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steven


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Gregory Howe
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As I mentioned on the DC thread, GB's oldest currently world-ranked player has started posting on AM.com. I asked him if he'd mind writing a bit about his experiences and how he gets into qualifying for some of the big tournaments and his reply is fascinating - well I think so anyway.

Picking up someone's comment on the DC thread about him spelling my name wrong in his first short post, I'm pleased to say I'm in good company - Stakh, Burnham Arlidge & Myles Blake get the same treatment! smile Given this, Stircrazy should probably avert her eyes when he says what he does for a living, though in his defence, names seem to be the only weak spot. wink

Anyway, enough of my silliness ... here it is - my comments in [ ... ]

"Hey guys-thanks for comments. If you're going to take time to care about my results then I'm happy to tell you whatever you want. But I'm conscious if clogging up your thread, so I'll try not write too much.

Saw Murray in the player's lounge last week in Dubai- he looks incredably strong and lean. But it's worrying to see him walk around permantly with his shoe laces hanging loose. I've seen him before head straight to the gym in the Aviation club (private club where Dubai ATP is held) after his matches for a warm down. The air-con is freezing in there in contrast to the humidity outside. I wonder if he caught his virus that way?

Last year after his win vs Federer I found myself in a deserted gym beside him on an exercise bike. He went through the entire match and his tactics with his coach for about 15 minutes. It was interesting to hear their thoughts.

[expect some AM.commers to be going bright green with envy when they read this wink]

To answer Stephen- I've been in Dubai for a year and a half where I'm a school teacher. I get about 7 weeks in July/August where I play to get some ATP points. Then the rest of the year I'll try play qualies of the big events (on weekends so less time off work)and local money events to build up cash for the summer flights.

[what a simple but brilliant way to organise your tennis campaign around your working life! biggrin]

I tried to sign in to Dubai qualies- but 332 cut meant I missed the cut. Planned to go to Jo'burg ATP, but a local team event worth a couple of grand was on same weekend. Won it, which pays for 2 big summer flights meant it was a good decision. But the Jo'burg qualies was incredibly weak. I saw Ross Hutchins had a good singles showing. Maybe he'll play some more in the future.

As for Ukraine- yeh- I was incredibly relieved to get those 3 games against Starkhovsky last year. He had incredibly easy power with a big indoor game- he just stepsforward into all his groundies and has good volleys. If the DC is indoor, then he will be a big threat. I got my tactics all wrong- tried to rally with him with topspin on a low bouncing hardcourt and he hit me off the court. Got those 3 games only when I tried to rush him and make him move.

[I hope someone's told Chris to do this, though if they haven't, it's the kind of thing he might do anyway - anything to avoid having hit a groundstroke wink - still, maybe this means Eaton's chances of an upset are better than we thought smile]

Bubka, like his father, is an excellent athlete and is very well drilled. But, he's nowhere near as dangerous as Starkovsky and his ranking of 272 is about right at the moment from what I saw. If he plays in the opening DC rubber, then Murray should be comfortable. I was up 2-0 and 40-15 on my serve before things went horrible in cyclonic conditions. If I'd been more match tight then that 1st set could have been different.

[background: Gregory had already said he'd only been training for 2 weeks after injury before that match]

As for DC, I reckon GB will win 3-1 with Starkovsky winning his opener, but the doubles and Murray being comfortable.

[looks like news travels to Dubai very slowly if he doesn't know the virus got worse and Muzza is out]

As for playing in weaker futures, last year I played Azerbijan, Syria, Iran and Egypt last year. Good advice, but players are travelling a lot more these days and nothing is easy (3 out of 5 losses came to guys in top 400)

Also, like Miles Blake and Burnham Aldridge(I'm pretty sure), I'm really Australian masquerading as British on second British passports.

Good luck in the Tipton qualies Wolfie!"

[that should be worth an extra point, eh smile]



-- Edited by steven at 08:13, 2009-03-06

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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!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
steven


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and there's more ...

"The scheduling is more forced upon me rather than by any grand plan. There isn't too much on the calendar in the Middle Eastern region at present (either ATP, challenger or future level) and my next opportunity is in July where I'll be under pressure to defend all points in a 6 week period.

And you're right- popping up in draws sums it up accurately. A while back I finished work on a Thursday (w-end in Dubai is Fri/Sat), flew 8 hours to Beijing ATP. Signed in for qualies on Friday. Hit for 30 minutes with a chinese junior on Sat morning before match vs Nam (5 in Korea). Lost 4 and 2. Showered-headed straight to airport on standby. Flew back through the night and started work on Sunday morning.

But it was worth every second. Funny thing is- despite chaotic preparations still had a chance in the match and was up a break in first set. Guess the tennis ball doesn't care as long as you hit it well!!"


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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!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
The Hoose


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Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting it on here for those of us who rarely venture over to am.com

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steven


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Some then asked him:

"It would be really good to get your opinion on where you think the LTA have got it right or wrong and if you think any GB players have potential to succeed."

... and his answer was once again interesting:

"It's difficult for me to make an informed comment on these questions as I'm looking a bit from the outside, but I'll give it a go!

In countries like Spain, the USA and Australia the idea of an elite tournament seems to be you have a huge draw open to as many players as possible which then becomes a survival of the fittest. Their future qualifying draws are often 128 and their junior and money events have open draws with no number restrictions. This enables a huge playing base and creates winners who are tough competitors.

However, with the LTA it seems an elite tournament is where you get a chosen, top group of players and put them in a small draw to play off against each other. This idea goes from restricted junior draws to 48 qualifying draws in futures. This makes it difficult for players not in the top group to compete. Also, by the limiting of British tour events and the virtual extinction of the ratings events, once out of the juniors many players could find it difficult to find events to compete in (ask Wolfie if this is the case). Although these players may not be future champions, they provide the competition for the juniors coming through. In France many former pro's still compete in their money tournaments which provide competition for the juniors coming through. In the UK there's no opportunity, culture incentive for former players to compete.

I played in the juniors in Australia with a kid called Pat Rafter. In the under 16s , although he was good, he was small and a scrambler and he fell out of the top 10 juniors in the state of Queensland. He got no trips or help at all. But because of the unrestricted draws in the Satellites, men's open draws and juniors he could still play every event and develop his game., When he had a growth spurt when he was 17 he only then began to kill everybody. Would such a kid in the UK system have been able to continue competing at every possible event even though he wasn't even a top 10 junior in his county at 16? Probably not.

As a player it seems the LTA only care about the national squad. The Wimbledon wild card event used to be an open draw of 48 players. Now, it is invitation only. Why not open it up-if their players are good enough they'll win through the field.

Two years ago, I was about to go up to the Manchester Challenger on grass. As I lived in London, I rang up a friend who worked for the LTA and asked if I could practise with him on one of the 4 grass courts in the new National Tennis centre. The courts were empty, I played under GBR and I had points which put around 40 in the UK list. No- National Squad only.

Oh- you also asked what I thought the LTA was doing right. I'm sure they've made some big improvements recently, but I've been out of the UK for a while so I look forward to seeing them one day!

Footnote- Now in Australia they restrict futures qualifying draws to 64. In Sydney, over 200 players turned up to sign in, most of them missing out. I guess you reap what you sew."


__________________

GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
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