Week 30 - Penza Challenger [50K] - 2008.

Vandenburg · Futures level

RE: Week 30 - Penza Challenger [50K] - 2008.

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Well done to him. Beginning to really establish himself at this level now! Go Slabba!

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Well done to Slabba for yet another first round win, and this puts him into the top 300 for the first time (for the moment), and keeps the US Open dream alive.

Did well to recover from dropping the second set, and even though he should be winning this kind of match in straights, it's not too bad to come through a tester to start with.

Bladetiger · Pro player

Pleased for him, he's really grinding out these wins. I haven't seen him play for too long to have an accurate opinion, I am very pleasantly suprised by him, particularly the fact that he plays virtually every week and doesnt seem to get injured which is a great attribute for a tennis player.

Is starting to string 5 point weeks together fairly regularly so top 200 could be within his sights, Dont think he's got the game to go beyond that personally but hope I'm wrong, I would never have guessed he'd make 300 to be honest so he's obviously improved a hell of a lot and does seem to have a lot of drive which is key.

Would be interested in Sheddie's view on this, does he think he might be a top 100 player?

-- Edited by Bladetiger at 23:43, 2008-07-21

Vandenburg · Futures level

like i say ive not seen him once, but hes graduuly starting to compete at challanger and thats one of the hardest step ups future to challanger.

steven · Tennis legend

He doesn't look that good to me (even over-hyped Eaton looked a lot better when they were playing doubles at Wimby), but he keeps proving those of us who doubt him wrong, which is always much better than the other way round, so I'm gradually becoming a bit of a fan!

He became a bit of a figure of fun on here when Sheddie used to hype him up to the skies - it was only when the shedmeister gave up on hyping him that he started to make his breakthrough.

Like you say, the step up from Futures to Challengers is probably the hardest one of all, so it's impressive who regularly he's managing to get past the first round in Challengers already.

He's also the first Brit I can remember who has carried on playing right to the end of a year (he was ITF Futures player of the month in December) and then hasn't bombed the following year, so that shows a fair bit of resilience too.

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

I saw him playing a little in a futures match last summer (I was watching about three matches at the same time and I left no more than halfway through so this is a very loosely based opinion). He didn't seem to have any stand out weapons, and whilst he's a player I've always liked I resigned myself that he probably wasn't going to break the top 500. That he has done so has been a throughly pleasant surprise and I'm now loath to put a limit on his potential. I think he's a player very much in the vein of Jamie Baker, ie winning and improving through simple hard work and determination. I don't think we can say he hasn't made the most of his potential and I'm getting excited again about seeing how far he can rise.

Vandenburg · Futures level

ive heard good things about his serve, are we talking one as good as goodall bloomers or what? i missed him at nottingham this year so have no idea on what his game style is?

Josh · Challenger level

I saw him a couple of times at Queens this year, and he was hitting his serve huge, I would say bigger than Goodall and Bloomers. He hit quite a few forehand winners from the back as well. I think he could peak at around 150, but a couple of good runs in some strong Challengers one year could allow him to break the top 100.

Shhh · Challenger level

imoen wrote:

I think he's a player very much in the vein of Jamie Baker, ie winning and improving through simple hard work and determination. I don't think we can say he hasn't made the most of his potential and I'm getting excited again about seeing how far he can rise.

I think you are spot on there imeon. I also think there has been a significant change since the grass court season. Whether mental of technical in his game, and okay he's had fairly favourable draws, but he's really come on since then. For those that read it, the article in BT some months back suggested he had a Jamie Baker style work ethic. If his serve is as good as stated above, maybe we're all gulity of still underestimating him and he will end up making the holy grail of the top 100....but for now lets just enjoy these wins, its certainly come as a nice surprise smile

gazzpash · Club Coach

From what I saw of Slabba at Manchester I was remarkably surprised by his game, he hits the ball a lot harder than I thought. He reminds me a lot of the Spanish players. He's not that tall, if just in 6 foot but he hits a huge serve.

I think if he wants to move higher he has to cut out the unforced errors. He can be his own worst enemy. But he has a game definately for top 200 and then its how he is coached to take it on

Salmon · Tennis legend

They won their doubles match by 62 76 (6). Third seeded pairing of Istomin and Kirillov up next.

Slabba plays Ebden in singles.

Salmon · Tennis legend

I did a count and this is Slabba's 40th tournament in the last year.

Some fitness levels he must be having! But I must say that you shouldn't push your body too much - he needs to take a few weeks off after USO.

-- Edited by Kung Fu Panda at 18:18, 2008-07-22

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Slabba should beat Ebden, as judging by his recent record he doesn't appear to have beaten a lot of decent players, despite being at a career high at the moment.

He lost 2 and 2 to Bamford a few weeks back, so Slabba should beat him easily (and seeing him get thrashed at Surbiton qualies, he doesn't appear to have a particularly great game, so I'm wondering how Gazzpash throught he would reach the Manchester final smile

)

Nice win in doubles as well, giving him another $300 and 13 points, which is always handy.

Vandenburg · Futures level

so quater finals would give him 13 points-hows that looking for US qualifying panda? still very hit and miss?