Steve Albini also holder of two WSOP bracelets won in recent years, One in 7 card Stud and one in HORSE. By all accounts a very good mixed games player. Was a regular poster on twoplustwo. I got to play with him for a couple of hours a while back which was quite a thrill as he made some of my favourite albums like PJ Harvey's Rid of Me, In Utero by Nirvana and Pixies.

Pretty sad about this one.

Always wanted to sit at his table, will never get the chance. 

Think In Utero got a bit remixed, and Rid of Me got released as the 4 track demos, as she wasn't entirely happy.

Loved the first two pixies albums, rid of me and pod regardless.  All released at the time I really loved that sort of thing. 

Think everyone should listen to Rub Til it Bleeds as that is classic Albini.  Don't care if she didn't like it, and Elvis Costello said he ruined it.  The way you hear the instruments is still brilliant to this day. 

Rome 1000 women

Watson and Dart out in Qualifiers, Boulter not entered (presume injured) Emma decided against trying to qualify and has put her name in for the 500 in a fortnight so might not enter the French qualifiers

Miyazaki 1st round qualifier is tomorrow

Men

Norrie is seeded 27 and will take on winner of Hijikana and Munar
Evans plays Fognini in first round winner takes on Fritz
Draper starts against Coric with winner to take on Medvedev (could do with a bit of luck in the draws)

Boulter is in the round of 64.  Not heard of any injury so think she is playing. 

Assume Raducanu is fairly confident she makes the cut.  Have read that might duck the French Open but makes no sense to me.  Seems inconsistent with her deliberately playing 1000s when she would get a much easier time in 250s.  Think it she ducks France she must be aiming to play early season grass tourneys like Nottingham?  Will just see what happens.

That is interesting.  Assuming Watson is just playing with her as Klugman is more limited than Xu in how much she can play.

Klugman and Watson? 
Xu and Watson teamed up as ranked 41 and 48 Xu just plays doubles and is 35 Watson nearly 32 and can't even get into the qualifying events with her singles ranking anymore.
Both looking for long term partners i think with a ranking that gets them into the main draw.

Missed the Boulter match 6-0 in 2nd set is impressive in doubles

Ha, didn't check and assumed she was playing with Mimi Xu.  Made sense as both Brits, and Xu can play in more tournaments than Klugman as she is 18 months older. 

Don't know if Watson is entirely over with singles.  She could get in Nottingham/Eastbourne/Wimbledon again, and a good run in the latter could see her going up again.  If she goes out round 1 in each, think that must be it.

Evans has pulled out of Madrid, i am assuming injured
Watson has partnered with Xu in the doubles

That is interesting.  Assuming Watson is just playing with her as Klugman is more limited than Xu in how much she can play.

I see Boulter is playing with Vandrousova today.  Playing alongside someone so good should help her get even better?

Notice Raducanu got a whole load of abuse again yesterday.  She has played several really strong games this year, throws in one bad one and immediately she is a fraud again.  Won't do her any harm to have a rest and look forward to defending her zero points for the rest of the year. 

Played so well.  Loved this point from about 3:30

Raducanu 10/1 for this afternoon.  Probably going to struggle to watch any of it as at work.  Couldn't resist a muggy few quid on her though.  Doesn't feel like a 10/1 chance, even if Swiatek is so dominant on clay. 

Raducanu on just after 6 tonight after 3 easier matches.  Noskova is a bright young thing who has just beaten Ostapenko.  Playing her and Swiatek will give a better picture of where Raducanu is now(don't think the scoreline Vs Kerber reflects the match, and the BJK matches were both 3 setters, so can't get carried away yet).  Don't think Raducanu was completely fit at the end of the Kerber match, which goes someway to explaining the 2.62 odds on Raducanu.  Also Raducanu is having to wait for dropouts to see if she avoids qualifying for the French Open. Not convinced she gets a wild card there.  Though maybe if she beats Swiatek, they can't ignore her?  Big odds on winning the next two matches for Raducanu, so unlikely to be relevant.

One thing I didn't expect at the start of the year was Dan Evans retiring, but it at least looks a possibility judging by some recent comments.  Norrie is still clinging on to his top 32 spot. 

Easy game it turns out.  Looking like a potential top 10 player again.

Raducanu on just after 6 tonight after 3 easier matches.  Noskova is a bright young thing who has just beaten Ostapenko.  Playing her and Swiatek will give a better picture of where Raducanu is now(don't think the scoreline Vs Kerber reflects the match, and the BJK matches were both 3 setters, so can't get carried away yet).  Don't think Raducanu was completely fit at the end of the Kerber match, which goes someway to explaining the 2.62 odds on Raducanu.  Also Raducanu is having to wait for dropouts to see if she avoids qualifying for the French Open. Not convinced she gets a wild card there.  Though maybe if she beats Swiatek, they can't ignore her?  Big odds on winning the next two matches for Raducanu, so unlikely to be relevant.

One thing I didn't expect at the start of the year was Dan Evans retiring, but it at least looks a possibility judging by some recent comments.  Norrie is still clinging on to his top 32 spot. 

Emma looked good past this weekend, and Harriet looked much better today than yesterday.

If Emma can play like that' stay clear of injury and keep getting the wildcards she should be able to get inside the top 100 sooner rather

Harriet as been playing well recently, but was no better on day 2 than day 1.  Katie on the other hand...

Winning away on clay when neither has much experience was a top top result. 

Raducanu is looking a lot better this year than last year.  Top 100 should be feasible by the end of summer.  Hopefullly she can get to the quarter finals at wimbledon or somewhere.

i thought it was Murray's match right until he got broke in the 12th game of the 2nd set, then he looked down and out for a few games.
When he broke back and then got it to 5-5 he pulled up with what looked like a nasty injury thought it was a career ender at first (as this is last few months of career)
Missed Norrie's match and saw the score before i got round to watching it so didn't bother watching

Looking forward to Boulter's match i think it will be around 7pm she is ranked and seeded 2 places higher and is in form will be good to see if experience will justify the odds
but i am tempted by the 6/5

I took 2.4 and it is currently 2.56 on Betfair.  Those bookies who keep banning me are on to something...   Or on something?

Boulter and Andy have winnable next couple of matches to take them to SF and QF respectively, Cameron has a tough one tonight though.

Did you watch the Murray match last night.  Looked like he was going to win in the final tie break.

Boulter's form looks so good right now, and has another winnable match tonight after beating Haddad Maia again at the weekend.  Supposed to be playing at 6 tonight.  Will be interesting to see how she  does against Rybakina if she can get that far.  She is odds against tonight, so still some way to go. 

Monies now sent to Doobs also

My work here is done

Thanks for sending and running the comp.  Will send Tikay's saver of £0.00 later today. 

Think this is the final standing

If someone could take a double check then I will get the winners paid

That looks correct now. THANKS for running comp. Well played Doobs in 2nd. Unlucky to Tikay in the bubble spot. 

Well played.  You deserved to win just from getting your tips in on time, but crushed too.

Thanks for organising it Stu, promise to do better with sending off lists of someone runs it again next year.

Fter race 5

Congrats Tikay and Marky.

Disaster girl meme

Think I might be second, as missing 130, but Tikay's strat for the last race is better.  Don't know if anyone else can win, but Tikay and me are out of it.

Fter race 5

Congrats Tikay and Marky.

Disaster girl meme