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The most famous Grand Slam started on Monday, with the men’s qualifiers for the Wimbledon Championships.
Compared to other tournaments, which hold their qualifying in the same venue, qualifying is held 24 kilometres away at the Roehampton National Tennis centre. The main reason for this is to protect the grass courts at Wimbledon for the two weeks of the event.
Qualifying for the men is also different to other tournaments, with the last round being a best of five-set match to qualify for the main draw. In all matches – three sets and five – there is no tiebreaker for the final set.
Australia is represented by five players in the main draw, with 15th seed John Millman the only seeded player to compete for the green and gold.
The event also sees Jason Kubler, who has problems with his knees and prefers clay, play on grass for the first time in three years. He tried to play on turf last week in a Challenger, but was forced to play on hard courts after rain moved play indoors in Ilkley.
128 players are in the field with 16 spots in the main draw available. Here is a look at the Aussies involved and a wrap of the draw.
John-Patrick Smith versus Maxime Authom
Smith, who is 160 in the world, is a serve-volley player whose game is suited well to the surface, but the Queenslander has struggled at Wimbledon so far.
Two appearances for two first-round qualifying losses doesn’t bode well for the left hander, who went to college in America.
Belgian Authom, who is 174 in the world, made the final round in 2012 and 2013.
If Smith can get past Authom, he would face potential match-ups against Bjorn Fratangelo and Alejandro Gonzalez in the final two rounds. Neither have played on grass this year, with Smith making the quarter finals at Surbiton. I favour him to come close to qualifying if he can get past Authom.
John Millman (15) versus Christian Lindell
If wins were based on ranking then John Millman would qualify from this section to make the main draw at Wimbledon. We all know that isn’t the case, but the Australian has an excellent chance of making the main draw.
First up he plays a Lindell, who hasn’t played on the surface in his professional career. Lindell, who was born in Brazil but plays for Sweden, is a clay-court specialist who qualified for the French Open last month.
Millman should’t have any problems against Lindell. He would then face either Tristan Lamasine or Chase Buchanan in the next round and should get past either of them with no real problems.
Millman’s biggest test could come in the last round, from either Niels Desein or Albert Montanes.
Montanes, who made the third round here in 2009 and 2010, isn’t in as good form as five years ago, but experience counts for a lot, and it would come to the fore in a five-set battle.
Luke Saville versus Nicolas Jarry
Saville qualified for Wimbledon in 2014 and made the second round, losing to Grigor Dimitrov on centre court.
This year he has a draw that could allow him to repeat the feat.
First up he plays Chilean Nicolas Jarry, who has only played one match on grass in his short career. Saville, who made the final at the Manchester Challenger this month, should defeat Jarry comfortably.
The South Australian would then face Ante Pavic or Thiemo de Bakker in the next round. Pavic, who is a big server, would pose more problems as his game suits the surface better.
Saville though should make the final round and face either Konstantin Kravchuk or second seed Luca Vanni. The 2011 Wimbledon junior champion has beaten both in recent weeks and would favour his chances of qualifying.
Ben Mitchell versus Remi Boutillier
Mitchell has an excellent chance of winning his first match at Wimbledon when he takes on Remi Boutillier. The Frenchman has never played at Wimbledon before and has only won four matches on the surface.
With Mitchell not in great form himself, losing in qualifying for the Surbiton Challenger, this could be a match that starts a run for the Queenslander.
He has a draw that could open if Maximo Gonzalez, the ninth seed, loses in the opening round to Marton Fucsovics. Fucsovics, who is inconsistent, can cause the upset with his game more suited to grass than Gonzalez.
Mitchell has the talent to qualify for the main draw. Whether his heart and head are there is another question.
I predict a win tonight and then a loss in either the second or third round. If he gets confidence then anything could happen.
Jason Kubler versus Rui Machado
As mentioned earlier this is Kubler’s first appearance on grass in three years. He faces Portugal’s Rui Machado who competed in the main draw in 2012.
How Kubler’s knees hold up will be the key. If he is fine on this surface, and serves well, then he can progress to Round 2.
That’s as far as he goes unfortunately, with this draw littered with players who are in form, or good on grass.
Gaining experience and confidence on the surface will be the big win though if he plays a full match or two.
The draw itself
Kimmer Coppejans is the number 1 seed for the event, with the Belgian youngster on the cusp of the top 100.
Former fourth rounder at the event Jurgen Melzer faces his brother Gerald in the opening round. That will be an interesting match.
France has the most entries in the draw with 13, while Germany has 11.
The Roar will take a look at the women’s qualifying draw tomorrow and preview the men’s second round matches involving Australians.
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