Week 25: Eastbourne; Den Bosch; Nottingham Ch 2; Boodles (e)

[SirBloody Idiot]

Thought I'd get this out of the way now so we've got plenty of time to get the numbers up.

UNICEF Open
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
PTA World Tour 250
Surface: Grass

Previous finals:
S1: Danijel Micic def. Patrick Pascaul, 7-6(1), 6-3

AEGON International
Eastbourne, Great Britain
PTA World Tour 250
Surface: Grass

Previous finals:
S1: Almen Benaglio def. Jean-Alain Depuis, 6-4, 6-2

AEGON Trophy
Nottingham, Great Britain
$64,000 (winner: 90 points)
Surface: Grass

For the second year in a row, the exhibition event "The Boodles Challenge" is available. This is a great chance for some players to get in some match practice before Wimbledon in the picturesque Stoke Park Club.

The Boodles Challenge
Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, Great Britain

Previous finals:
Henry Charles def. Kim Vollan, 6-3, 6-2

Confirmed to appear:
Daniel Páez Blanco
Henry Charles

I will accept a couple of CWLanders for this event.

[morgieb]

I'll pass on this week.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

y no wimbledon

[SirBloody Idiot]

Fiddlesticks. I forgot there is Wimbledon qualifying this week, too.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Rosmalen pls

[SirBloody Idiot]

I really cocked up this week. Nottingham is scrapped for Wimbledon qualifying. Sorry gents.

UNICEF OPEN, 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH
1-OXENSTIERNA FRC vs. EMSIS LAT
ISAEV BLR vs. Q-ALAVOS PAR
WC-VELTEN NED vs. AGUERO ESP
REITER AUT vs. 5-T.VOLLAN NOR

4-L'ESTRANGE FRA vs. Q-E.HENSON USA
HENRIKKSON SWE vs. Q-VOLKOFF RUS
MAURER ROU vs. PARMENTIER BEL
FARKKILA FIN vs. 6-BOYD USA

7-VURIAK UKR vs. Q-VIKSTEN SWE
GENGHINI FRA vs. JURAEV UZB
QUEZADA CHL vs. MANDONNA ARG
CESLJAR CRO vs. 3-BENAGLIO SUI

8-BUUR DEN vs. WC-VAN DER CLEER NED
BERG NED vs. DAY USA
HAINISCH AUT vs. LL-BERTOLOTTO ARG
DURAND FRA vs. 2/WC-BOROS HUN

AEGON INTERNATIONAL
1-D.HURTADO COL vs. LL-DOROGAN UKR
BROZIK vs. Q-MORKEL NOR
NAVARRO PAR vs. ENGEL LUX
HARMEL BEL vs. 8-RIVERS FRC

3-PASCAUL FRA vs. BOWENBURG FRC
WC-WHITEHOUSE GBR vs. R.SANTOS BRA
AKSU TUR vs. FOK CHN
Z.BONIEK vs. 6-K.VOLLAN NOR

5-JOAQUIN ESP vs. WC-HIGHSMITH GBR
Q-DEANE FRC vs. Q-JOVANOVIC AUS
Q-MACHADO BRA vs. DOH JPN
BRADLEY USA vs. 4-CARTER USA

7-DELEV CDR vs. JAMES USA
WC-CHARNOCK GBR vs. P.SCHMIDT SUI
BROOKES AUS vs. ORTIZ COL
LAZZERI USA vs. 2-MICIC SRB

BOODLES CHALLENGE - QUARTERFINALS
Daniel Paez Blanco ESP vs. Oneil STEWART JAM
Miroslav BRDAR CRO vs. Heath DAVIS FRC
Dwayne MURDOCH USA vs. ZHIJUN Sun CHN
Jefferson DRAKE CDR vs. Jojo MUSTARD FRC

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Looking forward to oodles of Boodles. Followed by some noodles.

[SirBloody Idiot]

UNICEF Open II
PTA World Tour 250 - 1st Round - 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands - Grass

• Halle champion Sven Oxenstierna's Wimbledon preparation has hit a slight snag as the World No. 4 was ousted by Latvian big man Ivars Emsis. Having claimed his first grass court title on Sunday, he clearly came into Monday's fixture without his "game face" and paid for it against a dangerous opponent. Emsis gives few chances on his serve, and managed to break Oxenstierna's serve twice in a safe serving display. There's little doubt that Oxenstierna probably would have won had this been at a Grand Slam, but with six matches in little over a week he will nonetheless be relatively happy with his preparation. Emsis' 7-5, 6-4 win sets up a second round meeting with Denis Isaev and a big chance at some good points.

• In the big surprise of the first round, World No. 51 Viktor Vuriak was ousted in three sets by World No. 287 Erik Viksten 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

• Seeded players out: Wayne Boyd; Sven Oxenstierna; Viktor Vuriak.

