Right before the tourney starts I'll try and give Jamie a call and see if I can get an update on his game. It's been a month or so since I've talked to him. I'll report any info I get.
p.s. Our 2008 Dallas Challenger will be Jan 26-Feb 2. Moved up an earlier week from last year. I've talked to Goodall and Hutchins and there's a good chance we'll get both of those guys. I'm almost positive Baker will come unless theres an injury..knock on wood. Unfortunately we wont have live streaming video like I had talked about earlier. Our connection backed out on us, but we will have live scoring again....but better. We have contacted the people that the ATP uses and we will have a similar scoreboard on our website. More details as the tourney gets closer.
Sounds great Craig. Looking forward to your challenger already. I really hope Jamie goes to play there again, and hopefully gets a bit further this time.
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Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive.... those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience
Definitely will have videos this year. We actually went out and bought a better handheld camera, so now we have 2. We'll have player pre/post match interviews, filming of players training/practicing and of course match videos. Talking to the players during and after our tourney, the coverage Craig and I do is a little different for these players and they seem to enjoy it....and hopefully you guys/girls do as well.
Craig - ask Jamie why he didn't make Rimouski this week - loads of free points on offer there!
- will you swing a WC for Josh if he comes over?
Rob, as much as I like Josh, and think he has potential, I can probably say he won't get a WC. The USTA frowns on tournies giving WC's to players that aren't from the States. A lot will depend on what weekend DC falls on and what our entry list looks like. Two years ago we gave one to Robert Kendrick since he came in a day before the draw was done due to other conflicts. Last year "our" WC was given to Scoville Jenkins. I could see it given to an Isner or Querrey if they decide to try and get in late. Querrey is very good friends with one of our top juniors here at the club so we are crossing our fingers on him. Robbie Ginepri just did an exhibition up at our club with Pete Sampras and the way Ginepri's ranking has dropped he could be another option. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Craig - Great to hear that you will be continuing with the video highlights/interviews etc.. they were extremely watch-able last year and of an excellent quality! Im looking forward to your challenger already..! Ha.
Trivial-Thanks for the kind words. Craig and I actually enjoy the work. Each year we try and step it up a bit. A lot comes from the players. Now they know what we are trying to accomplish, they are a little more eager to help. Sam Warburg.....don't get me started on him. Very very rude. Only player I wanted to smack in the nads.
which means i find ity unlikey any brits in the squad will be able to play as i expect the lta would want them out and aclimaitizng + training on clay, however the futile the effort may be.
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Count Zero - Creator of the Statistical Tennis Extrapolation & Verification ENtity or, as we like to call him, that steven.
I just saw that Count Zero. Could take Baker out of the equation. We got very lucky last year as being we were the only tournament in the States and it was DC weekend. I believe we had 5 guys in the top 100 and would have had 6 if Michael Russell wouldn't have got picked to be a practice partner for DC.