Week 35 - Belgium F11 ($15,000) - Damme (Clay)

RJA · Hall of fame

RE: Week 35 - Belgium F11 ($15,000) - Damme (Clay)

korriban · Challenger level

RJA wrote:
korriban wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
RJA wrote:
korriban wrote:
In fact of the 32 players in the MD, 18 are ranked 1000 or lower.........which is quite extraordinarily weak for a $15k in Europe
Probably due to there being six 15K events in Europe this week as well as nine 10K events
Which seriously begs the question as to why Dan Cox is playing yet another UK 10k !
I agree. I'd like to think it's a brief warm-up "at home" before a renewed go at making an impression on the Challenger circuit. Dan is on the entry list for a good selection of Challengers over the next few weeks (although that doesn't mean he intends to travel out to any of them), so stepping-up could be his next move......or not!
He can't play a challenger next week as he is committed to play the the Sheffield futures. The following week he is down to play Roehampton but has until tomorrow to withdraw if he wants to go and play qualifying at a challenger that week.

Well then I hope he gets at least 1 win, and minimum 25-30 points from the next 3 weeks of GB tournaments to give him a decent rankings boost which will give him easier qualifying and/or DAs into Challengers for the remainder of the year.........he has to give Challengers a proper go for a few months at the end of this year and early next year to test himself and make that next breakthrough.....I know Ed has struggled a bit at Challenger level (arguably more because he keeps choosing to play on clay), but at least he's sticking at it. Alex Ward has also seemed to benefit from sticking to his guns at Challenger level......and he's probably a much better and more confident player for it.

steven · Tennis legend

L16: (5) Ashley Hewitt WR 416 v James Junior Storme (BEL) WR 1643 (CH 1425 last month, 18yo)
L16: (4) Dan Smethurst WR 400 v Dimitar Grabul (MKD) WR 550 (= CH, 31yo)

Dan thrashed Grabul 3 & 0 in Lille a few months ago.

korriban · Challenger level

steven wrote:
L16: (5) Ashley Hewitt WR 416 v James Junior Storme (BEL) WR 1643 (CH 1425 last month, 18yo)
L16: (4) Dan Smethurst WR 400 v Dimitar Grabul (MKD) WR 550 (= CH, 31yo)

Dan thrashed Grabul 3 & 0 in Lille a few months ago.

But this tournament is on clay, so we should expect it to be a little closer this time. Even so, his opponent has only just reached his CH of just 550 at 31 years old - so he's not exactly Rafa Nadal.

Dan hasn't been playing well recently and it's already *0-3.

Edit: Now 3-3. That's better!

-- Edited by korriban on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 10:03:33 AM

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Dan Serving for the first set at 6-5 but is down break point

EDIT:

Tie break it is

-- Edited by johnnylad on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 10:26:11 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Dan two points away from defeat several times but manages, just, to hold serve.

But now needs to break as Dimitar serves for the match

stop press: which he does !!! Now 5-5

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 11:22:32 AM

steven · Tennis legend

It was 7-3 in the 1st set tiebreak, 8-6 in the 2nd. Damme-it!

Apart from the change in surface since they last played, Grabul also won the last but one Belgian Futures event in Eupen earlier this month.

-- Edited by steven on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 11:51:46 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

and grandpa wins the TB.

Come on Dan . . .

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

OK - another tie-break . . .

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

L16: (4) Dan Smethurst WR 400 lost to Dimitar Grabul (MKD) WR 550 (= CH, 31yo) 7/6 7/6

oh well . . ..

korriban · Challenger level

Not a bad L16 draw in a $15k, so can't complain....should be winning these matches with something to spare if there's a step jump in ranking somewhere round the corner........

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Grabul is a strange one though, with impressive results on the clay. I dont see this is a particularly bad loss tbh.

korriban · Challenger level

Ash 5-2 up first set.

Assuming he wins today, the highest ranked player left in his half would be 550, Mr Grabul. I'm minded to say if he can dispose of him in the QF, a Final place is VERY likely...........only problem is when I said that last week, he then had an out-of-body match in the QF..................so instead I'm picking him to lose today (unjinx)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: (5) Ashley Hewitt WR 416 defeated James Junior ( disbelief ) Storme (BEL) WR 1643 by 2 & 4

Ash served for the match at 5-3 in the second!

*****

QF: (5) Ashley Hewitt WR 416 vs Dimitar Grabul (MKD) WR 550

indiana · Tennis legend

That's Ashley now level on ranking points with Dan S on 93 points "in running" for the post US Open rankings.

Currently around WR 400 and GB 11 / 12.

GB 9 is the retired Jamie Baker on 106 points and GB 10 the rather inactive Boggo on 99 points, who Ashley can overtake with title winning and runner up performances respectively.

Has had quite a year, young Ashley.