Anyone know what he's been doing for the last few weeks - didn't seem to be playing anywhere?

He was on holiday, according to a poster on another forum. Whatever "holiday" means.

I haven't seen Golding, Broady or Bambridge playing in a while either.

Golding returning to action next week I believe. Broady lost to Rob Carter, I think it was, in Shrewsbury qualies. Bambridge is is playing some junior tourneys out in Thailand just now.

Nalbandian in 3
Hewitt in 2
Lopez in 3
Mayer in 3
Anderson in 2 - bank

That was is 3rd singles Futures final. Corrie's reached the final in the doubles numerous times winning 8 of them so in the long run I think he may find himself being a doubles specialist.

I see Ken Skupski is playing doubles in Preston along with his recently graduated younger brother Neal.

Ken and his brother won the doubles.

Both capitualtions have come in the final tournament of an intense 3 week period. I think that might have been Kyle's 16th match in the last 20/21 days. And before it was 13, I think, in 20/21 days.

Meanwhile in the US, Edmund came through qualifying and won his R1 match. Plays the 7th seed (ranked 331) later today.

Kyle, broken to love in the opening game of the match, wins the first set 6-2!


The seed holds for only the 2nd time in the which leaves Kyle to serve for the win!


A tweet from Josh Goodall that some of us maybe interested in.
"Every Thursday 7-9pm on Twitter I'll be doing 'Question and answers': Tips, advice and life on tour questions #thinkaway #startstonight #RT "

Federer will lose 2000 points in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, assuming he doesn't adjust his schedule. That's a lot of points to make up here, in Miami and the other clay tournaments.

Federer didn't play Monte Carlo last year though he did win Indian Wells.

I think one of the other comms said it the other day too.

Both Nadal and Ferrer aren't playing Davis Cup : http://www.daviscup.com/en/results/tie/details.aspx?tieId=100019456

Ward v Willis will be interesting.
I'd expect Harrison to beat Thornley but Thornley's had a couple of decent wins this tournament.
Great chance for Morgan or Farquharson to pick up 6 ranking points here.
Hopefully Evans will see off Ed Corrie, although the latter's been in decent form.

I can see Harrison winning the whole thing to be honest.

Willis won in a 3rd set tie-break and for the 2nd week in a row he'll play Harrison who beat Thornley in 2 tie-breaks.
Morgan will play Corrie after both won in straight sets.


Meanwhile in the US, Edmund came through qualifying and won his R1 match. Plays the 7th seed (ranked 331) later today.

Djokovic in 4
Murray in 4 - bank.

Josh Goodall has an updated website and it includes blogs on his pre-season training and recent tournnaments in Sheffield, Billesley and Glasgow: http://www.joshuagoodall.com/

Preston R2:

Ward beat Pauffley 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(2)  - Ward converted both breakpoints he had whereas Pauffley took 1 of about 9.
Willis beat Fitzpatrick 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(6)  - Fitzpatrick was 4-1 up in the 2nd set as well.
Toby Martin got the 2nd set against Harrison before losing in the 3rd.
Thornley beat 5th seed Lammar 6-0 in the 3rd set.
Farquaharson beat Iswat.
George Morgan beat the Italian that beat Burn.
Corrie beat Burton.
Evans also won.

That leaves Evans as the only seed left. And Harrison as the only non-Brit.

Murray in 3
Federer in 4 - bank

It's to help with their development as it, in theory, gets then lots of matches on clay, and that it helps with their patience, stamina and shot selection etc. Whereas on an indoor hard court which are relatively quick they can hit winners earlier in the rally and generally shorter points.

I see Ken Skupski is playing doubles in Preston along with his recently graduated younger brother Neal.

Rooting for Evans but he's just too inconsistent. I wonder if he'll ever return to the top 200.

Evans haven't ever been in the top 200.

Another 2 Brits through - Imran Aswat beating Marko Djokovic and Sean Thornley beating a Dutch qualifier. That leaves 12 of the 16 in R2 being British. (Could have been 13 if Burn had served out the match against his higher ranked opponent.)

Results from Preston today:

Evans beat Rice in 3.
Fitzpatrick beat 7th seed Nieminen 3&2.
Ed Corrie beat 6th seed Milton 3&4.
Willis beat Ward-Hibbert in 3 sets.
Pauffley beat top seed Goodall in 2 tie-breaks.

Other Brits with wins today include Toby Martin, Tom Farquharson (via Bloomfield retiring), George Morgan (Smethurst retired at a set all), Alex Ward and Lewis Burton.