Week 25 - Spain F18 ($25,000) - Palma del Rio (hard)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Week 25 - Spain F18 ($25,000) - Palma del Rio (hard)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Need to add at this point that when we arrived in Palma del Rio today, it was 42º centigrade. Tomorrow is forecast to go even higher reaching 45º centigrade. For those who think in Fahrenheit, that's 113ºF-

For this reason the OoP is a bit lop sided. Play will start at 08.00 hours with three matches. Josh is 2nd match up and Alistair 3 match. Once those matches are finished play will stop until the evening session which begins at 20.30 hours with two matches. Ewan is last match on and so may not start until well after 10 pm.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

With the third morning match due to start (according to normal tournament scheduling) at around 11, and not finish till 12.30, that's going to be pretty stonking hot by then. Especially if the court is in full sun. As most courts are.

I wish Ali G all the best of luck - and take care of yourself, son. (Same goes to the others too, of course, but their OoP is a little more kindly).

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
With the third morning match due to start (according to normal tournament scheduling) at around 11, and not finish till 12.30, that's going to be pretty stonking hot by then. Especially if the court is in full sun. As most courts are.

I wish Ali G all the best of luck - and take care of yourself, son. (Same goes to the others too, of course, but their OoP is a little more kindly).

Another problem is that ALL the courts are being used for matches and Ali wants a hit in the morning. So we are going down at 7.30am so the guys can hit for 30 mins and then back to the hotel for breakfast. So with Ewan not on until maybe 10.00 pm, it's going to be a long day.

Had the pleasure of meeting Joshua Rose as well today who is here with his father. He was gutted to miss out in a 3rd set breaker last week in FQR having been a set and a break up. I will be down giving Josh some support tomorrow as well.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Josh has lost the 1st set 6-4. Playing some decent stuff though.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Ali Gray warming up.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Josh lost in straight sets but put up a good fight. Just couldn't convert any of the many BPs he created.

Ali has just won his opening set 6-1

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Ali wins 1&2

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

How's Alistair playing? He's a bit of a favourite of mine as I just love his single-handed backhand.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

The Optimist wrote:
How's Alistair playing? He's a bit of a favourite of mine as I just love his single-handed backhand.

Brief match reports will go up in about 30 mins. Just trying to cool off. Overall though he played pretty well.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Fairly brief match reports today as I was moving around between matches

Josh Rose

I liked what I saw with Josh today. Plenty of raw talent there and he loves to hit the ball hard. Josh served very well today from the parts I saw and stood toe-to-toe with an experience campaigner. Josh simply couldn't convert his BP chances, and there were several of them. Otherwise we may have seen a different result. What I also like was that Josh was prepared to stand up for himself. There were several occasions, when his opponent would make subtle attempts to undermine Josh's inexperience. Whenever Josh called the ball out, there were little comments like "were you sure" or "let the ball bounce before you call it" etc. But Josh stood his ground mentally as well as with his tennis which I think is a good sign for the future.

I spoke at length with his father Kevin, who I think has the right approach. As he said right now, for Josh, it's not all about winning matches and gaining ranking points, it's about Josh finding his feet at this level and feeling like he belongs. From what I saw today, Josh definitely does belong at this level and he will soon be winning matches as well.

Alistair Gray

Today's match was not too taxing for Ali against his Spanish opponent. There was a stark contrast in styles. Ali clearly enjoys the all court game and likes to mix things up, throwing in the drop shot, coming to the net and even using the serve/volley tactic on 2nd serve on various occasions. His opponent was a solid player but typical of one brought up on clay, rallying from the back of the court. He was too one-dimensional to really give Ali any problems. Ali must have come to the net on at least 25 occasions in the match and I think he only lost one of those points.

I certainly think there is plenty more to come from Ali, particularly in his ground strokes. As he matures physically, he will add weight to his shots and he was guilty occasionally today of missing when trying to force the forehand and hitting flat. "Coach Ewan" told me that is quite common for Ali. He did hit some exquisite backhand winners though. Where he excelled for me more than anything was his touch around the net. He had the sort of control and placement on his volleys that even Mark Hilton would have been purring about.

Tougher tests will lie ahead, but today was a job well done.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Just as a footnote, I looks like Ewan & Ali won't be teaming up for doubles this week as Ali wants to get back for Wimbledon WC play-offs, unless of course he goes deep in the singles here.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Crazy scheduling here. Tomorrow's OoP won't be published until matches have finished today. So with 2
matches after 8.30pm, that could easily be after 11pm. Yet some people may have to play at 9am to
tomorrow morning. How do you organize your sleep and eating patterns under those circumstances ?

Why can't they publish it now with X v winner of ..... on the OoP

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Common sense has prevailed and the players have convinced the officials to release the schedule for tomorrow. Ali first up at 10am

indiana · Tennis legend

Good for the players. Did seem absolutely crazy and lacking thought or empathy.