Well done Ed.

A bit weird for me as I know two other Ed Corries, an Edwin & an Edward (their Dave Gorman adventure would be easy!)

I've read with interest the various thoughts on where and how various players should manage their schedules to best manage their aspirations.

Perhaps Ed might have a rethink and adjust his sights upwards in terms of quality of opposition, to attempt to strike while the iron, or at least the form, is hot, in a similar manner to how Sam Murray has gone from 10K's to regular 75-100k entry, with decent returns, after something seemed to click at the end of last year.

If indeed, its even possible - for Josh G and others, I understand it just doesn't appear viable.

It is an interesting one re best schedule.

While I agree that Ed should be clearly aiming to progress to challengers, I do think there is an arguement for building up a more solid ranking points base first by racking up quite a lot more futures points if he can. This would then give him a more solid base for a run of challengers even if things didn't initially go well there.

If bearing in mind he is not some youngster ( if not exactly old ) and feeling he can capitalise on his current form, he wants to move earlier, then fair enough. It's really just a viewpoint and a question of timing his general move up.

I do certainly agree that he doesn't want ti be settling for ( especially 10K ) futures.

Yes, Shhh, that was pretty much what I was suggesting. Rack up them points for a few months.

Back now from Bidston,Wirral and a few observations:

Nice little club, it was a little chilly which made the courts a little slow, but there was a really good number of spectators(approx 120) which made for a nice atmosphere.

Ed won the match fairly comfortably after the first nine games were fairly close, but Dan never really looked like breaking and Ed had three breaks on the trot.

As for the two players - Dan made a lot more errors, double faulted at crucial times and looked more fatigued than Ed early on. Dan big serve is his main weapon and it wasn't firing consistently. If he can cut down the errors, he'll be there or there about inn 10K and 15K, but i cannot see him progressing at a much higher level.

Ed was a bit shorter in height, but has a good all round game. He mixs his serves up well and has a very good second server kicker. He won quite a few points with the cross court slice which he followed in to the net and Dan struggled to return. He looks comfortable around the net and also from the back court and moves quite well round the court. The big advantage he did was that he didn't make too many errors, kept the ball in play and moved Dan around the court. He has no big weapons, but is very capable of grinding out results at this level. Can see his ranking going to around 250 by the end of the year, but i'm not sure how he would get on in the challengers he will have to compete in against players that have big weapons.

Interesting interview after thematch with Ed, where he will be training for the next couple of weeks(his brother is his coach) and then playing the next set of 10K's in GB. I'm hoping his ranking will probably get him a potential seeding.

As for playing at this level, i'm not sure how players survive - Ed won £907 for winning and Dan @£550. So even with Ed winning 2 and runner up in the other and picking up £2300, he and his brother have probably had 3 weeks in hotels, which will eat into a large proportion of this money. I feel sorry for those that travel and don't get to at least the semi's. It must be a hard life for players at this level unless you have financial backing.

Pic - though I can't work out what the prize is!

https://twitter.com/edcorrie7/status/300242749918175233/photo/1