Week 37 - Challenger ($35K+H) - Ningbo, China - Hard

steven · Tennis legend

Week 37 - Challenger ($35K+H) - Ningbo, China - Hard

steven · Tennis legend

Josh is already a set and a break up, 6-2 *3-1, having saved 5/6 bps and taken 4/9. 8 DFs and a 43% 1st serve % from Rieschick may be part of the reason.

steven · Tennis legend

He breaks again for 5-1 ... then gets broken to love while serving for the match disbelief

steven · Tennis legend

Rieschick holds so Josh has to serve for the match a second time - this time he makes no mistake

L32: Josh Milton WR 356 beat Sebastian Rieschick (GER) WR 228 (CH 199 last month) by 2 & 3 biggrin

Revenge for last year's loss and Josh's first win against a top 250 player since his career best win against Sidorenko in Wimbledon qualifying in 2009, so almost certainly his best ever win outside the UK

8th seed Wolmarans or Chvojka up next.

Shhh · Challenger level

Nice way to start the week!

steven · Tennis legend

Chvojka, who has taken James Ward to 3 sets twice this summer, upset 8th seed Wolmarans in R1, so:

L16: Josh Milton WR 362 v Erik Chvojka (CAN) WR 266 (= CH)

This is Josh's 11th Challenger main draw and he is looking to make his first QF (R1 7 times, R2 4 times, including this week) - the good news is that he won the 1st set by 3 breaks to 2, the bad news is that he went an early break down in the 2nd and failed to convert a couple of break back points. Chvojka is now serving for the 2nd set.

6-4 4-5*

steven · Tennis legend

... and into a 3rd set we go.

steven · Tennis legend

The 3rd set starts with a 14-point game (i.e. 4 deuces) including 1 bp, but Josh holds. 6-4 4-6 1-0*

steven · Tennis legend

Ominously, Chvojka is holding much more easily now - he has only lost 1 point in his first 2 service games in this set, while Josh had to save 1 bp in the first game of the 3rd, held to 30 in the 2nd and had to save 2 bps in the last game too - looking on the bright side, at least he managed it

6-4 4-6 3-2*

They have won 83 points each in the match so far.

steven · Tennis legend

Josh breaks

... can he consolidate?

steven · Tennis legend

He can

- one game away ... 6-4 4-6 5-2*

steven · Tennis legend

2 match points come and go on Chvojka's serve, then a 3rd - taken! Josh breaks again to beat Chvojka 6-4 4-6 6-2, claiming his second higher-ranked scalp of the week and reaching his first ever Challenger singles QF biggrin

Top seed Lu (or Gong) next, they play after Schüttler on Center.

There is a close battle brewing for GB 4-9 this week - currently:

137 Evo (playing Nottm Fut, so can't add more points this week)
130 Boggo (in R2 in Tulsa - up 1 from GB 6 to 5 as things stand)
129 Cox (not playing - down 1)
127 Milton (in QFs in Ningbo)
125 Goodall (Nottm Fut, so can't add - up 1)
123 Eaton (in R2 in Tulsa - down 1)

-- Edited by steven on Wednesday 14th of September 2011 06:51:54 AM

freerider · Futures level

superb josh.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

thats a great result.

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Wow! Well done Josh. Really competing with Challenger players now and starting to string some wims together. Got to respect the way that Milton has improved year on year quietly and efficiently