Week 28 - ATP 250 - Stuttgart (Clay)

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Week 28 - ATP 250 - Stuttgart (Clay)

korriban · Challenger level

Coup Droit wrote:
Brilliant result.

Alex has chosen quite a brave schedule and seems to be really rising to the occasion. And with no points to defend in the next couple of months, the door is wide open . . .

Good luck.

You are so right! He's sticking to clay, and getting better and better on it as the weeks go by. And by exposing himself to Challenger level players every week, he's learning more and more relevant lessons of how they play those critical points.....which broadly speaking is 75% of the difference between most players ranked between about 75 and 400. I like this approach, which in truth, is benefitting tremendously from the LTA's bonus programme, and in that sense should be the model for all our players ranked 400 and upwards.........but almost none of them have "risked it"

Well done Alex. 1 of the Qualifier spots looks winnable, the other 3 are super tough, but with 12 points and over 4,000 euro plus his LTA bonus already, perhaps he would benefit the most from playing a big gun, and learning even more.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Given this great form Alex is showing on clay and the fact that he is beating some good quality players, I wonder if he is a "dark horse" for DC selection in Sept - maybe not as 1st choice player if Murray plays, but certainly as a travelling reserve - a la Kyle and Ed in Coventry.

Great win Alex - so who do you want now ? Fognini, Davydenko, Mayer or (WC) Robin Kern ?

chavkev · Intermediate Club Player

I bet his name is getting pre-written on the cheques from the LTA just in case! Well done Alex and good luck in the main draw..

steven · Tennis legend

steven wrote:
That makes Alex the first Brit to qualify for an overseas ATP event this year (only Evo in Zagreb and Dom in Kuala Lumpur managed it last year) and the first Brit to qualify for a clay court ATP since, er, ... I'll have to get back to you on that one!

Looks like Alex is the first Brit to win a final qualifying round at an ATP main tour *clay* event since the 1980s!

I can only find:

Last ATP (ex-slam) GB qualifier: Stephen Shaw - Bordeaux ATP 1987
Last including slams: Jeremy Bates - Roland Garros 1989

Since then, all I can find are lucky loser places for Castle & Wilkinson at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and lucky loser places for Alan Mackin at both Sopot and Umag in 2005.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

He has drawn Fognini, the no.5 seed......I was hoping it would be Robin Kern

bartman2099 · Lower Club Player

Oof, fognini was probably the toughest of the 4 spots. Hopefully Alex can hold he's own against a top clay dog!

steven · Tennis legend

Alex tells me Stephen (Steve?) Shaw now lives in Northampton. They'll soon be calling it the Midlands Mallorca (or maybe not!)

FQR: Alex Ward WR 396 v Ivo Minar (CZE) WR 375 (CH 62 in 2009) by 4 & 5 biggrin

Switching to the new rankings:

L32: (Q) Alex Ward WR 382 v (5) Fabio Fognini (ITA) WR 31 (CH 24 in April)

Fognini reached the semis here in 2009.

SMC1809 · All-time great

Stircrazy wrote:
They're trading brakes at the moment: Minar to 30 in the very next game, then Alex to 15 in the seventh game of the second set! the Alex finally managed to hold: 4-4*.

Can you ask him if he's got any for an Audi A4. Mine are starting to squeak.

steven · Tennis legend

Just turned on BBC 5 Live for the Murray special and just before the 7pm news, they mentioned Alex qualifying in Stuttgart

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

SMC1809 wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
They're trading brakes at the moment: Minar to 30 in the very next game, then Alex to 15 in the seventh game of the second set! the Alex finally managed to hold: 4-4*.
Can you ask him if he's got any for an Audi A4. Mine are starting to squeak.

Immanently...

wolf · Tennis legend

Alex's match will be streamed tomorrow afternoon.

SMC1809 · All-time great

Stircrazy wrote:
SMC1809 wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
They're trading brakes at the moment: Minar to 30 in the very next game, then Alex to 15 in the seventh game of the second set! the Alex finally managed to hold: 4-4*.
Can you ask him if he's got any for an Audi A4. Mine are starting to squeak.
Immanently...

Now you must have done that one deliberately...

Spectator · All-time great

You Kant be serious! (Sorry)

TomTraubert · Futures level

I like the greater ambition of the GB guys at the moment good to see challengers and main tour being attempted more again recently. shows them where they really need to get to and no pretense
good on Alex