Week 42 Futures - USA F27 ($15,000) - Mansfield, TX (Hard)

spud · Challenger qualifying

RE: Week 42 Futures - USA F27 ($15,000) - Mansfield, TX (Hard)

spud · Challenger qualifying

Eaton took the first set

6-4 *3-4

How do i get the radiotennis to work, presuming there on, it says click here to listen for free but theres nothing to click!

spud · Challenger qualifying

6-4 3-6 *0-0

spud · Challenger qualifying

The scoreboard went really funny for ages then and now the next match is up so dont know who won :/, fingers crossed!

steven · Tennis legend

Looking at the detailed game by game betting results, there clearly was a glitch between games 21 and 28, but sadly the result loks fairly clear - Smith won in 3 sets and it looks to have ended after 29 games, which would imply the score was 4-6 6-3 6-4

There were a crazy number of breaks for an Eaton match!

spud · Challenger qualifying

Oh no :(

Yeh a lot of his matches out in the US have seemed to be comprised of a lot of breaks! Slow courts i think. Tennis wise, i think he'd be better off staying in Europe at this time of year, where there are always indoor hard/carpet tournaments

Will be interesting, if he finishes the year around 300-350 would he go to Australia at start of next year?

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, I've read comments before about supposed slow courts for Chris's matches, yes in the US, but I think maybe elsewhere too.

If he's not choosing the most equitable venues for his game "tennis wise" then what's he up to then ? confuse

spud · Challenger qualifying

Well i think youve got to take into account these players need to enjoy thereselves as well as the tennis otherwise your tennis will drop anyway. California and Texas sound much better, especially at this time in the year compared to the likes of here and France which is fair enough and he is good enough to win matches on slow courts, although winning titles is another thing.

3 indoor challengers now though, so hopefully them courts will suit him a bit more.

indiana · Tennis legend

I guess some players just enjoy the challenge of the tennis itself and commit to making the most of themselves in that environment, particularly these with real ambition.

Being "good enough" to win a few matches here anf there doesn't really cut it in the ATP points system and particularly futures which is very weighted to getting to later stages. Won't help prize moneywise either.

I don't know the truth of the courts speed and / or Chris's general aims and motivations, and if he's not getting LTA funded then I guess it's pretty much up to him if he say wanted to play certain places that he might enjoy more, but be less competitive in.

goldfish · Futures qualifying

Austin Kraijicek d. Jamie Baker 62 75 boo!

spud · Challenger qualifying

I dont think its fair to say that Chris doesnt have the ambition. Completely in my opinion, i would have thought he'd be better off staying in Europe where you would 'think' suited him more

His schedule is still pretty good though, and he has been and will continue to stay in the US for a while so obviously saving a lot of money on transport costs and like i said with 3 back to back indoor challengers, there isnt any places in Europe where he can do that

indiana · Tennis legend

Fair enough, spud.

I merely made some largely general observations based on your comments about thinking there were slow courts, less suited to Chris, and that players have to enjoy themselves as well as the tennis.

I do believe generally that the most ambitious players just enjoy their tennis in itself and concentrate on doing whatever needs doing in that regard.

With regards Chris himself, I said I don't know the truth about such as the courts and / or his aims and motivations.

But yes, let's now hope that he is has some success in the run of 3 indoor challengers and it is good that he already out there, although of course he could of stayed in Europe and travelled later since apart from minor jetlag there is no particular getting used to indoor courts.

I notice that there is just a Brazilian Challenger next week. When does the US Challenger run begin ?

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 20th of October 2011 10:14:08 PM

steven · Tennis legend

Seeds 1 & 5 last week - just 2 QFs

Seeds 1 & 6 this week - no QFs bleh

Seems a bit odd that it's turning out quite so badly - I wonder if there is any reason why fields might be more deceptively strong at this time of year (lots of decent but low-ranked players who have just finished college perhaps) than at the time of year when Jamie went on such a good Texan run a few years ago, or if they're just not playing very well.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

goldfish wrote:
Austin Kraijicek d. Jamie Baker 62 75 boo!

I echo the "boo", but for some reason, I'm not surprised!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

steven wrote:
Seems a bit odd that it's turning out quite so badly - I wonder if there is any reason why fields might be more deceptively strong at this time of year [...]

Don't you mean "deceptively weak", Steven? confuse