Jamie Baker

TBarM7 · Intermediate Club Player

Jamie Baker

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

Playing Futures in England seems slightly curious, after such success at Challenger level. Perhaps he just fancies being in Blighty for a bit, and getting into the rhythm of playing five matches a week.

johnnylad · Tennis legend

"hitting with James Blake"

Can't be bad! I bet Rochelle is really jealous!

andyjmr · Intermediate Club Player

I wonder what Judy Murray's thoughts would be on Jamie's decision... whether she thinks he's stepping back into a comfort zone.. then again she probably doesn't advise him much these days now that he's reached a certain level, I think she's more focussed on Graeme Dyce.

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

stevemcqueen wrote:

Perhaps he just fancies being in Blighty for a bit, and getting into the rhythm of playing five matches a week.

He been playing five matches a week at challenger level

Although, I suppose he entered for these tournaments 6 weeks ago (is that right - definitely a few weeks anyway) so didn't know he'd do soo well in the challengers. Maybe its a decision made too long ago, he can't pull out and move to challengers this late in the day, just not possible.

Oh well, hopefully these are the last futures he plays ever!

Thanks for the info Craig.

seagull · Hall of fame

The entry list for Jersey closed yesterday so he had plenty of time to change his mind.

Seems a curious move to me but he was coming back to Europe anyway (he is alt for Cherbourg and Wolfsburg next week)

steven · Tennis legend

Challenger entry deadlines are only 3 weeks in advance and Futures deadlines a week and a bit in advance, so it's unlikely that he's been 'forced' into this by having entered tournaments long in advance and was unable to get Challenger entries in on time, certainly not for the whole of the next 3 or 4 weeks.

Btw I noticed that he entered for Exmouth this week, but then withdrew on 30 Jan.

Maybe he's on the Alt lists for Challengers in Europe and is only going to play Futures to keep his hand in if he doesn't get DAs into those events. Or maybe the LTA has begged him to come home and give us someone in these 15K Futures with a chance of doing well.

RobC · All-time great

therory # 4: He's been away 4 weeks, and needs to visit him mum, as he's run out of clean undies

theory #5: He's got 12 points to defend from the Aussie F2 for next week, and he's got three 1- pointers in his top 18 (4 after the Aus F2 points drop of), and has decided it's best to do a Josh and pull in some 18s/12s/6s in the GB futures to replace them.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i think atp is 6 weeks b4 hand for entry and chalenegr 4 weeks b4 hand to entry.

GC77 · County player

Jamie has now withdrawn from both challenger entry lists for next week (Cherbourg, Wolfsburg).

john · Top national player

Gutted, does that mean Jamie's having 2 weeks off? Long time to go without a bit of Baker in your life lol.

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

Thanks for clearing up the entry deadlines for each tournament. I knew I'd heard 6weeks somewhere!

Hope Jamie can 'do a Josh' and go deep in each of these futures, preferably winning them and then go for the challengers and win a couple of them - perhaps avoid the ones with Russell in!

aria81 · Club Coach

It's a shame he's going back to futures after doing so well at Challenger level but I'm sure he has a good reason for it. He probably fancies a few days at home as well I would guess. Hopefully he can do quite well and get a decent points haul so we don't see him at the future level for a while though.

Hitting with James Blake can't be bad though. I remember Andy playing Blake and coming off saying he'd never had anyone treat his second serve like that before so hopefully Jamie has had an easier time of it and picked up some pointers. :)

TBarM7 · Intermediate Club Player

I emailed Jamie and asked him why he is hitting the futures circuit when he has had so much success on the challenger path. I'll post his reply when he gets back to me.

CK

TBarM7 · Intermediate Club Player

Jamie's reply to me asking about his schedule:

"I am plying the futures because there is just not much on in the way of challengers during the next month or so. I wanted to get 10 days training in which I am doing so that took priority over rushing away somewhere for a challenger."

anyway, i gotta get back to the gym, talk soon,

Jamie