Week 20 - Challenger ($75,000+H) - Busan, Korea Rep. (hard)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

RE: Week 20 - Challenger ($75,000+H) - Busan, Korea Rep. (hard)

korriban · Challenger level

It depends on what each player regards as "success" in terms of their tennis career.

If their ultimate objective in their tennis career is to win a few Futures singles tournaments, get a singles ranking to about 275-325, hopefully play some doubles at CH or even ATP level at some stage......and over their playing career minimise their losses, or break even, then I completely agree with you. Coaching tennis later on might be a nice life.

If, on the other hand, they have ambitions of being top 200 or even top 100 singles players, then I completely disagree with you. At some stage, either you give it a go, or you resign yourself to being in the former camp for your entire career. At least David Rice and Josh Goodall gave it a go (even if only for a year, so far) - even if they concluded they weren't good enough, at least they won't die wondering - what about the rest of the bunch? Perhaps none of them believe they can be top 100 or 200 players, or perhaps they are waiting for something to just "happen", although I'm not quite sure what that might be......

The LTA isn't going to "magic" up these CH or ATP tournaments outside June in GB any time soon, so I'd like to think that some of these GB players have a little more ambition.....

Maybe I'm being naive.

-- Edited by korriban on Friday 17th of May 2013 10:54:58 AM

korriban · Challenger level

Has anyone noticed the slow, but steady rise of the Irish player James McGee up the rankings? I know he's not British, but it shows what can be done through making a conscious decision to ply one's trade in Challenger tournaments all over the world, indispersed with a few Futures (often $15ks), rather than the other way round. He has never really shone much, doesn't often win tournaments, but is very consistent, and by plugging away at Challengers is now starting to make an impact at that level, including some very impressive wins. Now inside the top 300 for really the first time this season, he has reached the SF at Busan and is likely to be ranked around 250/260 next week at least.

His gamestyle reminds me of Jamie Baker. Very solid, not that much power, no obvious weapons, but good fighting spirit. From what I have seen, I'd certainly think that Ed Corrie is a player with more upside potential, and Dan Evans considerably so.

But how many Challengers/ATP qualies have our men ranked 200-500 even attempted this year (it's the second half of May)? James, Jamie and Boggo certainly. Kyle too (even though he was outside 500). The rest? Goodall, Evans, Smethurst, A.Ward, Corrie, Milton, Pauffley - I think it's 1 between the lot of them. The LTA's GB CH tournament elimination policy is one factor, but surely most of this rests with the players themselves - disappointing really.

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

As much as i'd like to see more people playing Challengers, however I believe that you are under the assumption that if they do so they are going to achieve some success. Goodall tried it last year and went 3-14 in Challengers & Slam qualifying beating an unranked Turkish player, junior Kyle Edmund and Vincent Millot (ranked 224 at the time). Some of our players are not cut out for Challengers, regardless of how many you play you're not immediately going to get better by just playing them.

Money is a big factor too, many would rather be cemented in a main draw, than not being seeded in challenger qualifying due to the fact there is less certainty of money or points. David Rice has tried to qualify for Challengers 11 times since 2012, only qualifying once and accumulating a feeble 10 points, which has caused his singles ranking to plummet. If they try so often and can't succeed due to not being able to compete with the higher ranked players then whats the point of continuing with challengers when futures could bring much better success?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Santoro, if there's absolutely no chance of winning a match then obviously it's daft to inscribe for the Challengers. And if you're borderline then it would probably be daft to spend the whole year doing nothing but Challengers, just on the off-chance.

But korriban's right, in my view - you have to give it a go, as part of a balanced season, or career path, to see what's possible.

Frankly, if 'some of our players are not cut out for Challengers' now, and they genuinely think that they never will be, then they should quit (stands back and waits for nuclear fallout). This doesn't jsut apply to ''our' players, of course.
Unless my maths is wrong, (and sorry if it is - written very fast and off the top of my head) if you play 17 futures and get to the semi-final 17 times (for the sake of averages), you'll have 102 points. That puts you at WR 379 (just checked) and with prize money of just under GBP 14.5 K (pre costs)
This does not work as a 'career plan'. Even with top-ups or doubles.

If you have aims and goals, a gameplan and give it a go, try, and it doesn't work out, then no problem. If you can afford to just do the tour as a sort of extended gap year, then why not?

But I have a lot of respect for Goodall and Rice - and who knows - it may actaully pay dividends via a delayed effect.
And take a look at a lot of the top-200 players - there are a large number whom you've practically never heard of, who have only got there via slog and application over the years, no fanfare, no junior career to speak of. It's perfectly possible.

As mentioned on another thread, I agree that the UK has a really interesting group of 15 or so guys, all between about 21 and 24, all with a fair bit of tennis behind them, who've done the grunt work, got through the 'student' years, are in a positive trend, some rising up the ranks very markedly - these guys are coming into their prime and should all, in my view, be aiming to be top 200, top 150, even top 100 players. Why not? How can you have a career goal of WR 400 ?

RJA · Hall of fame

Agree with korriban and Coup Droit. The futures tour is not supposed to be a viable career option. It is there as a stepping stone to the challenger tour.