FI: (1) Alex Slabinsky WR 293 v Michael Ryderstedt (SWE) WR 335 (CH = 130 in 2005)
Ryderstedt, best known as the only player ever to lose to Adam Lownsborough in Futures qualifying (by the sneaky tricking of getting moved up into the main draw - well, Adam will take any breaks he can get ) won a Future as recently as last month, thrashing Stephane Robert 2 & 0 in the Final (on clay) - that's Robert the Brit-basher who thrashed Josh 4 & 0 in the Nottingham Final last week.
Ryderstedt's record against Brits is 20-10.
Hoping against hope to be proved wrong, I'd say Slabba hasn't got a cat's chance in hell of winning this one.
-- Edited by steven at 18:09, 2008-09-26
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
If MR is on the way up again then it could be a 2&1 defeat for Slabba...if its the inconsistent MR and Slabs plays to his best then he will lose in 3 sets !
Well done to Slabba on reaching the final, and hopefully he can go and take the title, but Ryderstadt will be a tough opponent and there's no guarentee he'll beat him.
At least he's got some wins together again and started to defend the points he has for the rest of the season, and if he plays to his best, I think he can win the title here, which would be a great result for him.