Week 15 - USA F9 ($15,000) - Oklahoma City (Hard)

Count Zero · Tennis legend

RE: Week 15 - USA F9 ($15,000) - Oklahoma City (Hard)

Spectator · All-time great

In an ideal world Mr Ward and Mr Bodganovic would be battling it out for number 2 with both ranked in at least the 100s ... sigh. But this was a good week. Hope Little Rock goes well.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

and Mr Evans, he could be there too.

RJA · Hall of fame

What is very disturbing is that in two weeks time there is the very real prospect that Andy Murray will be the only Brit inside the top 250. James Ward needs to pick up at least 20 points, possibly more like 25, this week and next week to prevent it happening.

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Would be the first time since June 2008, but British Tennis is a lot better now then it was then.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Life still in the old dog yet !!
Start the campaign now.....Wimby WC for Boggo.

RJA · Hall of fame

philwrig wrote:
Life still in the old dog yet !!
Start the campaign now.....Wimby WC for Boggo.

I would agree but going by what the Count has said Alex might prefer not to have main draw wild card. The press reaction would be negative and while personally I would ignore that if it bothers Alex to any significant degree then that is a problem.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

To clarfiy if offered Alex would of course take the WC. The financial aspect (and the opportunity a GS WC affords) is just too huge to turn something like that down, regardless of the negative press.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

well I think it's pretty moot anyway as even at 250 I cant see them giving him one. You get the impression that most of the WC rules where brought in to stop him getting more anyway :)

korriban · Challenger level

Count. Could Boggo survive 4 or 5 long sets these days, fitness and injury wise? I know you suggested he hasn't been able to train as much as he would have wanted.

With respect, if given a MDWC, unless he gets a very decent draw (say a lower ranked grass novice), I'd be surprised if he could beat any of the top 100 in 3 straight sets. So we are likely to be looking at 4 or 5 sets. I'd certainly back him to come through best of 3 qualifiers (with a WC), given a reasonable draw......and then R1 would be a bonus, whatever the outcome. But 4 or 5 sets? Not so sure.

If he very obviously ran out of steam and conditioning having been offered a MDWC, I think the LTA would get a lot of bad press for selecting him, however much obvious skill was on display. If he does have the required endurance and fitness come June, and if there aren't other more deserving candidates by then, why not? He could do well.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i don't think stamina is a problem for him, i think he's probably as good as he ever has been in that regard, if not better. yes he's had injuries etc, mainly to his back, which mean he has maybe not played as many events as we'd all like and maybe is also in his thinking with regards to scheduling etc and not playing 4-5 weeks back to back.

i think for me the main issue is to do with the level of tennis he is competing at nowadays, too many matches on the futures tour. You aren't playing often enough vs the better players, and it's hard to step it up when needed on a one off basis (Evo excluded it seems!) it's too easy to get in grooves (at a guess this is probably what plagues Josh)

Spectator · All-time great

Yes, that's why I was glad he played de Voest. Not really what you'd expect in a futures, but good practice.

steven · Tennis legend

Interesting point there - if they have some imagination, they could take all kinds of PR risks over the next few months without caring about the consequences (instead of caring far too much about the PR consequences like they usually do), on the basis that Rog gets the blame but he doesn't care because nobody can yell for him to be sacked any more.

I do hope they take advantage to do a few more of the right things!