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

Count Zero · Tennis legend

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

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

The Brits dominate the doubles draw (only one encounter not involving a single British player!):

R1

(1) Colin Fleming/Ken Skupski WR 490 vs (WC) Daniel Cochrane/Richard Gabb UNR

Scott Oudsema/Philip Simmonds (USA/USA) WR 841 vs Matt Illingworth/Ben Pritchard UNR

(3) Chris Eaton/Martin Fischer (AUT) WR 589 vs Marc Sieber/Robert Varga (GER/HUN) WR 2297

Dan Cox/Marcus Willis WR 2390 vs Jiri Krkoska/Jan Minar (CZE/CZE) WR 687

(WC) Tom Farquharson/Stefan Sterland-Markovic UNR vs Burnham Arlidge/Kyle Brassington WR 2695

Josh Milton/David Smethurst WR 1663 vs (4) Frederik Nielsen/Martin Pederson (DEN/DEN) WR 656

Dan Evans/Henri Kontinen (FIN) WR 1329 vs (WC) (2) Jamie Delgado/Jonny Marray WR 510

* Some tough draws there!

wolf · Tennis legend

I don't think Marcus has a a problem with the nickname. Smethurst, Milton et al were all jesting with him at Tipton when he failed to anticpate a shot and he seemed to take it in good heart.

As for his weight he maybe did have a bit (just a bit) more of a rounded waistline than most but it didn't effect his performance in any way and I don't imagine it ever will.

Drew · Mar 16, 2009

willis wrote:

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.

Hi Marcus,

I have seen you play 4 times in the last year. (I was the one keeping a friend of yours updated with your match score last time out in Glasgow).

I objected on your behalf to the both the previous and recent 'fat' comments. I really didnt think it would 'annoy' or 'get to you' in anyway. Moving on some people have apologised and every serious GB supporter on here wishes you well.

I know you have been training hard...keep it up !

Pity you got injured in that Glasgow final against Evo...you were matching up to him fairly well.

Do you have any ranking goals set for this year ? Are you going for any of the UK based challengers ?

All the best.

Drew

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

Id like to see more pros on the tennis forums, having a go at people who (fairly or unfairly) criticise them - it's what id do if was a pro!

Poor Nalby or Stepanek would get a bit of a shock though if they started reading what people wrote about them

steven · Tennis legend

That would be great fun (especially for us), but I reckon they're better off concentrating on their tennis most of the time!

Goldenslam · Intermediate Club Player

Guys we all know what this site is for, truth beknown Marcus introduced me too it! we also all know every body apart from a select few have the best interests of British Tennis at heart, but calling a player "fat" is out of order.

The apology posted on here will no doubt be well accepted but I just wanted to say from my point of view that I accept everyone has an opinion, I am a huge football fan & I like to air my opinions where I think individual players could improve & get better but at no time would I get offensive & I guess that is what I would hope for on here.

I hope this is the end of of players being verbally abused I know I have defended a few, which to be honest I know should not be top of my agenda but when you are working or have worked with these guys you grow fond of them & want to defend & stick up for them.

Regarding the nickname, I am guilty of that one! It means nothing & does not detract from Marcus being Marcus so there is no need to wash your hands of him or what ever the comment was. I like it when players have a nickname & I thought Meatball was perfect for Marcus (although the reasons will be kept beween us) & to be honest if you dont like it, dont use it.

With all the above aside I wish Marcus the person & hard working tennis player luck this week & I would love to see him perform as he can! Fingers crossed we get a Brit in the winners circle too.

steven · Tennis legend

FQR: Tom Farquharson lost to (q1) Scott Oudsema (USA) WR 569 by 7-6(7) 6-1 cry

- good effort in the 1st set
FQR: (q14) Andrew Fitzpatrick WR 1368 lost to (q2) Robert Varga (HUN) WR 573 by 7-5 3-6 6-3 cry

- good effort in the 2nd set
FQR: (q3) Matt Illingworth WR 698 beatv (q13) Nick Cavaday WR 1188 by 2 & 3 smile

FQR: (q4) Josh Milton WR 719 beatv (q10) Dan Smethurst WR 1076 by 1 & 4 smile

FQR: (q16) Ben Pritchard WR 1422 lost to (q5) Jiri Krkoska (CZE) WR 812 by 3 & 5 cry

FQR: (q6) Burnham Arlidge WR 854 lost to (q9) Radim Zitko (CZE) WR 1058 by 3 & 1 bleh

FQR: (q11) Maniel Bains WR 1118 lost to (q7) Ladislav Chramosta (CZE) WR 919 by 6-1 3-6 6-3 cry

FQR: (q8) Marcus Willis WR 951 beat Oliver Evans by 5 & 4 smile

So unfortunately the only GB qualifiers cvame from the all-GB matches. cry

Main draw coming in a few minutes ...

steven · Tennis legend

L32: (WC) Dan Cox WR 814 v (PR) Fritz Wolmarans (RSA) WR 1547 - winner likely to play (1) Fischer (AUT) WR 200
L32: (WC) Colin Fleming WR 572 v (Q) Robert Varga WR 573 - winner likely to play (6) Mertens (BEL) WR 297

What a nightmare of a first quarter!

