Week 12 Challenger - (€42,500) - Jersey, Great Britain

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Week 12 Challenger - (€42,500) - Jersey, Great Britain

freerider · Futures level

i didnt think he would win after losing that tb, let alone dish out some bakery, very very impressive. hope this kick starts a steady assault on the rankings for him

indiana · Tennis legend

Dan S apart from at this stage now being provisionally ranked GB's top Dan is also now our top teenager, GB no 6, and at least he seems to be going in the right direction.

He, BBD and Wardinator are giving some decent hope for the future while many of the other higher ranked Brits just aren't doing the business just now.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Great work from Danny boy.

philwrig · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:

The opposite in fact, Phil. To me Evo's going backwards which at this stage in his career should just not be happening. He's potentially much better than this.

He, and whoever he needs help from, need to start really working out what the main issues are and really try and address them.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 23rd of March 2010 05:08:55 PM

How is that the opposite when I am saying the same thing. Something lost in translation methinks.

steven · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:

Dan S apart from at this stage now being provisionally ranked GB's top Dan is also now our top teenager, GB no 6, and at least he seems to be going in the right direction.

He, BBD and Wardinator are giving some decent hope for the future while many of the other higher ranked Brits just aren't doing the business just now.

Yes, they do feel like they are the three Brits on the up at the moment, though Smethurst was slow to start this year. Perhaps most worrying of all though is how so many of the Brits who reach the 175-250 range seem to stall there and start going backwards.

Wardy, Evo, Baker and Yoshi have all got career highs in that range (not to mention Bloomers, Marray and players like Hilton before them, who also got into that range, and Slabba who nearly did) and none of them are in the top 250 now. There seems to be an inability to push on from a really good result, and though he has never got near the top 250, we can add Eaton not pushing on from his Wimbledon run to that too.

Contrast that with players like Anne and Elena on the GB women's side who finally worked out how to take advantage of the rankings boost that comes from a good week and perhaps a kind draw and continued to get good results for months afterwards.

indiana · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:

indiana wrote:

The opposite in fact, Phil. To me Evo's going backwards which at this stage in his career should just not be happening. He's potentially much better than this.

He, and whoever he needs help from, need to start really working out what the main issues are and really try and address them.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 23rd of March 2010 05:08:55 PM

How is that the opposite when I am saying the same thing. Something lost in translation methinks.

No, no, Phil I was well aware what you were saying and fully agree.that Dan isn't progressing in his career as one would hope. I just meant that in fact he was really if anything going in the "oppposite" of "progression". Sorry for any confusion smile

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 23rd of March 2010 06:52:49 PM

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

Anyone know what are Smethurst's strengths and playing style? Also what is he like physically? is he small like Evo/Coxy?

SMC1809 · All-time great

I saw him at Bath last week, although I was looking down from above. He's probably about 6 ft, slim build. Similar to Neil Pauffley (if you know his build).

Silver · County player

Now I've not seen Smethurst play, anyone enlighten me somewhat onto how he plays and what his strengths are? Does he have the weapons?

DREADFUL from Evo. Just awful. That sounds unrelentingly harsh but seriously, I'm stunned as to how he's gone from having a real streak of form last year to suddenly crashing into a brick wall. What does he do that doesn't work?

indiana · Tennis legend

Sadly Evo seems to be doing plenty that doesn't work just now

I do feel that in matches he gets down on himself and doesn't to me appear to have great psychological mechanisms for moving on within matches. Once he is losing he often loses very badly.

In addition, though, I suspect that there must be technical issues that I less understand.

He was in a pretty good place about a year ago, immediately after his Jersey title, particularly with the overall absence of really good players around his age.

I am afraid this anniversary and title to first round exit, and the consequent big drop in his ranking coming up, sharply focusses that some things are very wrong.

It is a real worry, and I hope he can soon start to turn things round again.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 23rd of March 2010 07:06:10 PM

Sheddie · administrator

Great win for Smethurst, saw quite a bit of that match. Beating a guy ranked 199 is very impressive.

He has no real weaknesses, moves well, very good volleyer, likes to mix up slice with double-hander on the backhand and has a big weapon with the forehand. Can serve big but needs to get more consistency on that when he starts playing challengers regularly.

Plenty of room for improvement too, could get more serve consistency and could attack more with the backhand more regularly.

Definately a top 200 prospect for the future. The other thing is that he can play well on all surfaces. As well as indoors, he's made a lot of futures finals abroad in the past 12 months, many of which on clay so he can pick up points all year round.

Evans lacks a bit of firepower right now which is causing him problems when the confidence is low. Great ball striker and has the all court game but he lacks the service power say that Smethurst has.

Sheddie · administrator

Disappointing that Ward didn't win today though it was always going to be touch and go against someone like Bubka who has such a big serve. Outdoors I think Ward would be winning that one.

It has still been a reasonable start to the year for him, has had some good wins in ATPs and that big DC live rubber win, just hasn't really had the pts to show for it.

I still think he is one of our better prospects for someone else breaking top 150 and pushing on as he has a very big game and can perform on all surfaces. Anyone know where he's playing next ???

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

sounds like Smethurst has a similar build to Boggo

i think Evo's problems partly are due to him not being sure what sort of player he wants to be...he has some good variety and defense so he could be defensive but he's also a good net player and hits a clean ball (especially off the backhand) so he could be aggressive...to me watching his DC matches it's possible he's stuck in an inbetween mode with his shot selection not quite being right.

It's this stuff that probably might explain why he blows hot and cold...one day he gets the balance just right the next he gets it wayy wrong...i think the talent is there it's just we might have to be a bit patient with him

oh and his DIABOLICAL serve probably doesn't help much ;)

indiana · Tennis legend

Has Evo a particular coach / advisor or a group of folk ? Is much of his time at the NTC ?

He is still a young player and particularly if he is feeling confused himself it is surely the time for a good coach to be able to really help re strategy and also re the more psychological things I mentioned re such as focus and not getting down on himself.

He certainly seems to me a player that needs real help in finding his direction again.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 23rd of March 2010 07:50:28 PM