Week 9 - Challenger (€42,500+H) - Cherbourg, France (indoor hard)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

RE: Week 9 - Challenger (€42,500+H) - Cherbourg, France (indoor hard)

korriban · Challenger level

I believe Jamie is in the MD here. Lets hope he fares better than in the last 3 weeks. Give us a sign Jamie.

What I find extraordinary here, is that we have a nice indoor hard challenger, and all our players in the 200s to 400s who have played the GB Futures must be well zoned in on indoor hard courts by now. 4 or 5 of them sharing a car with a roofbox - travel costs between them must be minimal, and all food and accomodation is paid for. So I suspect it will cost them more to play in Cardiff after food and lodging and transport! The last direct acceptance in the QD is in the mid 600s, so the standard is not much different from Cardiff, but the points potential and development opportunities are much more important. From almost any perspective, I just don't understand why more of our boys aren't in France and why the LTA isnt giving them a huge kick to go as well. Maybe too busy with British Tour matches!!!! Something is very wrong here IMHO

SMC1809 · All-time great

korriban wrote:
I believe Jamie is in the MD here. Lets hope he fares better than in the last 3 weeks. Give us a sign Jamie.

What I find extraordinary here, is that we have a nice indoor hard challenger, and all our players in the 200s to 400s who have played the GB Futures must be well zoned in on indoor hard courts by now. 4 or 5 of them sharing a car with a roofbox - travel costs between them must be minimal, and all food and accomodation is paid for. So I suspect it will cost them more to play in Cardiff after food and lodging and transport! The last direct acceptance in the QD is in the mid 600s, so the standard is not much different from Cardiff, but the points potential and development opportunities are much more important. From almost any perspective, I just don't understand why more of our boys aren't in France and why the LTA isnt giving them a huge kick to go as well. Maybe too busy with British Tour matches!!!! Something is very wrong here IMHO

Only main draw players receive hospitality for Challengers, so it will cost them something and I guess they have to weigh that up with the likelihood of them progressing far enough in the main to make it worth the initial outlay.

korriban · Challenger level

Didn't know that about hospitality. I still think the point remains broadly valid: if Cherbourg CH isn't a priority, you have to ask what foreign Challengers could possibly meet the players' criteria.

Bob · Social player

As only 1 Challenger in Europe and the qualies cut was 650, there was a risk they could travel there and not get in which would also scupper their chances of playing futures instead as they would of had to withdraw from those acceptance lists. To make sure they play in a tournament I can see why some of them ranked below 450 have entered Cardiff and presumably wait to play Challengers when there are more on giving them greater certainty of getting in.

steven · Tennis legend

L32: Jamie Baker WR 206 v Vincent Millot (FRA) WR 235 (CH 147 in 2011)

H2H 1-1, both in qualifying for main tour events on US hard courts in 2010 - Millot thrashed Jamie 4 & 0 in San Jose then Jamie won 2-6 6-3 7-6(3) in Delray Beach two weeks later.