Week 9 - Futures F5 (15k) - Harlingen TX, USA

TBarM7 · Intermediate Club Player

RE: Week 9 - Futures F5 (15k) - Harlingen TX, USA

steven · Tennis legend

Yes for sure. You can always trust the Baker boy to give absoloutely everything, and it's impressive that after the 'glamour' of the DC match, he can still get up enough enthusiasm to give it everything even in a Future.

I hope he realises how much we're all rooting for him.

john · Top national player

At least his opponent went 3 sets too.

wolf · Tennis legend

Well done Jamie! Hope he's ok for tommorow.

TBarM7 · Intermediate Club Player

i told jamie and all the guys a year ago how much you pull for them and tell them even to this day. you guys and girls are very much appreciated by them. do you guys remember jamie murray giving the board "hi's and thank you's" at our challenger last year? good stuff. hopefully we'll be running live streaming video again next year and we'll have a few brits enter. this was my text to jamie earlier:

"congrats buddy. job well done. heard how the match went, get hydrated and call me if you feel up to it. everyone at britishtennis.net was pulling for you hard".

steven · Tennis legend

L16: (1) Jamie Baker WR 269 beat (LL) Hyung-Kwon Kim (KOR) WR 1246 by TBC smile

(I wonder how Kim managed to play well enough to take a set and have 6 MPs - even if he was once in the top 500)

Anyway, if it is Todero next:

QF: (1) Jamie Baker WR 269 v Nicolas Todero (ARG) WR 325

Todero, the Argentine no. 27, had a career high of 219 (8 place below Jamie's own career high) in 2004. Last week he was edged out 7-6(8) 6-7(6) 5-7 by no. 1 seed Anderson in the semis before Jamie beat Anderson in the Final, but I hope Jamie doesn't show too much gratitude to the Argentinian for tiring out his opponent last week!

Todero plays more on hard courts than on clay but even so, he hasn't faced another Brit for over three years. He beat Jonny Marray 5 & 3 in Aus Open qualifying in 2005 and Boggo 2 & 4 in 2004, when he (Todero) was close to his career high. However, the last time he played a Brit in a US Future was when he faced Andy's coach Miles Maclagan more than 7 years ago - Miles won 4 & 6.

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

Quite a lot of confusion over yesterday's results.

BUT Jamie definitely did win in the end, beating Kim 3-6 7-5 7-5.

According to the ATP drawsheet, his oponent will NOT be Todero. Instead it will be American eight seed Francis Alberto who won 6-7(5) 6-4 6-3

Alberto is a big guy, standing tall at 6'5. He has been ranked as high as 275. His highlights this year have been 2 semi's and 2 quarter's at challenger level and a final at U.S.A. F3.

He has a 2-1 record against Brits, having beaten Josh Goodall last year, Max Jones the year before and losing to Lee Childs before that.

Baker should come through this match.

-- Edited by mkkreuk at 08:03, 2008-02-29

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i dunno mk, i think it is gonna be tough for jb, his opponent will know that he is running low on energy and porbably play a very defensive game to drag it out.

steven · Tennis legend

QF: (1) Jamie Baker WR 269 v (6) Alberto Francis (USA) WR 316

Thanks for picking that up, mk ... I knew it was a bit of a risk assuming it was Todero without complete confirmation, hence the 'if it is Todero next' before my preview, but they seemed determined not to publish the final results last night!

I'm releived to see that the two Challenger semis weren't this year as in 2008 but this year as in the last 12 months, but it still suggests that Francis will be a tough opponent.

By the way, I make it that he has an 8-1 record v Brits in Futures and Challengers, including qualifying and has won his last 5 matches against GB players (Josh, Jones, Fleming, J Murray & Del) since a defeat by Lee Childs in November 2005.

-- Edited by steven at 10:02, 2008-02-29

steven · Tennis legend

I see Berankis beat Verkerk btw.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Looks like a great win for Jamie there yesterday - having to play in the heat and saving 6 match points to get the job done.

Hopefully it won't have tired him out too much and he'll still have enough left in the tank to get the job done against Francis today, but we'll have to see on that one. If it wasn't for his long match today he would be a huge favourite, but Francis may be able to capatalise and get through

Good luck to Jamie anyway

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Wonderful!

Just keeps grinding it out!

Francis had a tough three setter too! I'd prefer Francis to Todero just coz of the heat!

wolf · Tennis legend

If Baker wins tonight (his match should have started I think), he will play Ignatik who has knocked out the 4th seed Chekhov. The other semi is between Stasiak, who has knocked out Berankis and Capkovic, who has disposed of Smyczek.

steven · Tennis legend

Hmm let's hope it the lucky week for players with an A and a K in their names then!

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Only if it is extra lucky for those with a J and a B as well.