Week 11 Futures - Great Britain F4 ($15k) - Bath

Simmy26 · Lower Club Player

RE: Week 11 Futures - Great Britain F4 ($15k) - Bath

jazar · Junior player

Simmy26 wrote:

Hi All, haven't posted for a while but just had to today. The comments by jvar certainly made me chuckle due to me being the one who raised this after a Glasgow futures a few months back. Javar I am with you on this one, as I said at the time there is no doubt for me that Marcus could do with losing a few pounds. A professional tennis player should probably have a body fat percentage of between 10-14% and if Marcus is within that I ill quite happily eat his next Extra Value Meal!! Moving on, would love to see a good showing by Flembo this week.

i'm glad to see someone else isnt blind. really though an athlete would want about 6-13% body fat

wolf · Tennis legend

He could do with maybe losing a pound or two but it is hardly a massive problem.

wolf · Tennis legend

QR1: David O'Leary beat (WC) Daniel Sidaway 6-1, 6-2 smile

QR1: Tom Farquharson beat Alexander Bull 6-2, 6-1 smile

QR1: Joachim Sternbach (FRA) beat John Rambotas 6-2, 7-5 cry

QR1: Frederik Sletting-Johnsen (NOR) WR 1486 beat James Turbervill 6-4, 6-4 cry

QR1: Christopher Simpson beat Rogan Egerton 6-4, 6-2 smile

QR1: James Chaudry beat Chris Priddle 7-6(1), 7-5 smile

QR1: Michal Schmid (CZE) beat Jamie Whiteford 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 cry

QR1: (WC) Stefan Sterland-Markovic beat Daniel Johannes Smith (RSA) 6-2, 6-4 smile

QR1: (WC) Jack Busby beat Scott Sears 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3) smile

QR1: Dominic Ross-Hurst beat Edward Jones 6-3, 6-1 smile

QR1: (WC) Darcy Crawford beat Michael Ward w/o smile

QR1: Thomas Knights beat Daniel Cochrane 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 smile

QR1: (WC) Jamie Delgado beat Mathew James 6-4, 6-2 smile

QR1: Luca Rovetti (ITA) WR 1911 beat Marc Beckles 6-2, 6-4 cry

QR1: (WC) James Hignett beat Jess Goodall (RSA) 6-0, 6-2 smile

QR1: Oliver Evans beat Adam Morgan (USA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 smile

QR2: (q1) Scott Oudsema (USA) WR 569 beat David O'Leary 7-6(7), 6-3 cry

QR2: Tom Farquharson beat (q12/WC) Kyle Brassington WR 1123 7-6(0), 6-4 biggrin

QR2: (q14) Andrew Fitzpatrick WR 1368 beat Frederik Sletting-Johnsen (NOR) WR 1486 6-4, 6-4 smile

QR2: (q3) Matt Illingworth WR 698 beat Christopher Simpson 6-4, 6-1 smile

QR2: (q13) Nick Cavaday WR 1188 beat James Chaudry 6-3, 2-1 ret smile

QR2: (q4) Josh Milton WR 719 beat Michal Schmid (CZE) 6-1, 6-2 smile

QR2: (q10) Dan Smethurst WR 1076 beat (WC) Stefan Sterland-Markovic 6-3, 6-2 smile

QR2: (q5) Jiri Krkoska (CZE) WR 812 beat Jack Busby 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 cry

QR2: (q16) Ben Pritchard WR 1422 beat Dominic Ross-Hurst 6-3, 6-7(0), 6-2 smile

QR2: (q6) Burnham Arlidge WR 854 beat (WC) Darcy Crawford 6-3, 6-3 smile

QR2: (q9) Radim Zitko (CZE) WR 1058 beat Thomas Knights 6-3, 6-2 cry

QR2: (q7) Ladislav Chramosta (CZE) WR 919 beat Jamie Delgado 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 cry

