L32: Zizou Bergs (BEL) WR 131 defeated (Q) Mark Whitehouse WR 553 by 7-6(4) 6-2
L32: (Q) Yunchaokete Bu WR 173 defeated (Q) Harry Wendelken WR 537 by 7-6(2) 7-5
Looks like a pretty decent effort by Harry. It will be interesting to hear what our roving reporter(s) has (have) to say.
I watched the second set of this one and was one of the best matches I saw. Both players hitting a lovely ball. Harry served for it at 5-4 but Bu pulled out some magnificent winners to break. Was really impressed with both.
We're a pair - I only watched the first set
But, again, one of the best matches I've seen for a long time.
As you say, some excellent hitting, reflexes, placement....
Harry was quickly up 4-1. But the Chinese guy played some exquisite tennis to claw his way back in. Harry had a fall and needed an MTO on his thigh, or inner leg. Disrupted him a bit but nothing serious. He had a set point and played a beautifully crafted point and then put his approach shot out by about 2 inches. In the tie-break, Bu was played a couple of amazing points that he had no right to play. And Harry lost it by a whisker.
Mark was frustrating; didn't see Billy; Dan Cox had to deal with Lestienne's theatricals and should have got a couple of bonus points just for that; Dan was miles more in control than that score would indicate; and the Canadian is someone I've been following for a while - he's 6ft 8 and has a lot of talent - Liam didn't do too much wrong.
Meanwhile, Andy was doing an hour's practice, with Jonny O, and others - not a lot of running around, to be honest, rather laboured overall, but maybe that's his way....
Is Luke being forced to play with Ryan instead of his usual partner Sem Verbeek, if so this seems counter productive.
Maybe but there are only so many WC's. If all the Brits play with a foreign partner that is half as many that get an opportunity. It's not like Luke had to play with a scrub.