Week 31 Challenger - Vancouver ($100k) - Canada - hard

steven · Tennis legend

Week 31 Challenger - Vancouver ($100k) - Canada - hard

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Hopefully Boggo has recovered a little bit from injury then and is fit enough to play this week and he's got a good draw for round one at least, although I'd like him to draw any qualifier other than Tomic.

Not the worst draw for round two as even though Ram won an ATP title, he's still basically a challenger level player and if the courts aren't quick, then Boggo should be able to pick him off at the net enough to have a chance against him, but it will be interesting to see how Ram gets on on his return to challengers.

Hopefully Flemski can keep their great recent form alive in the doubles as well as winning this event would give them a lot of ranking points.

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

not a horrid draw, Scoville might actually be harder than Ram

johnnylad · Tennis legend

We have to remember Ram's cofidence will be sky high and Boggo is injured

steven · Tennis legend

L32: Alex Bogdanovic WR 213 v (Q) Igor Sisling (NED) WR 331 (*)

Sijsling is of course the lucky git who benefited from Boggo's retirement in the Manchester Challenger semis, though he had beaten Ghedin and Karol Beck to get there and took a set off Ollie Rochus in the Final. He has beaten Meatball and Eaton (both in 3 sets) recently too but Bloomers beat him 3 & 2 in Bath in March, so Boggo shouldn't have too much trouble with him if he is fit again, but if he isn't, lightning could striwe twice.

3rd on Court 1 tomorrow which should mean about 21.00 BST.

(*) not updated with 3 Aug rankings since they aren't available yet

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i think Alex is going to try to play. don't hold out too much hope though :(

i can understand his frustration at having to miss weeks out, but if he isn't fit yet and keeps aggregating it he could mean he misses out on the USOQ

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

damn, id just assumed it had got better. Might he have to have surgery to correct it?

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i don't think it would require surgery, i think it just needs some time to rest and heal.

steven · Tennis legend

The way the points go now (i.e. the increments accelerating even more rapidly than they used to towards the end of a tournament), surely it would make more sense to wait until it's better and give himself a chance of a run deep into a tournament (e.g. to a Final) than to keep playing in the hope of winning one or two matches per week?

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

To be fair to Alex, he has at least a week's rest after Binghampton anyway. He was obviously in good form and wants to get back on court as soon as possible

steven · Tennis legend

I can completely understand why he wants to get out there again as soon as possible, given that he does seem to be playing well and it's his strongest part of the year, just concerned if he's picking up a few points now at the risk of messing up the rest of the season.

Anyway, we'll see how he goes this week. Hopefully the week off has done him the world of good and he won't make anything worse by playing.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

the reason i don't think Alex shouldn't play is that if he isn't 100% sure he is fit then its better to be cautious. there's a lot of the season left to go, and he has got the majority of his points past him.

a few weeks break now probably wouldn't be the end of the world anyway, would hopefully allow him to be fresher at the end of the year, although he does have the week off after Binghampton as you say.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

All depends on how fit Boggo is, but if he is fit enough, then this is a match that he should be looking to win.

I guess Boggo may also be thinking that even if he is just fit enough to play one or two matches, then he can play them and try and get the win, and then if he is losing in a match he can just retire to save himself for the next event.

Even if he can only play one match, the points he'll get for winning that match will be helpful to him in getting the ranking up and to make sure he stays in the top 250, which should get him into most challenger events.

Flemski are here in the doubles as well as the 4th seeds, and will face Brian Battistone and Nick Monroe in round one.

-- Edited by ForeverDelayed on Monday 3rd of August 2009 10:08:52 AM

Smidster · Challenger level

Got to say if he isn't 100% then he shouldn't be playing.

If he is playing hurt then the chance of doing far more serious damage is much increased. Surely much better to wait a few weeks than be forced out for months.

seagull · Hall of fame

Match before Boggo's has finished so he is on court