Beijing. Last year he was entered for Basel but withdrew - he can afford to count the odd 0 pointer he's that far ahead.

There's also Halle as a 500, Becker is German after all so maybe if Djokovic wants to play a grass 500 he can be persuaded to go there rather than come to London. Seem to remember he went on a holiday right after the FO last year.

[amongsttheleaves]

atl where to sit partly depends on preference.  I think it's better overall to sit at north or south end rather than parallel to the players but if you want to get a sense of the power with which they hit the ball there's nothing to beat being parallel with them.   
I seem to remember when I got the original email from Queens it said that the top seeds would be playing the first two days because a 500 whereas in the past they started on the Wednesday.  But there's absolutely no way of knowing whether Andy would start Monday or Tuesday as I think it would probably depend on his preference rather than his seeding.  If you can afford it, I guess Thursday would be safer than Wednesday, assuming of course he doesn't exit in the first round!  What a lovely birthday present for your Mother - assuming of course she's a tennis fan!

Thanks for the info Ruthie. I'm leaning towards the Thursday, will probably go for the side, not sure I can stretch to the ends - without tempting fate, since 2015 is an odd year, Andy's Queens' patterns of play suggest he'll get beyond round 1!

Mum's a big tennis fan: I grew up with her going crazy over Wimbledon every summer, and quickly realised that it was better to watch it with her than to try and prise her away from it, then I got hooked pretty quickly as well!