Robert Dee - British Tennis Professional - Beltranena comes back to regain the record

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

RE: Robert Dee equals the record - do you want your name on the card?

steven · Tennis legend

Since it's flipped over a page, here's a list of those whose names I'm going to put on the card so far:

RobC
James
Josh
Madeline
Bethan
John
Jac
Drew

and ... er ... me

Edit: I've also added a handful of others who have posted more than once on this thread and made it obvious they are 'fans', e.g. DJ, and also the invisible shedster, so he doesn't feel left out. wink

-- Edited by steven at 15:03, 2008-03-09

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

are you not going to put yourself on the list?

James · Satellite level

Here's my stab at a letter... De-construct as you will!

Dear Robert,

As a representative of www.britishtennis.net I would like to wish you a hearty congratulations on equalling Diego Beltranena's 54-match record; we hope that you appreciate that this is said without irony as following your journeys to every corner of the Earth in an attempt to carve a career out of tennis has been highly absorbing and your unfaltering perseverance is a notable achievement.

We wish you luck in breaking the record and whether or not it is of any importance to you we will, and will continue to, follow your progress with much interest and support.

From ........... & britishtennis.net we wish you every future success whether that be in or out of the tennis court.

Regards, BritishTennis.net

-- Edited by James at 23:57, 2008-03-08

steven · Tennis legend

Nathii moved my comment on the MTF Badalona thread up to general messages there and would you believe, it's unearthed someone who once knew him. Quoting:

"I know rob, used to play at my club"

"Care to elaborate? Is he your run of the mill club player, or is he actually quite good (but out of his depth at professional level)?"

"he's been at bolletieri's for the past few years. i havent seen him since he went, but he undoubtedly be a much better player now. its not like he was one of the top juniors in the country, but he's a lot better than a regular club player. unfortunately though, he is some way out of his depth at pro level."

... and after someone doubted that Bolletierii's would take on someone that bad:

"admitedly he's not there based purely on talent, but when he went he was better than a average club player and given that he's been there for like 2/3 years he should certainly have improved somewhat in that time"

James · Satellite level

Yes, that's Jamie.. I was surprised that he didn't rip Dee to shreds as he's normally pretty harsh on the lower ranked British players.

john · Top national player

Ooh, add me to the list. And inform him of his Facebook group!

steven · Tennis legend

A little pic of the card I'm intending to use, intended to match the 'in the face of overwhelming odds' bit. The penguin represents our hero, obviously, the seal Diaz Ventura or just about any other player he faces ...

Ooer

-- Edited by steven at 12:10, 2008-03-09

Count Zero · Tennis legend

me too,

steven · Tennis legend

I'm sending it a/c (= c/o) the tournament director at Casteldefells, with the following note (since Robert is not on his main draw entry list and I don't want the TD to throw it out before he gets there!) - my Spanish was once pretty good, but if anyone here is more fluent and can point out any howlers, please do!

"Creo que el tenista inglés Robert Dee va participar en cuadro previa del torneo ITF F11 y estaría muy agradecido si usted pudiera darle esta carta cuando llega Sr Dee al club."

-- Edited by steven at 14:18, 2008-03-09

Drew · Mar 9, 2008

Add me also !

goldfish · Futures qualifying

Add me too please. I know I've not posted on this thread but I've been following it with great interest. I wonder if the record means anything to him at all. I shall be interested to see if SteveG picks it up before the end of year stats come out.

steven · Tennis legend

goldfish wrote:

Add me too please. I know I've not posted on this thread but I've been following it with great interest. I wonder if the record means anything to him at all. I shall be interested to see if SteveG picks it up before the end of year stats come out.

Phew, you just made it before I closed the envelope! smile

Anyone else who has missed out is covered in the "and many others a britishtennis.net" of course.

Who knows what it means to him, if anything. I can't believe he's not aware (since some of the other players must be) - for all we know, he looks on sites like this regularly, in which case this card won't be much of a surprise! We'll just have to see if we get a response.

He must have a fair few stories to tell and his experience (i.e. playing again and again but never winning a ranking point), even if it is more extreme and prolonged than most, must apply to hundreds if not thousands of players in Futures qualifying around the world.

goldfish · Futures qualifying

Thanks Steven. Didn't get online this morning or last night either so missed this for a few hours. Hope the card reaches him after all your efforts.

steven · Tennis legend

Yes, he'd better not decide to miss a week again and not turn up next week! LOL

I've made sure steveg is aware btw, I doubt he'd like to miss out on this one!