Week 20 - Futures F19 (10k) - Balaguer, Spain - unranked Alex Ward's wonder run!

Drew · May 16, 2008

RE: Week 20 - Futures F19 (10k) - Balaguer, Spain

steven · Tennis legend

I'm going to email BBC Radio Northants sbout it, since you'd think they'd like to know.

I'll link to the home page and Bethan has kindly agreed to put a story there for them to find if I provide the text, so here it is:

--------------

Alex Ward takes Spain by storm

Unranked Alex Ward, who had been catching the eye with some good results in Futures qualifying in Spain this year, celebrated turning 18 at the end of last month by reaching the main draw at the Balaguer Future and gaining his first-ever ranking point. But he didn't stop there! Instead he has gone on to put together probably the best tournament performance by an unranked British player since 16-year-old Andy Murray reached the QFs in the Manchester Challenger back in 2003.

Astonishingly, the Northamptonshire player who is based in Spain has now won three qualifying matches and three main draw matches against Spanish opposition without losing a set, beating five ranked players in the process. On Thursday he beat no. 3 seed Roberto Bautista, a top 500 player, and on Friday he thrashed no. 5 seed Carlos Rexach, who was in the top 400 as recently as last year, 6-2 6-1!

On Saturday, Alex plays no. 7 seed Jordi Marse in the semi-finals. If he wins, he will go from unranked into the top 1000 in one fell swoop. Even if he loses (and it will be very tough), he will enter the rankings in the top 1200. You can hear Alex talking about tennis last year on BBC Radio Northamptonshire. (hyperlinked)

-- Edited by steven at 20:37, 2008-05-16

Drew · May 16, 2008

Thats great Steven...maybe you should let the LTA know..they might not update until Monday

steven · Tennis legend

OK, email sent, let's hope our knack of getting stuff into the media extends to a good news story! (after Boggo's rackets and Dee, we need to do something more positive!)

steven · Tennis legend

Drew wrote:

Thats great Steven...maybe you should let the LTA know..they might not update until Monday

They've got him reaching the last 16 in their weekly Friday round-up, so they do know about him, at least.

XCW4EVA · County player

RE: Week 20 - Futures F19 (10k) - Balaguer, Spain - unranked Alex Ward's wonder run!

Happycynic · Pro player

Cool. Must have suddenly hit confidence-been playing futures qualies in Spain all this year with some success, but only one where he went all the way and qualified.

This time, he just hasn't stopped, and has steamed over a pair of opponents of a rank he has actually never faced before.

Perhaps our women players have sent them a bottle of their magic water?

Couldn't find him on the entry list for Spain F20, which is a shame as he might have got a SE from this?

Silver · County player

Wow! Six straight wins over Spaniards? Cracking stuff Alex! :D Good on ya lad! Make it a lucky seven boyo! :D

DJ · County player

Can't be true ! Must be a ringer - how far off is Hamburg?

john · Top national player

Woohoo, a Northamptonshire lad kicking ass!

steven · Tennis legend

Happycynic wrote:

Cool. Must have suddenly hit confidence-been playing futures qualies in Spain all this year with some success, but only one where he went all the way and qualified.

This time, he just hasn't stopped, and has steamed over a pair of opponents of a rank he has actually never faced before.

Perhaps our women players have sent them a bottle of their magic water?

Couldn't find him on the entry list for Spain F20, which is a shame as he might have got a SE from this?

You can't appear on an entry list if you are unranked, but I don't know whether that affects whether you can get an SE or not - it would seem pretty unfair if being unranked disqualified you!

Drew · May 17, 2008

I would hope after this run he take a week off to rest, train & plan his next assault....!

for a win today !

steven · Tennis legend

Yes, maybe he will need a rest - then again, the scores suggest he hasn't been unduly taxed in his matches.

Another interesting stat - Alex has reached his first ITF semi aged less than 18 y 1 m after just over a year spent trying. Tim Henman reached his first ITF semi aged 18 y 7 m after just over a year spent trying (though unlike Alex, he had been winning the odd main draw round before that) - he got WCs into Wimby qualifying and the Manchester Challenger on the back of that too.

Tigger didn't reach his first ITF Final (a GB Sat) until he had just turned 19 and won his first senior ITF event (a Sat in India) aged 19 y 3 m.

Of course, this doesn't mean that Alex Ward is going to turn into the next Tim Henman (he seems to be way too good on clay for that wink

) but it does give a measure of his achievement this week.

-- Edited by steven at 07:53, 2008-05-17

Drew · May 17, 2008

Did Tim ever play in spanish futures on clay like ward seems to love ?

steven · Tennis legend

He played one Satellite series on clay in Spain in 1993, losing in R1 of the main draw all four weeks, though he managed 7 straight sets wins in qualifying for those weeks.