L32: (Q) Marcus Willis v (4) Frederik Nielsen (DEN) WR 288 - winner to play Krkoska or Pedersen
L32: (WC) Chris Eaton WR 384 v (Q) Radim Zitko (CZE) WR 1058
L32: (Q) Josh Milton WR 719 v (8) Jan Minar (CZE) WR 345

Good luck Marcus, I fear you might need it. Chris ended Nielsen's all-time longest Brit-bashing streak of course, so maybe there is hope in this quarter.

L32: (Q) Matt Illingworth WR 698 v (WC) Richard Gabb UNR - winner likely to play (3) Robert (FRA) WR 278

Nightmare of a third quarter too, but at least one Brit will get a ranking point from it.

L32: (7) Richard Bloomfield WR 335 v Igor Sijsling (NED) WR 499
L32: Jonny Marray WR 427 v Pierre Metenier (FRA) WR 404
L32: Daniel Evans WR 451 v (2) Michael Yani (USA) WR 238, winner to play Kontinen or Chramosta

Bloomers and his doubles partner still virtually joined at the hip, I see, though this quarter could look ok if Evo can see off Yani again.

The field here wouldn't look out of place in a 35K+H Challenger ... doh

-- Edited by steven on Monday 16th of March 2009 07:34:01 PM

Malteaser · Junior player

It strikes me that Marcus Willis took the comment pretty well and gave a bit more back too.

At the end of the day, this guy is a professional and we as I think a couple of members of the forum proved are blatantly not (sorry FD and Wolf, but you can't deny it!).

To draw a couple of comparisons - Freddie Flintoff was called fat when he was younger - didn't do him any harm. And "Beefy" Botham is England's greatest all rounder.

Also Gazza always looked a big lad to me.

Thought I'd throw in a few names, the conclusion is .... "Meatball", you've got a hell of a lot to live up to!!!!!!

Good luck tomorrow. Come on Willis!!

wolf · Tennis legend

Fleming v Mertens in R2 would be good to watch. Unfortunately I think Cox will be overpowered by Wolmanars not sure what shape he is in but he was a decent challenger level player. Other than that hard to see a British winner (apart from Illingworth v Gabb) other than Bloomers, Marray and Evans. Eaton v Zitko is tough to call but with Eaton's futures record..I would back if it was ATP qualifying! Best chance of someone going deep is in bottom section but that is loaded.

-- Edited by wolf on Monday 16th of March 2009 10:47:44 PM

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

ForeverDelayed wrote:
I fancy Illy, Milton and Wills/Pauffley to qualify here, and join the WC's and Evans, Marray and Bloomers in the main draw.

Good call

But a good effort from Farquharson, Fitzy (so close, but that's a very encouraging result) and Bains despite losing.

Not a great draw as well, but given the amount of good players here, it's not too surprising the ranking points aren't looking too likely.

I think we are looking at wins for Bloomers, Marray (who get a 3rd meeting in a row with each other), Fleming, Eaton and hopefully Evans, as well as probably Illy to come through the all British tie before losing to Robert (no disrespect to Illy, but he's probably the worst of the Brits to have drawn Gabb in round one as someone else would have had a better shot of going deeper, but at least it will get his confidence going if he gets another point), and maybe Cox depending on Wolmarans' shape.

Other than the bottom quarter though, don't see much hope for much representation over the weekend.

freerider · Futures level

have we got anyone heading over today? good luck - especiialy to gabb would be nice if he could beat illingworth - we need a young one to break through. what is gabb a 1993?

tennisfan84 · Junior player

1992 I think.

Fitzy 4 top 100 · Social player

Richard Gabb born 12/2/1992 just to clear up any uncertainty

Currently 257 in the ITF junior rankings with 14 wins and only 1 loss on the junior tour this year..

-- Edited by Fitzy 4 top 100 on Tuesday 17th of March 2009 10:42:21 AM

-- Edited by Fitzy 4 top 100 on Tuesday 17th of March 2009 10:42:54 AM