Week 30 - Challenger ($50,000) - Lexington, KY, USA (Hard)

LouieG · County player

RE: Week 30 - Challenger ($50,000) - Lexington, KY, USA (Hard)

LouieG · County player

Ward holds from 0-30 down. 4-1*

LouieG · County player

*4-2

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Oh no 15-40 for the break back. Two aces would be nice...

LouieG · County player

Ito breaks back 4-3*

LouieG · County player

*4-4

LouieG · County player

5-4* Ito serving to stay in the match

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Woohoo another challenger semi final, congrats Wardy! Great scrap in the end, if not a little messy!

LouieG · County player

WARD WINS! 7-6(3) 3-6 6-4

thejester · Satellite level

Great scrapping from Wardy, was worried when he got a little sloppy in the middle of the 3rd but some great shotmaking, he's looking more and more rounded as a player. Future star Peliwo of Canada next - going to be tough but I've seen worse draws for a Challenger Semi. These points should put Ward in the 210's now, creeping back up the rankings.

steven · Tennis legend

ew! I thought he was the better player, but he didn't half make it difficult for himself at times! Still, another top 200 player beaten, avenging that 2011 loss in Australia, and not the toughest-looking Challenger semi to follow, even if Peliwo is a former junior no. 1 - can he make it a hat-trick, having won his other two semis this year?

QF: James Ward WR 239 beat (7) Tatsuma Ito (JPN) WR 170 (CH 60 last Oct) by 7-6(3) 3-6 6-4 biggrin

SF: James Ward WR 239 v (WC) Filip Peliwo (CAN) WR 434 (= CH)

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

It's great to have the W, but from reading the description and progress (thanks guys!) I get the impression that there were some dangerous lapses of concentration. To go 0-4 down having just one a 1st set tie break isn't good, and then surrendering the break in the third.....I was going to look at the serving stats, but the Lexington tournament has disappeared from the ATP Live score page, not sure what is going on. Maybe Ito always breaks serve that often, given that is own serve is weak.

I'll try to watch the stream tonight, would be nice to see him collect a load of points - Good luck Dino!

Steve

paulisi · Tennis legend

Excellent result and nice to see James stringing some wins together.

A victory over Peliwo could see him get back into the top 200

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Great stuff Wardy. Seems to be coming into good form and slowly climbing up the rankings

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

NB 6 pm local time for James on Stadium 1