QR2: (q11) Maniel Bains WR 1118 beat Luca Rovetti (ITA) WR 1911 6-4, 6-3 smile

QR2: (q8) Marcus Willis WR 951 beat (WC) James Hignett 6-2, 6-2 smile

QR2: Oliver Evans beat (q15) Neil Pauffley WR 1380 5-2 ret biggrin

FQR: Tom Farquharson v (q1) Scott Oudsema (USA) WR 569
FQR: (q14) Andrew Fitzpatrick WR 1368 v (q2) Robert Varga (HUN) WR 573
FQR: (q3) Matt Illingworth WR 698 v (q13) Nick Cavaday WR 1188
FQR: (q4) Josh Milton WR 719 v (q10) Dan Smethurst WR 1076
FQR: (q16) Ben Pritchard WR 1422 v (q5) Jiri Krkoska (CZE) WR 812
FQR: (q6) Burnham Arlidge WR 854 v (q9) Radim Zitko (CZE) WR 1058
FQR: (q11) Maniel Bains WR 1118 v Luca Rovetti (ITA) WR 1911
FQR: (q8) Marcus Willis WR 951 v Oliver Evans

willis · Newbie

6-13% you think, actually I have been told by professionals that we need to ideally be 8-18%, but hey let's hope we dont get too strong as people might start calling you fat without seeing you clearly.
Shows how much you guys know about it, oh sorry I forgot that a certain someone has a sports science degree(the degree which is really hard and has a really good reputation), well done! it's good that when you are saying im 'fat' that you dont know the fitness test I did two weeks ago. You dont know that I almost beat the endurance record, you dont know I finished with a very high score in the end. You can't be intelligent enough to look into it just a little.
But im sure your intelligent as you have a sports science degree, im sure you will go through life happy with your degree as not many people can do that, really tough.
The only wise thing you have done in all this is not say it to my face. Very clever move there.
Good luck, you think you are getting to me, you are really not, I love it.

freerider · Futures level

if you keep having runs like glasgow last year i dont care how fat you are or arent this argument is pointless - but fair play you certainly shut everyone up

Simmy26 · Lower Club Player

Marcus, I am sorry if this has appeared to be a slagging off session aimed at you. These boards are a way for tennis fans to discuss all aspects of tennis and in my initial discussion points from a Glasgow futures at the end of last year I pointed out that I thought you were a little heavy and that your grounds strokes were not going deep enough therefore lacked penetration but I also pointed out the strengths in your game. Please be aware, and I am sure that I speak for everyone on these boards, is that I want every single British tennis player to succeed in fact the game that I watched in Glasgow I was the only person cheering you on. Again I apologise if you have taken offence (and I can see why you would) and I wish you all the best for your future career. I will see you in Glasgow. (I will be the one cheering you on!)

Goldenslam · Intermediate Club Player

Well done Meatball, saved me a job in shutting these rude, ignorant, idiotic people up!!
I fully agree with everything you said, they have no idea what sort of hard work you are putting in.

For those people that are not sure, I can 100% say I have never had any problem with Marcus' work rate & in fact on the tournaments I have worked with him at he is usually the guy that keeps going until he is satisfied, a great quality if you ask me.

I have said this before & I will say this again, every one is entitled to their opinion but when it gets to calling a young up & coming hard working tennis player "fat" it's just not on, give your opinions but don't insult players...thats not what we are here for!

tennisfan84 · Junior player

I watched the majority of the qualifying matches yesterday and was pleasantly surprised at the level of some of the up and coming Brits.

Observations -

Dan Evans - was knocking on one of the courts and looked to be hitting the ball much much harder than this time last year, very impressive.

James Chaudry - after a slow start, showed the level of tennis he can play beating Chris Priddle in straight sets. Serve looked to be the weakest part of his game as it didn't have much zip but everything else looked good.

Dan Cochrane - looked impressive against Tom Knights, winning the first set and looked to have a strong all round game.

Josh Milton - Stunning for his size, he was hitting the ball big off every stroke and looked confident throughout his first match. Impressive stuff especially his serving.

Stefan Sterland-Markovic - never heard of this 16 year old before but has a very senior looking game. Although easily beaten by Smethurst, there were some great rallies. It seemed he just lacked a bit of experience at this level but one to look out for in the future.

Dan Smethurst - looked to be hitting well. At times the forehand was massive and backhand wasn't going badly either. I alway think he should be hitting the serve bigger considering his huge swing but it still looks pretty good. Much improved all all round game looked much more solid.

James Higgnett - Don't know how old he is but looks a good all round prospect if he is under 18 still. Nice all round game.

