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  Wednesday, 3 July, 2002, 17:00 GMT 18:00 UK
Ask John Lloyd
John Lloyd answer's your emails
Former Wimbledon mixed doubles champion and Davies Cup player John Lloyd joined Sport Online to answer your e-mails.

John has seen this year's Wimbledon unfold in his role as BBC summariser and joined us on Friday to look back on the tournament and ahead to this weekend's finals.

Read John's answers to your emails:


Julie: Should there be tickets available for the final matches on centre court for people who queue overnight? The atmosphere at last year's final was fantastic. What are your thoughts?

John Lloyd: Yes absolutely. If we could get more tickets available for the real fans, it makes the atmosphere and Wimbledon more special.

Samantha: Why aren't women included in Davis Cup games to accompany the men? Has anybody ever thought of including them?

John Lloyd: Women do have the Federation Cup but I don't think it would be a bad idea. It's really a form of team tennis but I think you'd make a lot of the women players very upset if they didn't have their own competition.

Rick Collins: Do you think there has been an increasing emphasis on stamina and athleticism in tennis over the past 25 years as opposed to technical skill and ability?

John Lloyd: It's a combination of both. In every era the athleticism and stamina increases but so does technique.

All aspects of the game are improving.

Karamjit Gill: Would you agree that Richard Krajiceck deserves the man of the tournament award in light of his super human effort this year? I bet no-one would have wanted to face him when he was fully fit.

John Lloyd: Kraijceck was definitely the story of the tournament. For him to get to the quarter-final's was unbelievable. If he'd had more tournaments under his belt and hadn't had this big lay-off he'd have definitely beaten Malisse.

Rachel: How are doubles partnerships decided? Is it by country, can you choose, or is it completely random?

John Lloyd: You choose it by friendship. Partnerships are made in the locker room. You try and pick a partner who will complement your skills.

Graeme: Why did Henman try and slug it out from the back of the court with one of the best baseliners in the game? Could it be because he was "dancing to his opponents tune", or do you think he believed that strategy was not working?

John Lloyd: I don't Tim Henman got his tactics wrong today, the problem is he couldn't beat Lleyton Hewitt today no matter what he did.

He tried every single shot in the game, he just came up against an inspired player.

Robert Myall: Why when the new Nos 1 court was built, did Wimbledon not include a retractable cover over the top of it, so they could play in all weathers.

John Lloyd: Wimbledon don't think it's practical, the stadiums where it's happened with grass courts don't seem to be as good. They think it's too expensive an experiment.

I personally wish they would do it.

Graham: Does John feel the LTA are doing enough to break the class prejudice that is rife within tennis?

John Lloyd: I've been told grass roots tennis in England is improving, I don't actually live in this country any more.

Wimbledon is the biggest tournament in the world and people do still regard it as an elitist sport.

Pauline: With all the weather problems in the 2nd week do you think that the Sunday at the end of first week should be left free?

John Lloyd: I would like to have the second Sunday open for fans who can come and pick up the tickets.

But local residents don't like it and apparently the organisation to do it is a real pain - I don't think it's practical.

Andrew Wiltshire: Do you think that Elena Baltacha has the qualities required to be the next big hope for British Tennis?

John Lloyd: I think there are aspects of her game that are pretty impressive. Her problem is that grass is a dying surface. That's why British players get results way above their standard. The English players have a knowledge of how to play on grass whereas most other players don't. I'd like to wait six to nine months when she goes out on the circuit and plays on surfaces that other girls are used to playing on.

Nas: This tournament as always there have been some very tense and nail-biting matches but these seem to have all been between the men. Do you agree therefore that this has not been a very good tournament as far as promoting women's tennis goes?

John Lloyd: I'm a big fan of women's tennis. Women should have equal prize money. The women's tournament has been fine here. We've got bigger stars in the women's game than the men now - the Williams sisters, Kournikova, Capriati, whereas in the men's game the only real star is Andre Agassi. The women's event hasn't been great here but then neither has the men's.

News, reports and features from our Wimbledon site

Men's singles

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