Week 42 - Futures F1 (10k) - Islamabad, Pakistan

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Week 42 - Futures F1 (10k) - Islamabad, Pakistan

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

3 things from the LTA,

1)backing finacially for my training and some of my tournaments, so i get the oppertunities.

2)A welcoming base centre that i could go to, if there was no one to train with at bisham abbey(WIN Tennis). I.e - roehampton, which in my eyes isnt very welcoming.

3)To take me as an individual and not part of the 'english tennis group'. So they understand my background and what im trying to achieve, and set my goals that way and rewards that way.
Rather than set in stone, matrix funding goals, where im trying to compete with the likes of cox, rice, smethurst, evans who get everything funded.

In regards to speaking to your friend about the book, thanks, imagine if i came out with a book! haha, people would think i was some sort of cramer number 2. but i actually think it would be a good read, if i had a ghost writer!lol.

Yes that is true i think one of the guys tried to see me at wrexham, but left before my match and he missed out on me playing one of the best matches i have played lol. biggrin

Potential wise its eirly days ive always wanted to get top 100, and all i think is stopping me is self belief, and having the match confidence and week in week out knowhow.

-- Edited by Fitzy at 07:43, 2008-10-16

Shhh · Challenger level

You'll be pulled there (top 100) if its your dream. Depending what that dream means to you will determine how much it pulls you! Depending how you plan for it will determine if you make it.

What would you need to be the year before the top 100? The year before that, before that etc.

What do you ned to achieve by next summer, what about the first couple of the months of next year. Bring it right back to what you need to achieve from this trip. You picked up a point here last year, to leave with a total of 3 may be your target? If so go all out to ahieve it as if your life depends on it. If you suceed then look ahead for the next chunk, if you fail, adjust and reset your goals. You cant get to the top 100 by next week or next month....its to big a goal, but when broken down to step by step levels its achievable. ie Whats the first step....get to there, look around, plan your next step and move on. When you get blown of course, just readjust and start of again.

Everyone in tennis has the dream of top 100 but I suspect very few have broken it down step by step how to get there and walk around living and breething it. Those that are that focused will have the best chance.

The answer to whether you get there or not lies within yourself Mr Fitz, not to how much funding you have. Of course outside things can help, but you have to start any journey from where you are, not where you want to be. I can guarantee that some who appear to have a lot more, will come to depend on it and will be the first to quit when the obsticles appear.....which they will.

Actually, delete all the above. I think what I am trying to say is that its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog!

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

haha, good quote, all true enough.
I know inside me that all i have wanted from the age i could walk was success in sport.
I think that is a very good way of looking at is aswell, if you break anything down into small steps it makes it seem less tedious.
Yes i would say 3 points would be the minimum return, given my financial situation and money spent to get out here etc....

Money helps i know but if you want it enough either you will find a way or a way will find you.
jesus starting to sound like cramer,' the energy is with you, you can feel it, become one with it and you will succeed'

Count Zero · Tennis legend

Well I have no experience with publishing or writing books but luckily tinternet means I am allowed to inflict my opinions on people regardless.

I get the impression that it may be a little early to write a book (even given the whole Hannah Montana thing Ive never heard of her but i saw it on the bbc news, honest), but maybe if thats something you are serious about in the future, then keeping some kind of diary could be a great help for the future.

The other thought was maybe contacting on the papers (probably broadsheet) and seeing if they would be willing to publish your diary/blog online. I know the Times did it in the past with a player and the fact that your are outside the lta family might hold an extra attraction (cant beat a bit of LTA bashing). I think it could be a good way to get your name out there, which in turn may well help with finding sponsors. Also do you have a website?

gazzpash · Club Coach

Sorry to hear the result Fitzy mate. Fingers crossed for you for the next tournaments

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

i have wrote to papers as my good pal gaz suggested but i got nothing back,...
lol LTA bashing.. intresting.
Well bains won 6-3 6-1, i think.
Feaver lost an epic match 6-3 in the 3rd set.
didnt see either of them so i cant comment on how the guy played that i lost to.

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

I was joking about the book, but i wouldnt say no to it if someone said there is the oppertunity.

steven · Tennis legend

Good win for Bains, that might well get him back in the top 1000.

Akhenaten · Pro player

Quarterfinals

(3)Mikhail Vassiliev (RUS) d. (6)Jamie Feaver (GBR) 6-4 3-6 6-3 cry

Maniel Bains (GBR) d. (7)Alexei Filenkov (RUS) 6-3 6-2 biggrin

Semifinals

Maniel Bains (GBR) vs Adrian Sikora (SVK) WR:1019

Well done Maniel who reaches his first semifinal & plays Sikora who's also reached his first semi.

(funny name Maniel - sounds Spanish doesn't it? Has he Spanish connections, Fitzy? Is his name ever shortened to Mani like the Stones Roses/Primal Scream bassist?)

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Great wins for Bains, and he seems to have finally found some form after a pretty disappointing year for him so far, and that's a nice draw really to get in a semi final, so we could be looking at a maiden final for him.

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

His whole family has original names apart from one i think, just the way they wanted it.
its not spanish at all, given he is a seek.
good win for him indeed, doesnt matter who you are playing if u make a semis it boads well for coming tournaments, the ways its looking at the moment i will scrape into main draw both of the next weeks , the last one for sure at the moment and next week i think so aswell.

Though i didnt mind qualifying.

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

http://www.itftennis.com/mens/tournaments/mediazoom.asp?tournament=1100018365&media=37379

just for your intrest someone found a picture of me and the PAK tennis president, on the itf website if u wanted to check it out.

Fitzy · Intermediate Club Player

before u say anything.... no i didnt google myself and that is what came up!
im talking to myself here, i mean this is how bored i am at 11.15pm...... life of a tennis player

steven · Tennis legend

That pic is quite a find I see they also show the laying of the plastic lines you were talking about:

http://www.itftennis.com/mens/tournaments/mediazoom.asp?tournament=1100018365&media=37380

... and a few other pictures of the infamous courts:

http://www.itftennis.com/mens/tournaments/media.asp?tournament=1100018365&media=37380

-- Edited by steven at 18:29, 2008-10-16