mjd wrote:

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Flanagan/Marray beat Ebden/Klein 6-2 7-6(9)

So will meet Bloomers/Skupski in QF match Thursday

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Delighted for Josh, good news for Slabba and particularly Chris Eaton, losing today would have been so British!!

Groth has a big serve but if you can get the serve in play you are in business because he's a poor volleyer.

He hits the ball ok on either wing but is pretty inconsistent.

Where I see Dan struggling is in holding his serve, he is still only young and lacks the power to win many free points but I think it will be good experience and if he really plays well and Groth isnt quite on the money he certainly has a chance.

Manchester Challenger Day 2

When I arrived today the sun was shining and I was wondering why I hadnt brought my shorts. After about an hour in I was thankful I was wearing jeans and after about 2 was off to grab my jacket! The winds really picked up today and must have been a deciding factor with the players. However, enough of the weather, as we say a lot in Manchester, on with the matches and there were plenty of Brits in action today, including our top ranked player in Josh Goodall. Here are how the matches panned out:

Bloomfield bt Chekhov(8) 3-6 6-3 7-6(8) Well first things first, how Richard didnt win this faster and easier I dont know. Chekhov, no disrespect to the guy, doesnt have may weapons for grass court. He has a big, fast serve, but if Rich returned it then the point was either won or lost by Bloomfield. In the first set at 2-2, Bloomfield went 0-40 up on Chekhovs serve, only for the Russian to slam 3 aces down to hold. In the following game at 30-30 Rich for some reason misses an easy shot thinking its going long just for it to drop in. He gets broken and ends up losing the 1^st set. In the 2^nd, Bloomfield breaks easily and looks like he could take the game by the scruff of the neck, but holds back to win the set on just one break. In the final set, again Bloomfield is his own worst enemy missing shots that he normally puts away, but he is in total control of the rallies. In the tie-break, Bloomfield storms to a lead and match point on his serve only to double fault. On some great net approach shots he then saves match point and then goes on to win the match.

Beck(3) bt Ward 6-3 2-6 6-2 Bad start for James as he was broken to love in his first service game. He struggled to get used to Becks game as the Slovakian was hitting the ball very low. You could see the clay courter in Ward as he wasnt used to hitting the ball so close to him and without the bounce. In the 2^nd set, Ward was again immediately broken, only to then storm back and break Beck twice and go 4-1 up. He begins to hit the ball more sweeter and looks the better player. Beck begins to look agitated. However, in the 3^rd set, Beck comes back into it, forcing James into errors. Unlucky for Ward as he could of gone further if the draw is nicer, but didnt see the Challenger Winner in Beck today.

Smeets(1) bt Kinsella 7-6(4) 6-2 Watching this game only brought up one question, and that is how did Smeets make his way to be the number 1 seed for this tournament. He didnt seem to have much of a game, but does know how to frustrate his opponent. Kinsella has a huge serve and in his 2^nd service game served 4 aces. Smeets has a good serve too, but not as varied as Kinsella. The match looked to be going towards Kinsella until he was broken at 4-4, only to break straight back. In the tie break, Kinsella couldnt kill the game and Smeets took advantage. In the 2^nd set Kinsellas head went, whereas Smeets started to grow in confidence. However, the biggest battering was the net, as Smeets hit many into it, and a low in confidence Kinsella joined him. As Smeets started to change his game to approach the net, Kinsella began to make too many unforced errors, slipping out of the game.

Klein bt Feeney 7-6(9) 6-7(3) 6-2 A very even and entertaining game between the 2 Aussies. Klein actually took a big 1^st set lead going 4-1 up, but Feeney showed his fighting spirit. He is a very consistent player that actually reminds me of how Marray plays, constantly getting the ball back. Klein is a lot more aggressive and has a bad habit of talking to himself out loud! He stormed to a lead in the tie break, only to again allow Feeney back into it. Both players then had chances to win it only for Klein to just edge it. In the 2^nd set tie break, the most entertaining part was when Klein was given a warning for foul language, which he claimed he said fudge. The game was halted for about 15minutes as the dispute raged. This got to Klein where Feeney was given an additional point and went on to take the set. This seemed to spur Klein on though in the 3^rd, and with some great passing shots battled his way through.

