Dan Evans in the Nature Valley Open, ATP Challenger Nottingham 2018
Dan Evans in the Nature Valley Open, ATP Challenger Nottingham 2018 | (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images for LTA)

Tennis | Nature Valley International | Evans, Clarke and Ward start campaigns, Norrie to finish

By Ros Satar at the Nature Valley International, Eastbourne

  • Dan Evans [WC] v Radu Albot [8]
  • Jay Clarke [WC] v Leonardo Mayer
  • James Ward [Q] v Thomas Fabbiano [Q]
  • Cameron Norrie v Jeremy Chardy TBF Norrie leads 3-0
EASTBOURNE, UK – It is a bumper stack of Brits on show as the wildcards and qualifiers take to the court, while Cameron Norrie looks to finish as well as he started

 

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Dan Evans [WC] v Radu Albot [8] | Albot leads H2H 1-0

Having faced Radu Albot in the Delray Beach final, Dan Evans might want to exact a bit of revenge of being denied a first ATP Tour level title, and now on (literally) home turf, he could inflict a bit of damage,

Evans has won 10 of his last 11 games on grass so not surprisingly he comes in as a bit of a favourite on this surface, even though he has never advanced past the first round of Eastbourne.

Prediction: Evans in three sets

 

Jay Clarke [WC] v Leonardo Mayer | First meeting

Jay Clarke in the Nature Valley Open, ATP Challenger Nottingham 2018
Jay Clarke in the Nature Valley Open, ATP Challenger Nottingham 2018 | (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)

The quiet-spoken Jay Clarke has been going about his business this year and now will be focusing on getting into as many qualifying events at a tour level as possible to get his ranking up.

His latest Challenger title came on clay, but so far on grass he has not really been able to make much of an impact with first round exits at the Surbiton and Nottingham Challenger, and at Queen’s Club.

However, he will be facing someone who has not even found their grass court shoes yet, in Leonardo Mayer, who perhaps did not impress as much as he should leading up to the French Open, but managed to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros.

That being said, expect Mayer, who reached the round of 16 at Eastbourne last year, to have a little too much experience for Clarke.

Prediction: Mayer in straight sets.

 

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James Ward [Q] v Thomas Fabbiano [Q] | First meeting

James Ward in the Loughborough Challenger, 2018
James Ward in the Loughborough Challenger, 2018 | (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images for LTA)

It has been great to see James Ward back. Once a stalwart of the British Davis Cup team, Ward has been out dealing with injuries and finds himself back at a tournament where he is yet to get past the first round.

He has picked up some decent grass time, but then so has his fellow qualifier Thomas Fabbiano. It would be great to see Ward revel in some good home support and clinch a first time win here.

Prediction: Ward in three sets.

 

Cameron Norrie v Jeremy Chardy TBF Norrie leads 3-0

Cameron Norrie in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off between Great Britain & Uzbekistan, Glasgow 2018
Cameron Norrie in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off between Great Britain & Uzbekistan, Glasgow 2018 | (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

In the evening gloom Cameron Norrie got off to a great start over Jeremy Chardy to go up a break and to manage to consolidate it before play was cancelled for the night. Norrie made a promising start in his Queen’s campaign taking the first set off the returning Kevin Anderson, before eventually losing to the former Wimbledon runner-up in three sets.

Chardy has just one more match on grass coming into this encounter with both of them starting at Queen’s but if Norrie can keep up his momentum, we could see at least one of the Brits advance on Tuesday.

Prediction: Norrie in three sets.

 

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