Week 25 - Challenger (€127,000) - Aegon Trophy, Ilkley, Great Britain (grass)

Miriambee · Futures level

RE: Week 25 - Challenger (€127,000) - Aegon Trophy, Ilkley, Great Britain (grass)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
videostream.dn.ua/videopage/videoPage.php

But I think someone pulled the plug out, as the feed is dead. (other matches are OK)

Good thinking. Perhaps that is the problem. I have just gone to the Donskoy v Fritz match and that is working fine.

the addict · Tennis legend

Must be the camera, still getting blank screen

the addict · Tennis legend

Bit too late now, Jay serving to stay in the match.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Not to be, sadly:

QF: Marton Fucsovics (HUN) WR 136 defeated (WC) Jay Clarke WR 396 by 3 & 4 cry

Still a great week for the lad.

the addict · Tennis legend

Only 2 points on return in the second set. Jay did well to hang in there. Great week though and good experience.

Prometheus · Social player

Very respectable scoreline against an experienced Challenger pro. Head up young man, you had a great week. Here's hoping some of he the Wimbledon lot were watching that and upgrade his wildcard.

the addict · Tennis legend

It's too late now, but I tweeted Ilkley and the stream is fixed

JonH · All-time great

Decided to post this here to be more specific! Also in general thread. If it causes confusion here, i will be happy for mods to sort out my mess!!

I had a coffee with someone who is heavily involved in Ilkley tournament today. He was telling me that the aspiration for Ilkley is to aim to get to a full ATP Tour 250 level event. They have had discussions with the ATP and apparently there is some appetite for a post Wimbledon ATP 250 event on grass and the discussion is around a slot opposite Newport.

The issue is not so much financing, which is apparently there, and not facilities (apparently in various surveys that have been taken, Ilkley gets rated top by players and officials against the other GB challengers and possible venues such as Manchester or Surbiton), which they will upgrade, but the concern is over the courts. The Northern weather is unpredictable as we all know and the quality of the grass preparation has to be spot on to get a main tour event, so they are looking at various ways to use technology and maintenance to ensure they get a top level surface. In addition, it would give the North a top level event which hasnt been the case since the manchester event had ATP status back in the 1990's.

It sounds like it is aspiration with lots of talking to do still, but shows that a lot of ambition exists.

-- Edited by JonH on Wednesday 2nd of May 2018 02:48:42 PM

Shhh · Challenger level

I visited very briefly a couple of years back. I love grass court tennis events at challenger level and below, great way to spend a few hours, Ilkley was special though. I think everyone should visit once in their lifetime, I accept that may be a bit taking things a little far but you get the gist that I liked it there biggrin

JonH · All-time great

Shhh wrote:
I visited very briefly a couple of years back. I love grass court tennis events at challenger level and below, great way to spend a few hours, Ilkley was special though. I think everyone should visit once in their lifetime, I accept that may be a bit taking things a little far but you get the gist that I liked it there

Indeed - I actually live in Harrogate, close to Ilkley. The area has become quite a centre for tourism over the past decade or more and cycling as a sport seems to have found a home around here with the Tour de France a few years ago finishing in Harrogate, Tour de Yorkshire goes to Ilkley this weekend and in Sept 2019 the World Road Race Championships have a 10 day mega event with Harrogate acting as the hub.

But an ATP 250 event would cap it all for me! I somehow think it is pipe dreams but would be a great dream !