Newport; Ramat Hasharon (Qualification) - July 6-12 Season I
Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships
Qualifiers - Newport
Qualifying Singles (
Draw)
Just one week after earning qualification to a second Challenger tournament, fourth seed
Matt Bre was unable to advance from the qualifying round at the
Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. After prevailling in a tight affair against
Jason Schmidt in the first round, Bre looked odds on favourite to account for American wildcard
Benjamin Turner. But he struggled early in a disappointing first set, as the determined Turner controlled his aggression to take the first set 6-2. Whilst Bre took the second 6-2 and looked in promising form, he was broken early in the decider and was unable to recover; Turner qualifying
6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
Qualifiers: Randy Bruce; Nikola Todorovski; Benjamin Turner; Gunnar Valsson
Israel Open
Qualifiers - Ramat Hasharon
Qualifying Singles (
Draw)
Likewise, fellow CWLander
Vladimir Stakhanov fell in the qualifying round to miss a spot in the main draw of the Challenger in Ramat Hasharon. The fifth seed got through Israeli pair
Jonathan Oved and
Kobi Zdibat in his first two matches without incident, but never looked like troubling seasoned Chilean clay courter
Leonel Romero. The top seed took the first set comfortably, and survived a late comeback from Stakhanov to advance
6-2, 7-5. Stakhanov will now have to focus on his doubles campaign with
Jarko Maxum; though they have been given a tough start against third seeds
Jean-Jacques Berthier and
Abel Bonnin.
Qualifiers: Ritwik Bhutia; Beni Itach; Leonel Romero; Brendan Tito.
NEWPORT MAIN DRAW
(1) DRAKE, Jefferson CWL v DE WET, Alex CWL
(Q) TODOROVSKI, Nikola MKD v (WC) LAZZERI, Sam USA
SANTOS, Roberto BRA v HOLLAND, Jimmy USA
(Q) TURNER, Benjamin USA v
(5) BOYD, Wayne USA
(4) VOLLAN, Kim NOR v TU, Haifeng TPE
THORPE, Samuel USA v LI, Ming-Wang CHN
(WC) KURTOVIC, Tomislav CRO v RODRIGUES, Dênis BRA
(Q) BRUCE, Randy USA v
(7) SCHMIDT, Pascaul SUI
(6) BROOKES, Toby AUS v MURRAY, Adam AUS
TOBIN, Matthew AUS v CHASIOTIS, Dimitris GRE
BADLEE, Strongth USA v KORPINEN, Martti CWL
BROZIK, Petr CZE v
(3) BRADLEY, Jason USA
(7) DEPUIS, Jean-Alain FRA v DELEV, Spas CWL
ISAEV, Denis BLR v HIGHSMITH, Oscar GBR
(Q) VALSSON, Gunnar ISL v DAY, Julian USA
(WC) ADAMS, Jesse USA v
(2) KENNEDY, Davis CAN
With a number of Davis Cup ties occuring this weekend, the only ATP level tournament this week is fairly shallow with many preferring to take a rest after The Championships. Nevertheless, top twenty players
Jefferson Drake and
Davis Kennedy add some star power to the tournament, whilst Wimbledon quarterfinalist
Kim Vollan, Eastbourne finalist
Jean-Alain Depuis and San Jose champion
Hugh James will also compete for the crown. Top seed Drake has the harder draw with possible quarterfinal and semifinal matchups against Boyd and Vollan waiting, and whoever comes from this half of the draw should win.
PREDICTION: Vollan def. Kennedy.