Week 31 - Great Britain F15 ($15,000) - Nottingham (Hard)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

RE: Week 31 - Great Britain F15 ($15,000) - Nottingham (Hard)

SMC1809 · All-time great

Stircrazy wrote:
johnnylad wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
philwrig wrote:
I fancy Smethy to get in there.
Are you a betting man, Phil?
Smethy takes the second set 6-3
You were saying, JL?

I think he was saying Smethy takes the second set 6-3.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Stircrazy wrote:
philwrig wrote:
I fancy Smethy to get in there.
Are you a betting man, Phil?

I've been known to have the occasional flutter ;)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
philwrig wrote:
I fancy Smethy to get in there.
Are you a betting man, Phil?
I've been known to have the occasional flutter ;)

biggrin

steven · Tennis legend

FINAL: (5) Dan Cox WR 461 beat (4) Ashley Hewitt WR 465 by 6-4 3-6 6-1

So, back to back 15K titles for Dan, taking full advantage of the relatively weak fields (hopefully he'll use the rankings boost to start having a go at Challengers while he's still in such good form) and 3 Futures singles titles in 5 weeks.

His success (combined with the virtually unprecedented number of Brits in the 300-500 range and the widening gap between Wardy/Evo and the rest, which could be close to or perhaps even more than 100 places on Monday depending on how Evo does today) means that having been outside the top 500 and GB no. 18 on 8 July, Dan will (in just 5 weeks) have risen 12 places in the GB ranks to GB no. 6 (just 2 points off being GB no. 4) and be back in the ATP top 350 on Monday week!

philwrig · Hall of fame

No doubt Dan has the ability to be effective in Challengers, but injuries have held him back. Another very solid week for Ash, he really has backed up his form from May.

steven · Tennis legend

Yes, Ashley will be up over 300 places this year when this week's points get added.

There's a bit of a changing of the guard behind James and Dan now that Jamie and Josh have retired (and Boggo, sadly, seems to have vanished) - although the GB no. 4 will be well outside the top 300 on Monday, 4 of 7 Brits who will be in the 300-400 range on Monday have made big jumps up the rankings this year (Dave Rice, who will be up more than 200, Ed Corrie up about 200, Dan Cox up about 150 even before this week's points go on, and Alex Ward up about 100), then there is Kyle just outside the top 400 and up over 150 places, not to mention Ashley Hewitt, Marcus Willis & Tom Farquharson in the 400-500 range, who will have risen a total of around 1500 places this year between the three of them by Monday!

steven · Tennis legend

Dan: "It's been physically very hard the last 5 weeks but its bloody been worth it! #needsomerestsoon"

Salmon · Tennis legend

I am a bit worried that he has another tournament to play next week. Whilst the axe of 15 points to defend hangs heavily, the last thing he needs is another injury.

Summer Title Count:

Andy Murray - 2
Dan Cox - 3

He is two or three good Futures away from the top 300, I think, but he does need to get started with the Challengers given that he has hit some form. We all knew that Dan had the ability to win Futures titles and so it's time he steps up.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I agree with you, Salmon.

Dan's had a great few weeks - so pleased to see him back.

But if his wrist is remotely causing him grief then he should take it easy - he's obviously played more tennis than he'd have expected (for the best reasons, of course) and he could make the argument that he's already defended his 15 points this week. And he has absolutley no points to defend after the 15.
(And Challengers have the advantage of pushing the boundaries without really running the risk of playing 5 back-to-back matches).

I'm sure both Dan and all his camp are well aware of his body, and the risks, so if he plays next week that'll mean he's fine - but it's certainly a consideration.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, if defending 15 points is any great priority in Dan playing next week then he is an idiot.

Trusting that he is not an idiot, if he plays next week, like Coup Droit I will presume then that he has no serious concerns re injury or overtiredness.

RJA · Hall of fame

philwrig wrote:
No doubt Dan has the ability to be effective in Challengers, but injuries have held him back. Another very solid week for Ash, he really has backed up his form from May.

I don't see any basis for such a claim.

Dan has played in the main draw of 23 challenger events (either as a DA, WC or Qualifier). He has reached 1 QF (over 4 years ago), lost in the second round on six occasions and lost in the first round 16 times. He has demonstrated, both before and since his injury problems, that he is a very good player at futures level but he has yet to show that he can step up and enjoy success at challenger level.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I agree with your analysis, RJA - Dan has certainly been highly unsuccessful in his forays into Challengers so far.

But I think that given his physique, it was always unlikely that he was going to make an impact as a 20 or 21 year-old.

It's obviously not perfect that he's relatively short and slight for a pro tennis player but, maybe now, as he gets nearer to reaching the male 'prime' years, and the extra strength and power that comes with, he can impose himself a bit better.
It certainly would seem right to try again.

scottie1 · Futures level

RJA wrote:
philwrig wrote:
No doubt Dan has the ability to be effective in Challengers, but injuries have held him back. Another very solid week for Ash, he really has backed up his form from May.
I don't see any basis for such a claim.
Dan has played in the main draw of 23 challenger events (either as a DA, WC or Qualifier). He has reached 1 QF (over 4 years ago), lost in the second round on six occasions and lost in the first round 16 times. He has demonstrated, both before and since his injury problems, that he is a very good player at futures level but he has yet to show that he can step up and enjoy success at challenger level.

Personally I think Dan Cox is a very hard working player and makes the most of the talent that he has been given. However I agree that his performances at Challenger level have not been inspiring. He has to give it a go to see how he copes, I think his lack of height would be a disadvantage in todays tennis. He has no big weapons to trouble top players just as Jamie Baker was a trier and I would put Dan in the same category. I think todays runner up Ashley Hewiit has more potential than Dan.

philwrig · Hall of fame

RJA wrote:
philwrig wrote:
No doubt Dan has the ability to be effective in Challengers, but injuries have held him back. Another very solid week for Ash, he really has backed up his form from May.
I don't see any basis for such a claim.
Dan has played in the main draw of 23 challenger events (either as a DA, WC or Qualifier). He has reached 1 QF (over 4 years ago), lost in the second round on six occasions and lost in the first round 16 times. He has demonstrated, both before and since his injury problems, that he is a very good player at futures level but he has yet to show that he can step up and enjoy success at challenger level.

I'm not talking about resuilts, I saw him closeup last year or the year before at Notts and was amazed at his ball striking ability for such a small chap. He was hitting the ball bigger than James Ward in the doubles match I was watching. Irrespective of his results to date I have no doubt with rediscovered confidence he would now be in a position to compete effectively at this level. We shall see hopefully soon.