Week 18 - Challenger ($50,000) - An-Ning, China (Clay)

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

RE: Week 18 - Challenger ($50,000) - An-Ning, China (Clay)

korriban · Challenger level

James performance today is, frankly, risible.

2 points on his opponent's serve in 6 games!!!!!! In the last game, there wasn't a single moment when James put his opponent under pressure - an opponet who barely bothered to sit down at the changeover......not sure he's worked up a sweat yet.

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Probably best rally of the match, Ward making Petrovic go from side to side, then attempts a drop shot, Petrovic gets there but can't keep it in play 15-0
2nd serve, Petrovic nets 30-0
Stunning backhand winner down the line from Ward 40-0
Strong serve, hit out wide, then a winner of a dropshot from Ward, game

JW 4-3*

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Petrovic hits long after James hits a backhand deep 0-15
Petrovic serves out wide, Ward with a good backhand cross court, Petrovic nets, 0-30
Excellent winner of forehand down the line from Ward, Petrovic didn't move 0-40
Big 1st serve, Ward can't keep it in 15-40
Serve & Volley from Petrovic, Petrovic volley falls to Ward but he can't keep it in play 30-40
Big 1st serve, Ward nets 40-40
Petrovic makes Wardy runs, comes forward for the volley, but James hit a passing winner 40-AD
2nd serve, Wardy hits backhand, but Petrovic makes a good drop shot winner 40-40
Rally, James shanks it high and wide, shouts how come every time he shanks the ball it goes in AD-40
Ace, Game

JW *4-4

korriban · Challenger level

4-4. better play from James - 4 BPs, but it would have been an injustice if he had broken at the first attempt.

Still. One hopes this will at least be more competitive now.

korriban · Challenger level

Speechless!

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Ace 15-0
Dropshot from Petrovic, James standing way too far behind baseline, can't get it over 15-15
Dropshot from James, Petrovic returns with a dropshot, easy backhand for James but he nets 15-30
Forehand winner from James 30-30
Wardy nets a backhand 30-40
Petrovic can barely stand from being wrong footed but gets it in, Wardy eventually nets a backhand, game

JW 4-5*

Last two games have been a killer

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

1st serve, can't return 15-0
Rally then Petrovic falls over, winner for James 15-15
2nd serve, James hit deep, Petrovic nets 15-30
Good hitting from James, deep, Petrovic hits backhand long 15-40
Again good hitting from James, gets Petrovic wide and he hits wide, Game

JW *5-5

Cmon Wardy!

korriban · Challenger level

Just maybe.....

steven · Tennis legend

*5-5 - can he 'do a Dunne' (much harder in the men's game, obviously)

A very clear "come on Wardy" from a very British-sounding voice after he broke back

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Strong 1st serve, Petrovic can't return 15-0
Excellent forehand from Ward, Petrovic just gets it back, looks an easy winner but Ward hits straight to Petrovic, who does him a favour by hitting it wide 30-0
Poor point, James trys to hit a floated backhand but goes long 30-15
Double fault 30-30
Great serve, 40-30, car horns were going off as Wardy served that
Another great serve, Petrovic barely gets a touch, Ward shouts CMON

JW 6-5*

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Too strong a backhand from Petrovic 15-0
Ward hits forehand wide 30-0
Strong 1st serve, just clips the net 40-0
Ward nets 2nd serve, game

Adele being belted out on the courts

JW *6-6

steven · Tennis legend

Get the feeling this is Wardy's to win now ... but he hasn't made a great start to the tiebreak 0-2*

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Ward plays better during the rally, Petrovic goes for the drop shot, Ward comes in but nets the backhand 0-1*
2nd serve, Ward hits it high and long 0-2*
1st serve, Ward can't get it in play *0-3
Ward very much the aggressor, hitting powerful shots, Petrovic eventually hits wide *1-3
Ace from Wardy 2-3*
1st serve, Ward hits the net, Ward hasn't grasped the Petrovic serve at all today 2-4*
Ace from Petrovic *2-5
Ace from Ward *3-5
Ace from Ward 4-5*
1st serve, Ward returns, Petrovic nets 5-5*
2nd serve let, Petrovic goes for the drop shot, hits the net *6-5
Ace from Ward 7-5

SET WARD 7-6

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Great fight from Ward, opponent serving for the match, 0-3 down, then 2-5 down in tiebreak and still wins the set. Good stuff