Eaton bt King-Turner 6-4 6-3 Probably the most watched game of the day as Eaton hit the grass for the first time since his Wimbledon exploits. He entered the court with a confident swagger, if not edging on the point of arrogance. But this was in a good way as you could see from the start he was there to win. If this match had been done before Wimbledon I would of expected, and probably Eaton would agree, a King-Turner win. But this goes to chow what confidence can do for you. King-Turner has a good game with some great ground strokes and heavy serves. But Eaton matched him and pushed the game forward. His big serve brought him plenty of easy points, and the serve volley was a joy to watch. Breaking King-Turner at 2-2 in the 1^st set, he could of taken more, but looked a tad rusty. In the 2^nd set, King-Turner started to look like a beaten man and Chris pounced. He hit some sublime passing shots and again attacked the points at the net. A few shots went astray but if he keeps his head, he could go deep. As King-Turner got on his own back, the crowd spurred Eaton on who broke again for the match.

Slabinsky bt Skupski 7-6(5) 7-5 A very close game in a match that would of and should have been in the quarters. Both these players looked very comfortable and had their big serves out. Having never seen Slabinsky play I was remarkably surprised at the way he can change the speed of the rallies and hot some great winners. He has some power in them arms, but so does Skupski. Slabinsky got an early break and was actually serving for the set at 5-4 only for Skupski to come back into it. You could see as the longer this game went on, the winner was going to be the one who made the less unforced errors. And these werent high on the agenda. In the 2^nd set, Skupski raced to a 3-0 lead. However, at 2-4 down Slabinsky broke back. Again they were neck and neck, only for Skupski to lose his serve at the wrong time and Slabinsky served out the game on his 5^th match point.

Goodall(7) by Ryderstadt 4-6 6-3 6-4 I think this match was really a case of going through the motions for Goodall. Not catching all of the 1^st set due to watching the above all-British clash, the first few games very tight and long. Goodall was broken at 2-2, but Josh came back into it at 3-4. But in true British fashion was broken straight back and Ryderstadt served out the set. In the 2^nd set, Goodall became more aggressive and made Ryderstadt work. This was also on an awkward surface for Goodall as he complained about the bounce the courts had, comparing it to a sand pit! The difference that became evident in the 2^nd set onwards was that Goodall began to really attack the returns. In the 3^rd set, Goodall breaks early to establish a lead, but cant close it out sooner. It takes his 6^th match point attempt to finish the game and book his place in the next round.

mjd wrote:

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Isn't this a case where they could but a 'live statement' on their website?
Making everyone aware and saving them the hassle of many phone calls.


However they do have a report:-
MANCHESTER TROPHY 2008 / TUESDAY

All eyes were, quite naturally, focussed on Chris Eaton after his Wimbledon exploits and he didnt disappoint the waiting fans as he cruised to a comfortable first round win over New Zealand number one Daniel King-Turner 6-4, 6-3.

Im hitting the ball well and serving good so happy with today. We were lucky in a way that the wind dropped a little from the morning session and now I look forward to the second round against Richard Bloomfield tomorrow. We have met once before, earlier this year when it went to three sets.

Bloomfield had earlier booked his place in the second round of the 2008 LTA Manchester Trophy with a straight sets win over the tournaments eighth seed Pavel Chekhov as the Didsbury event went into its second day.

It was very windy out there but I think I served well and certainly the courts are playing well said Bloomfield who won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(8)

In what turned out to be a tight third set I held a break point at 3all but failed to convert that one but it all came good in the end and I hope the rest of the Brits can follow me into round two.

Slovakia s Karol Beck and Australian top seed Robert Smeets upset any hopes of a British clean sweep when they took out James Ward and Jonathan Kinsella respectively. But Ward made third seed Beck fight for his 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory while Kinsella was anything but disgraced against a player ranked a thousand places higher going down 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Britain did get two further second round representatives when Alex Slabinsky beat fellow countrymanKen Skupsi 7-6 (5) 7-5 out on Court One while 2006 Manchester Trophy finalist Josh Goodall had a tough fought win over Swedens Michael Ryderstedt 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Play tomorrow (Thursday 17 th) starts at 12 noon with Alex Slabinsky, Chris Eaton against Richard Bloomfield, Josh Goodall and Dan Cox providing the British interest on Centre Court.

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