Alex Ward stepped off a clay court after four hours in Dusseldorf on Saturday anxious to know the answer to one simple question.
The 23 year-old former NSB pupil, currently holding a 443 world ranking, had just played the match of his life only to narrowly miss out 7-5 in a third set tie-break against world number 105 Guido Pella.
“How did the Cobblers get on?” Ward asked his London based mate. “You don’t want to know,” went the reply... although news of Wembley’s pricked claret and white balloon then instantly popped, much to the dismay of Northampton’s most prominent tennis ace.
Not the dream ticket then, but appropriate perhaps that Ward will now turn his back on a traditional summer of grass to concentrate on clay.
Ward’s two matches in one day saw him defeat Swede Andrea Vinciguerra 6-1, 6-1 before losing 4-6, 6-2, 6-7 to Argentinian Pella in the second qualifying round of the ATP 250 event, which attracted such notable names as Tommy Haas and the Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in the main draw.
Despite missing out on four match points against Pella, Ward’s performance announced he is definitely on the comeback trail after initial stiffness and bruising following a recent knee operation.
His dad Richard said: “Alex had to adjust his training schedule accordingly. He felt he had played his best ever tennis here and it was probably the first tournament since the operation where he was relaxed about everything.”
Ward heads off to Madrid’s clay on Friday to begin a six week schedule which will by-pass his normal grass court activity at this time of year. “Although grass is one of his best surfaces it takes too long to re-adjust so he will concentrate on clay.”
THE teenage dream is being realised by the young guns of Duston United A in Mixed Division Two whose unbeaten start to the summer looks an impressive one.
For while the line-up of Ellen McIlwaine, Oliver Conopo, Connor Evans and Rachel Johnson are yet to fully assert on points, they have won all three starts to date and beaten the two clubs closest to them in the table.
The feat is all the more impressive when you consider McIlwaine, Conopo and Evans are all 17, while Johnson is just 16 years old. After beginning with an 8-0 win at County E, they followed up with a 5-3 success against current leaders Northampton C, before a 5-3 victory at home to Rugby B last Thursday.
VISION of the Friday night action at County LTC was somewhat blurred as a result of the beer festival, but County A ladies managed an 8-0 victory over Rushmere A with the pairs of Alice Johns/Catherine Thompson and Kate Goodwin/Suzanne Clarke coming up trumps.
This result was repeated by County A men against Rushmere A, a result which gives them 32 points from their first four matches, albeit against some of the lesser lights: having also met Kettering A, County B and County C.
Bizarrely, Northampton B currently hold a prominent men’s league position after wins against Abington A, Dallington B and Wollaston, although they drew 4-4 at Kettering A on Thursday night.
Division Two could yet see Corby TC B emerge as strongest challengers to early season leaders Collingtree A and they earned a 5-3 win at home to Duston United A, who were relegated from the top flight last season, on Friday evening.