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admin · Site Admin Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 88

Preview:

Colin and Jamie will open their Wimbledon campaign against the lucky loser pairing of Zack Fleishman [USA] and Rob Smeets [Australia]. Colin and Jamie will be very happy with this draw which is one of the best they could have hoped for. They had been expecting to play the
Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco who they were originally drawn against. However, for unknown reasons this pair have withdrawn even though they're still competing in the singles. Colin and Jamie will definately stand a better chance against Fleishman and Smeets as they're a scratch pairing and have only played together twice before. In comparison, Lopez amd Verdasco were both ranked in the doubles top 100 and are a regular pairing and reached an ATP semi-final together earlier this yera. Fleishman is in the top 200 for singles but is only ranked 474 in doubles and Smeets is outside the top 300 in singles but is ranked 142 in doubles. Like Colin and Jamie, Fleishman and Smeets have played mainly in challengers this year, reaching a couple of semis. Colin may decide to ask compatriot Alan Mackin for some advice on Rob Smeets as they played together in the San Luis Challenger in Mexico earlier this year. Fleishman and Smeets had to enter the qualifying for the Wimbledon doubles which was held last week at Roehampton and they lost in 4 sets in the final round to a South American pairing. The match will probably take place on Thursday on one of the outside courts.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 88

Fleishman/Smeets won 7-6[6], 6-4, 7-5

Report: Colin's first Wimbledon experience ended in disappointment as he and Jamie Murray lost 7-6[6], 6-4, 7-5 to Zack Fleishman and Rob Smeets in round 1 of the men's doubles late on Thursday evening. Though both Scots served well throughout the match they struggled to make any inroads on their return games and this ultimately cost them. The 1st set tiebreak was a big turning point, both pairs had their chances but it was Fleishman and Smeets who kept their nerve at 6-6 and closed it out 8-6. Both the 2nd and 3rd sets went with serve until the latter stages but some stunning returns from Fleishman and Smeets plus a couple of loose volleys from Colin and Jamie conceded the break of serve each time. Speaking after the match Jamie Murray said "It was disappointing to lose but we took care of our service games well. We didn't make enough returns and you won't break serve if you don't make the returns. But we are positive. We are definitely playing at a higher level than we were a month ago." Jamie had to endure a further frustration as the scheduling of his match meant that he missed most of his brother Andy's clash with Frenchman Julien Benneteau in rd2 on centre court.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 88

That was a disappointing loss, probably a match they should have won. A missed opportunity given that Lopez and Verdasco pulled out and the Spaniards would have been a lot tougher. According to someone who watched it, Colin played really well but Jamie struggled quite a bit with his returning game. That cost them in the end as they weren't ever really able to pressurize Fleishman and Smeets on their serve despite Colin and Jamie serving well throughout.

Fleishman and Smeets lost in straights in rd2.

Still it was their first Grand Slam experience and there was the added pressure of playing in front of a large home crowd which can be tough to deal with if you play most of your matches in front of "one man and a dog " on the futures and challenger circuit !! Colin and Jamie aim to have a go at qualifying for the US Open doubles in late August.