Week 17 - Challenger ($35+H) - Pereira, Colombia

Drew · Apr 25, 2009

Week 17 - Challenger ($35+H) - Pereira, Colombia

seagull · Hall of fame

Well he would have easily made the Main Draw so a bit late to be called a great choice

Smidster · Challenger level

At least this way he should qualify and get the 3 points

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

^^^

Exactly what I was going to say, plus he gets a bit more practice on the clay courts and gets to build his confidence a bit more as well.

He should qualify - anything other than that would be a massive disappointment.

steven · Tennis legend

QR1: Joe Cooper UNR lost to Juan Carlos Sierra (COL) UNR by 4 & 2 cry

QR2: James Ward WR 285 beat Sebastian Serrano (COL) UNR by 3 & 1

FQR: James Ward WR 285 beat Juan Sebastian Gomez (COL) UNR by 4 & 2

That's 3 points in the bag

L32: James Ward WR 285 v (7) Caio Zampieri (BRA) WR 242

Being a Brit this week, James got the worst draw of any of the four qualifiers, but it should be a close match. Zampieri has never played a Brit in singles and hasn't been outside South/Central America since US Open qualifying last year. His best performances this year have been reaching the semi-final of the Santiago Challenger last month and qualifying for Costa do Sauipe ATP then bagelling Fabio Fognini before losing the match! In the fqr at CdS, he beat Joao Souza 3-6 7-6(5) 7-6(8) - James beat Souza (no. 8 seed this week and also playing a qualifier) 6-3 3-6 6-3 in the San Luis Potosi Challenger earlier this month.

James is only down to play doubles on Monday, with another fish (Stephen Bass) against Dom. Rep. no. 1 Vixtor Estrella and that Mr Souza, the no. 2 seeds.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

steven wrote:

James is only down to play doubles on Monday, with another fish (Stephen Bass) against Dom. Rep. no. 1 Vixtor Estrella and that Mr Souza, the no. 2 seeds.

Couldn't quite manage it: 4-6 6-4 [9-11]. cry

* It's ViCtor Estrella, by the way... wink

steven · Tennis legend

I know, c and x next to each other on the keyboard, rushing to get BOTB and top 25 tables sorted ... lethal combo!

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Well done to James for qualifying here and even though his draw isn't great, he's got an outside chance of beating him which would be good - seems that he's playing better on clay than any other surface at the moment.

Vandenburg · Futures level

lol all these random brazlians floating about because of the 100 futres they have every year.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

steven wrote:

L32: James Ward WR 285 v (7) Caio Zampieri (BRA) WR 242

Being a Brit this week, James got the worst draw of any of the four qualifiers, but it should be a close match. Zampieri has never played a Brit in singles and hasn't been outside South/Central America since US Open qualifying last year. [...]

Another outstanding Challenger singles win for a Brit today: unless I've misread the results page on the Pereira site (& I sincerely hope I haven't!), James won by 7-6(5) 6-3 & will play yet another Gonzo (inevitable in the Hispanic tennis world, I suppose!), Alejandro (COL), in the second round...

Drew · Apr 28, 2009

MTF have James WARD (GBR) def. Caio ZAMPIERI (BRA) 7-6(5) 6-3

Well done James...very well done !!!

James · Satellite level

A massive slap on the back for James! Admittedly Brazilians ranked 150+ can be over-ranked due to the BTF tour but James hasn't played too much clay court tennis this year so switching surfaces and beating a higher ranked clay-courter bodes well if he decides to embrace the dirt season.

-- Edited by James on Tuesday 28th of April 2009 10:29:54 PM

steven · Tennis legend

Great spot, SC. That's true about the Brazilians, James, but even so, goodness only knows when was the last time a Brit beat a higher-ranked South American on red clay in South America with ranking points at stake (i.e. before you say Baker DC v ARG! LOL)

Vandenburg · Futures level

NOW THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT!

alex03maccy · Grand Slam Champion

great win james!