Why not just have a special extra tournament the week/weekend before the grand slam a the same time as the qualifying. Mixed doubles with a lot of singles players making up teams. Extra prizemoney - maybe a few veterans/retired players in teams. And then just keep the mixed doubles as normal in the second week of the grandslam. Win win.

Dan Evans knocked out of US Open qualifying in first round.

Just got back from Wimbledon today! Watched Mimi Xu in her semifinal. Tough three set loss after a second set comeback. She did really well in many parts of the match and I'm sure she's gutted as she could have taken that one.

Her first serve is really big. 17 aces in this match! If she gets some consistency with it and improves her second serve too then it could be a really good weapon.  My first time watching Junior tennis - watched both the men's Junior semis too and it is really bizarre that they don't have lets on serve. If it hits the net cord on serve and goes in then you just carry on the the point.

Now I suppose she has to focus on improving so she is ready for all her grass court wild cards next summer.

Fun day out but so hot. I'm wilted.

Got some tickets for Birmingham event. First time they've had men's tennis for as long as I remember and I can pop over to see my family for a cuppa afterwards. Perfect.

Also will be in London for the last three days of Wimbledon. Not sure if it is worth getting a grounds pass on the second Friday, or queueing up to try and get a ticket for some doubles - Maybe I will just go and watch the men's semis on the hill...!

Just a quick heads up

The LTA tickets have mostly opened to general sale today.  Think Queens opened earlier, so tickets wil be much harder to get (or lots of singles, finals hard to come by).

Open today are Nottingham, Birmingham, Ilkley and Eastbourne.

I was in the virtual queue at 10 am, took about an hour.

Got centre court, 4 rows from the front, near the middle, for the finals at Nottingham.  4 tickets (3 adults, one child) were 180 all in including parking.  You could get closer to the front with worse position for much the same price.  Even the back rows aren't far from the players, so you can pay less. 

The women's event at Queens went from good availability for finals on day 1 to really bad availability in a week, so don't spend too long procrastinating. 

congrats Tighty!

was absolutely epic!

Can't believe they snubbed Thiem for a bunch of randos. But glad Billy Harris got in the main draw!

Yep, this is odd.  Thought he was getting one, as some tennisaccounts had said that, maybe he didn't ask? 

he is not on the entry list for qualies, so he is either injured or completely done with pro tennis and will perhaps play his last tournaments as wildcards in Kitzbuhel and Vienna before he retires. Really sad end to his career.

Can't believe they snubbed Thiem for a bunch of randos. But glad Billy Harris got in the main draw!

Doobs - Sorry to hear about your bad news and that you won't make it to WSOP this year. But GL to anyone going to Vegas this year.

Has anyone been to Vegas in January. I kind of have an idea about the weather. Much more pleasant. But is the poker action dead? I guess it will pick up for superbowl in Feb. But maybe there are also some conventions in Jan. Anyone been then?

I went in January this year. Cash games were meh tbh. Not busy at all but not dead, pretty much every room had at least a table or two of $1/$3, which is what I was playing. Heading back out there 14/6-22/6 for the Monster Stack. Bucket list item ticked off!

I did write a summary TR over on another board - https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?threads/get-those-cards-in-the-air-solo-live-poker-heavy-tr-1-17-1-26.205806/

Two lads from 2p2 who you may know of also went at the same time, I ended up on a table with one of them. They tend to play $2/$5 as well as $1/$3 so you might get more of an idea from their TR: https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/108/las-vegas-lifestyle/muckpls-bigwhale-vs-vegas-01-13-01-27-a-1829943/

(tikay/Ironside, if you're not happy with the links then please delete them but could you PM them to bergeroo if you do? Cheers!)

Thanks for the links. A couple of good reads!

Doobs - Sorry to hear about your bad news and that you won't make it to WSOP this year. But GL to anyone going to Vegas this year.

Has anyone been to Vegas in January. I kind of have an idea about the weather. Much more pleasant. But is the poker action dead? I guess it will pick up for superbowl in Feb. But maybe there are also some conventions in Jan. Anyone been then?

Was really sad watching Murray last night. Looked old and slow. But it was on clay. Stan's best service and Murray's worst. Stan's backhand is still something else. Just beautiful.

Last hurrah in the grass season. Hoping he can have a run in something. Has lots of skills on grass but his serve was so poor yesterday that it is difficult to see how he can make an impact.

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.

Nice one, mate!

I did, and did not enjoy getting to bed at 7am... Though being sober has its upsides when you wake up Sunday

I had a bet, but not a massive one and had said the same to all my mates who watch.

They were all on the BSD hype train, but I said the same thing I said when he fought Conor the first time, and was a similar price.

That said, I have to give a disclaimer that I never back against Dustin, and probably won't if he fights Islam.

Yes the odds on the first Conor vs Dustin fight were also insane. Why is he so underestimated?

I generally do a power nap and then wake up at 4am here in Germany for when the main card starts!

No Idea how Dustin Porier is almost 2/1 for his UFC fight tonight against a really good guy - but one who has never fought top calibre opposition. Just seems like an absurd line based on hype for the Frenchman and the fact that Poirier got KOd by Justin G in his last fight. I'm having a big bet.

Hello tips for tikay!

oioi, well done bergeroo


Dustin Poirier defeats Benoit Saint Denis by KO (strikes) at 2:32 of Round 2

9/5 or 15/8 on Dustin was making absolutely no sense to me. Beautiful uppercut and right hook to win the fight after losing the first round - as I thought he might. Dustin is a tough dude and an absolute legend.

Anyone watch it last night?

No Idea how Dustin Porier is almost 2/1 for his UFC fight tonight against a really good guy - but one who has never fought top calibre opposition. Just seems like an absurd line based on hype for the Frenchman and the fact that Poirier got KOd by Justin G in his last fight. I'm having a big bet.

Hello tips for tikay!