Oliver Evans - Really was smacking the ball round off everything. Great movement round the court and some stunning outright winners. Could do with mixing it up a little move in my view

Marcus Willis - Wasn't really pushed by Higgnett at all. Strokes looked cleaner than the last time I saw him and considerind the extreme grip on his backhand, was able to hit some great angled winners.

Scott Sears - At the start of his match, we all commented on how good he looked, tall, pacy strokes, good technically and stood out from the rest. But he struggled tactically and looked bloody exhausted after two sets. Shame as seems like he has potential.

None of the top lads were really pushed. Milton, Smethurst and Willis cruised through. Delgado looked ok considering he hasn't played singles for a while, he looked set to qualify before Charmosta took him out in the third. It looked like there was a good camaraderie between Smethurst, Willis, Milton, Pauffley and Evans which seemed good, as well as the LTA coach working with the vast majority of the GB players over the course of the day.

-- Edited by tennisfan84 on Monday 16th of March 2009 10:25:23 AM

steven · Tennis legend

If that really was Marcus, well done for coming on and defending yourself with some facts! smile

I don't have an opinion on this because I haven't seen you play recently (and I can well believe you're big in a Tsonga-like way rather than a Nalbandian type way, not that a bit of extra weight stops the latter being one of the best players in the world ... and not that I'd mind only being as big as 'fat' Dave! wink

), but in defence of the people who were making comments, this is a place where people who interested in GB tennis express opinions.

We're not always nice to the players (or even to each other wink

) but everyone on here (all the regulars, at least) want you and the others to succeed, which is better than having nobody interested in how you're doing, surely?

Of course, players only tend to get alerted to the bad things people write about them here (which is a pity but just the way of the world), but I think most people on here try to be balanced with their comments over time - something that can't be said of much of the media, e.g. the unremittingly negative treatment that our current no. 3 suffers at their hands. Anyone who comes on here solely to slag players off tends to get treated with the contempt they deserve.

We know that we don't necessarily know the full facts, which is why we appreciate it so much when players can be bothered to come on and give us a bit more insight, even if what's triggered it is that someone on here has said something that annoys them!

I'm glad none of this is getting to you, cos it shouldn't be - sadly, with the media as it is, you wouldn't have much hope of surviving as a GB tennis player if it did! (before a certain tennis journo tells me off, this is aimed at the sections of the media who only take an interest in tennis once or twice a year)

Good luck this week - can't wait for you to start moving up the rankings again.

-- Edited by steven on Monday 16th of March 2009 10:48:00 AM

Simmy26 · Lower Club Player

Goldenslam, as I have previously stated I am in full support of all British tennis players and have apologised for any offence taken. I was at the time merely giving my prognosis on what I thought Marcus' strengths and weaknesses were but will agree that I was out of order on my post yesterday evening.

tennisfan84 · Junior player

Well said Steven, I quite agree. No one is judging the amount of work that both Marcus and the other GB players are obviously doing. Our views are only one person's opinions after all and we do all tend to judge only what we are able to see. We can't see the whole picture all the time sadly. Having said that it would be good to have a page where players can blog more and again if Marcus or anyone else whats to blog and give the members a more realisitic view of what's going on?

-- Edited by tennisfan84 on Monday 16th of March 2009 10:40:29 AM

bobobobo · Improver

WILLBOMB!!!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Goldenslam wrote:

Well done Meatball, [...]

Irrespective of your support for Marcus, GS, persisting in addressing him as "Meatball", however good-natured/well-intentioned a nickname it may be meant to be, is doing him no favours. It can only tarnish his image with us, the supporters denied access to the inner sanctum, at least those of us who actually think about the meaning of words most others bandy about with such careless abandon!

Frankly, the nickname makes me cringe & would make me feel like dismissing him out of hand, were it not for the evidence of his results in recent months.

But what would I know? I'm only a woman & boys will be boys... hmm

steven · Tennis legend

Oh dear, I see around half the population is in trouble again. ashamed

I've no idea where that nickname comes from (though someone, possibly GS, said it wasn't a weight reference) but it sounds quite funny and Iive heard far worse nicknames ... had far worse nicknames myself in fact, and that's just the ones the Count has made up! wink