Venues For Eliminators 2025
Published on: Dec 17, 2024
The eliminator venues for the 1st round eliminators has now been finalised.
All four players, not surprisingly, who having spent two years travelling and quite frequently been out of pocket, in their endeavours to be one of the 4 players eligible to play in the eliminators entered the bidding process of securing the venue of their choice. Except that statement is not entirely accurate! John Lumley and Steve Virgona chose not to bid at all and therefore their eliminator will be played on the default position of home and away. The higher ranked player, Lumley, has the choice to play the 1st of possibly three 5 set matches at his opponents chosen venue, giving him the two remaining 5 set matches, if required, on his home court choice. Lumley has chosen to play at Chicago first.
Nick Howell and Ben Taylor-Matthews was interesting. Howell had to put forward a bid which was within 20% of Taylor-Matthews bid and then as the higher ranked player Howell would have the right to increase his bid by 20% more than his opponents.
Taylor-Matthews bid was $9,505. Howell had to come in with a bid of not less than $7,604 to be able to increase a bid. Howell’s initial bid was $8,500 and the Aiken Tennis Club took up the option to increase their bid to $11,406 making them the host club for the eliminator.
The dates of the eliminator matches:
Lumley v Virgona
1st 5 set match on Thursday 20th March at 17:00 CT Chicago
2nd 5 set match on Wednesday 26th March and if a decider is required Friday 28th March. The time of the matches in Philadelphia to be confirmed.
Howell v Taylor-Matthews
Best of 13 set match being played on 25th, 27th, 29th March at Aiken. Times to be confirmed.
The Final Eliminator had 2 provisional bids made. Philadelphia and Aiken made bids on the provision that their player, Lumley or Howell were in the Final Eliminator. Aiken outbid Philadelphia.
Scenarios for the Final Eliminator venue:
Lumley and Howell win their 1st round eliminator Aiken will be the venue.
Lumley and Taylor-Matthews win their 1st round eliminator Philadelphia will be the venue.
Taylor-Matthews and Virgona win their 1st round eliminator the Final Eliminator will be played on the default basis of home and away, the best of three 5 set matches. Taylor-Matthews as the higher ranked player will have the choice of choosing to play the first leg away as outlined above for the Lumley v Virgona match.
The window for the Final Eliminator to be played is 12th – 25th May 2025.
