[Elly]

Another one bites the dust.   Good effort, Ward...

[Aileen]

Britain's latest import?

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Be/A/Aljaz-Bedene.aspx

Can't see him being considered as British even if he takes out British citizenship, which he's in the process of doing.   Rusedski was never really accepted, and he at least had an English mother.

[blueberryhill]

Thank you TMH. A friend is going to Eastbourne. He's in for a treat.

[Elena]

Great win for Dan Smethurst in Eastbourne QR2, beating  Somdev Devvarman (WR 119)

Plays Rola (WR 91) for a place in main draw. Wardy might give him some tips, having beaten Rola at RG and Queens in the last few weeks.

How weird that 3 of the top 5 GB men are called Dan!

[TheMadHatter]

In an absolute nail-biter, Alex Ward saves two match points to beat Silva 9-7 in a final set 'breaker.

FINAL: (5) Alex Ward WR 343 beat Frederico Ferreira Silva (POR) WR 519 (CH 517 last month) by 2-6 6-3 7-6(7)

This win should take him back, roughly, to his career high of 310. Given he missed 2-3 months earlier in the season, that's very impressive going. Got a WC to Wimbledon qualifying now but all of his tournaments have been on the clay so far - and he returns to the clay right after Wimbledon - so not really expected to achieve much.

Wimbledon

Ward-Hibbert and Darcis are given the final qualifying wild cards.

Eastbourne

No British qualifiers unfortunately. Dan Cox was edged out 6-7 in the third to Guccione and Smethurst lost 3&6. Marsalek also pushed Estrella Burgos all the way to a third set tie-breaker in QR2 but ultimately fell short (having served for the match).

Evans draws Kamke.

[TheMadHatter]

Not a lot of Brits in action this last week on the Futures tour because of certain other British events, but in the US Ashley Hewitt has made the final (plays today) after beating Nguyen 7-6(12), 7-6(3) and in Romania 22yo Jack Carpenter has also made the final - beating the WR406 (750+ places above Jack) and almost certainly under-ranked junior Karen Khachanov 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Jack was top 800 last year after making his first final in May but is pretty injury-prone and struggles to stay fit for long enough to rack up a few points. After those finalist points fell  last month he dropped out of the top 1000, but will return to the top 900 after this week.

Edit: Jack Carpenter just won the final 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. That's his first (singles at least) title on the pro tour.

Meanwhile there is more fall-out in the LTA - all *allegedly* I should add. Liam Broady and Luke Bambridge have been forced to play in the US clay events over the British grass ones. Both suffered early 'shock' exits. Oli Golding was also meant to be with them, but he refused in favour of playing Wimbledon qualifying and will apparently now be facing financial sanctions as a result of his refusal. Oli actually won his Wimbledon qualifier by the way, before narrowly losing to former WR52 Marco Chiudinelli, picking up more points and prize money than Liam and Luke combined playing against a much higher calibre of player.

Good on Oli, I say, and yet more farcical decision-making from the buffoons in the LTA who seem to act more like primary school head-teachers than a competent tennis association.

[TheMadHatter]

Liam Broady and Toby Martin's turn for some success in the US, with both making the semi-finals. Martin had made something ridiculous like 1 QF from 17 R2's before this tour (that may be a bit exaggerated but you get the idea), but has now made one QF and one SF from these few weeks. Great to see it finally coming together for him.

Liam is top seed and beat Luke Bambridge in the QFs. Liam and Toby are in opposite halves of the draw.

Meanwhile in the Manchester $15k, Josh Milton and George Coupland are into the final. They beat Brydan Klein and Dave Rice respectively in the SFs. Josh actually came from 1-6, 1-4 down and then 1-6, 6-4, 0-5 down to beat Oli Golding 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the QF. Bizarre match. This tournament is worth a handy 27 points to the victor (15 for the runner-up, 8 to the semi-finalists).