Draw released for bumper British Open
One of the largest British Open draws in over a decade
The Tennis and Rackets Association have released the draw for the upcoming Sir John Ritblat Foundation British Open, with plenty of exciting match-ups in store for November’s tournament.
The draw was conducted last Tuesday, but have only been released today as match timings are confirmed. For the first time, the British Open will schedule main draw matches on the West Court at Queen’s Club, with four first-round matches taking place on the court on what is being dubbed “Super-Sunday.” A match between Lewis Williams and Bryn Sayers took place on the West Court last year, as well as few games of Robert Shenkman vs Benedict Yorston, all due to schedule over-run and a sweating court. In a bid to reduce over-run, no more than four matches will be played on any given court on any one day.
The tournament is also the last in the 2023-24 World Race. John Lumley and Nick Howell are already qualified to next year’s Eliminators. Leon Smart is in a distant fifth place and although mathematically possible, the chances of an Eliminator in Boston are extremely unlikely. Of interest will be the relative seeding of Steve Virgona and Ben Taylor-Matthews — Virgona currently leads by 880 points following the French Open, so should Taylor-Matthews progress further in the tournament than Virgona then he will grab the number three eliminator spot. The odds may be in his favour — third seed Taylor-Matthews is seeded to play eigth seed Matthieu Sarlangue in the quarter finals, while Virgona has the unenviable challenge of facing World Champion Camden Riviere in his quarter final, should it go to seed.
At the top of the draw, Camden Riviere returns to defend his title in both the singles and doubles competitions, the latter with Tim Chisholm. Last year’s French Open winner Nick Howell enters as the number two seed in both singles and doubles, with Leon Smart. Notably absent from the entry list is 2021 winner John Lumley, who is unable to travel from the Philadelphia, and 2012 winner Bryn Sayers, who is out due to surgery.
Further down the draw, former World Champion Robert Fahey has extended his break from retirement, entering both the singles and doubles for the first time since 2022. On seedings, he would play Leon Smart in the quarter final and Nick Howell in the semi final, in what promises to be some of the most entertaining matches of this year’s draw. In the doubles, Fahey has partnered with Steve Virgona, the first time the former World Champions have played together since they lost the 2015 World Championship in Tuxedo to Chisholm and Fahey. Fahey and Virgona have drawn to play Howell and Smart in the semi final, should it go to seed, in what promises to be a fantastic and fiery match.
Of course, there is no guarantee that all matches go to seed, with plenty of promising players due to fight it out in the first rounds of both draws. Nino Merola faces the winner of a qualification pathway that includes both Henry Henman and Will Flynn in an excellent display of the future talent in British tennis. The winner will play Matthieu Sarlangue in the second round and will be looking to cause an upset. Meanwhile, top-ranked Queen’s Club amateur Bertie Vallat may fancy his chances against an in-form Lewis Williams in what may prove an epic battle — five of Williams’s seven Open match wins have taken the full five sets. Also, the ever-popular Claire Fahey will taken on home professional Neil Mackenzie, should he progress through qualifying, looking for her first Open match victory since 2019.
Also on Super Sunday, Newport Head Professional Tony Hollins will make his British Open debut against second-time player Freddie Bristowe, who is expected to balance his workload alongside competing in the rackets British Amateur in the same week. Levi Gale is guaranteed to face an amateur in the third qualification pathway, with Jamie Giddins, Jonny Whitaker and Benedict Yorston all fighting out for a spot in the main draw. Renowned target hitters Darren Long and Louis Gordon will also be fighting it out together, while Australian John Woods-Casey will take on an ageing Tim Chisholm, hoping to find strength in his youth. Rounding out the draw, Vaughan Hamilton makes his British Open main draw debut, facing a qualifier from a pathway that includes the in-form James Medlow.
In the doubles, Ben Taylor-Matthews has teamed up with Nino Merola for the first time at an Open, asking Merola to step up to the big league having had to run through qualifying last year. Plenty of other partnerships have been repeated from this year’s French Open, with Hamilton & Woods-Casey, Gale & Williams and Gordon & Shenkman looking to replicate their successes in Paris. Aficionados will note the unorthordox pairings of Freddie Bristowe & Adam Player and Tony Hollins & Thomas Durack - both may prove to be dark horses as pairs that may cause a few upsets.
Finally, the doubles qualifying includes a Dutch player for the first time, with Paul Bollerman teaming up with Will Burns in a tricky match against recent Henry Leaf winners Will Flynn and James Medlow. Another interesting pairing will be Claire Fahey and Henry Henman, as Henman looks to repeat his volleying prowess from last year alongside a player known for her steady ability at the back of the court.
Tickets to watch the British Open are now open to purchase at Eventsize: https://tennis-rackets.eventize.co.uk/calendars/tennis
Full details on the draw can be seen at the Tennis and Rackets Association website: https://www.tennisandrackets.com/real-tennis/tournaments-fixtures/british-open-singles-and-doubles-championships-2024