[SirBloody Idiot]

AEGON International II
PTA World Tour 250 - 1st Round - Eastbourne, United Kingdom - Grass

• There was disappointment in spades for seventh seed Spas Delev as a frustrating loss ended his week in Eastbourne. American doubles star Hugh James played error-free tennis and proved that he is a player you must bring your A-game to beat as he thrived on Delev's cavalcade of unforced errors. Delev is known for his explosive shot-making which is arguably some of the best in the world, but he showed just why he's ranked at No. 44 in a disappointing display. The East CWLander led 5-3 in the first set, but failed to serve out the set as James took it in a tiebreaker. The second set continued in a similar fashion as the Easterner again gave up an early break to drop four games on the trot to drop the match 6-7(5), 3-6. His exit leaves him to rely on his doubles campaign for some match practice ahead of The Championships next week.

• A gentle draw helped out Marcuss Deane as he easily accounted for World No. 377 David Jovanovic. Deane was boosted by the withdrawal of Illya Altman mid-week which officially saw his inclusion to the main draw of The Championships as an alternate, and he proved much too good for the Aussie who also had to win through qualifying. Deane dropped just one set in his qualifying campaign, and ensured more points would be on their way as he routined Jovanovic with some classy serve-and-volley tennis to advance 6-2, 6-0. He meets local wildcard Oscar Highsmith who ousted fifth seed Sergio Joaquín 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.

• Eighth seed Scotland Rivers made a winning start to his week with a straight sets win over Mark Harmel. Giving up a 5-2 lead in the first, Rivers was made to fight in the tiebreaker as he eventually converted his sixth set point to take it 11-9. The second set was one-way traffic, though, as the Belgian failed to deal with his stronger opponent; Rivers through 7-6(9), 6-2. He now meets Luxembourg's Oliver Engel who was pushed to the limit by Jose Navarro 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.

• Finally, Rob Bowenburg suffered a disappointing start as he was beaten by defending champion Patrick Pascaul. In his first grass court appearance of the season, Bowenburg showed an impressive backhand to pass Pascaul a number of times. Unfortunately his serve was lacking and his forehand was surprisingly wayward as the dangerous Frenchman moved well and kept composed in a 6-4, 6-3 win. Pascaul ousted Daniel Páez Blanco in the second round of Wimbledon last season, and hopes to go better than his fourth round appearance this year.

• Top seed Diego Hurtado made light work of lucky loser Roman Dorogan in a 6-0, 6-0 win.

• Seeded players out: Spas Delev; Sergio Joaquín.

[Marcuss]

Haha, 5th seed up next. Nice. Hitting 'em well though by the sounds of it.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Ah well. Couldn't be arsed guessing.which way to go on serves.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Boodles Challenge II
PTA World Tour 250 - Wednesday - Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom - Grass

• For the second year running, Heath Davis has lost his first match at the Boodles Challenge with a tough three-set loss to Miroslav Brdar. The World No. 26, who finished fifth last year with a 2-1 record, took the first set 6-3 and had a match point in the second at 6-5. Unfortunately for him, Brdar saved that and took the set in a tiebreaker 7-5 after Davis saved two set points of his own. With the friendly contest decided in a match tiebreaker, Davis had another three match point chances but couldn't close it out as Brdar secured passage to the semis 3-6, 7-6(5), [13-11].

• Davis now meets Jamaica's Oneil Stewart in a consolation match to qualify for the fifth place play-off on Wednesday after Stewart was trounced by World No. 2 Daniel Páez Blanco 2-6, 1-6.

• In the other exhibition match, Aussie David Champion beat Rick Henson of the USA 6-7(0), 6-4, [11-9] in an entertaining contest.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Haha, 5th seed up next. Nice. Hitting 'em well though by the sounds of it.

Nope - he was beaten (again).

Ah well. Couldn't be arsed guessing.which way to go on serves.

He's the Dr. Ivo of CW Tennis but probs a bit better.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Dammit. Nearly as chokey as the South African cricket team doing a simulation of Michael Hutchence's last hours.

[SirBloody Idiot]

AEGON International II
PTA World Tour 250 - 2nd Round - Eastbourne, United Kingdom - Grass

• Eighth seed Scotland Rivers has cruised into the quarter finals in Eastbourne with a straight sets win over Luxembourg's Oliver Engel. It was plain sailing for the West CWLander as he dominated a tired and ordinary Engel inside of an hour. Engel's movement is poor at the best of times, and it was exposed by Rivers who played attacking tennis to take advantage of Engel's poor positioning. The 6-1, 6-2 win sets up a quarter final meeting with qualifier Haiku Morkel of Norway after he ousted top seed Diego Hurtado 7-5, 6-3.

• Elsewhere, teenage sensation Marcuss Deane is also into the round of eight after a three-set tussle with Oscar Highsmith. Great Britain's No. 2 was competitive throughout the match as he used his experience to counter Deane's booming serve, but his game abandoned him in the third as Deane picked up one of the most impressive wins of his career. The 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 win sets up a quarterfinal meeting with American Morgan Carter. The 27th seed proved too good for Brazil's Carlos Machado in a 7-5, 6-1 win.

• In other results, Season I finalist and second seed Danijel Micic fell 2-6, 7-5, 3-6 to Aussie Toby Brookes and sixth seed Kim Vollan was crushed two and two by Fok Zhenyu of China.

• Seeded players out: Diego Hurtado; Danijel Micic; Kim Vollan.