korriban wrote:

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Looks like Richard has retired after just 5 games with JWH, although 4-1 up.

Without being disrespectful to Richard, this is happening with such regularity now that perhaps he might want to consider whether continuing to turn up to Futures every week (or as often as his body lets him)

a) might be doing himself permanent damage.

b) is starting to block MD entries for younger players who might benefit from it.

c) might be costing him considerably more than he can ever earn, especially after treatment is factored in.

Time to call it a day, with regret perhaps, but before damage is done?

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 With respect korriban, this is the guys job so I don't think point b is relevant.  If it were wild cards then I'd agree but, not when he's making the main draw by right.

I noticed the retirement just before I went out - it must be pretty bad if he retired 4-1 up. So sorry for Bloomers, for whom it must be beyond frustrating.

I'm sure he must have considered his future a lot and korriban's point a) is a particular worry, I'm sure, but younger players aren't really getting blocked from Futures main draw places at the moment (as Shhh says, it's not as if he's getting WCs) and that shouldn't be his concern anyway. If he still loves playing (which he must do to have persevered through all this), it's up to him to weight the effects playing or not playing would have on him personally and make whatever decision is best for him.

Just a few comments about our 19-21 year-olds (still youngsters, just not with the 17/18 youngsters!)

Scott Clayton and Keelan Oakley had a good game - a pleasure for the spectators, very close (wristy spin from Scott and great net play from Keelan) and Keelan, having been out of the sport for close to a year following back surgery, has a good attitude:

Keelan Oakley ‏@KeelanOakley 6h

Lost 5 and 4, break up in boths sets, frustrating but every time I step on court I'm making improvements and creating more chances

James Marsalek was exxtremely disappointing. I know he's had a hard time this year but Tom Allen outplayed him for practically all the second set and was seriously unlucky not to win that set (long story) He shanked a lot of balls, just plain missed a lot and had nothing to scare Tom, who played well.
Toby Martin was OK but nothing more and their match tomorrow will be curious. (Myles was also not too impressive).

Not touching on most of the 'older' set, but got to mention the Josh/Adam TB match which was truly bizarre - Josh was charming as long as he was winning points and pretty foul-mouthed when he wasn't. Adam, with a face like a choir boy, argued the tinkers from the first ball and got himself so worked up I'm almost positive, at only 2-1 down in the first set, he was actually crying (from vexation, in the way kids do when they play). Very strange . . .

I'd be interested anyone who knows Liam better than me (almost everybody!) because all I saw was a fit leftie, very solid, with good court coverage. His shots had very little penetration and he was seriously lucky to win the first set - Rob, on the other hand, has some real force, uses his height, and played a great first set, marred only by a tad too many UE (which is natural given the offensive style he has). Maybe when it's less windy Liam has more power ? (Should make it clear that I liked the guy and he seems a good player but maybe I was just expecting more . . .).

Because, despite only playing 5 games, and losing 4, Josh WH confirmed my view from Wimbly Q that he is really head and shoulders above the others. He reminds me of a young Tsonga - such huge buckets of natural ability and athleticism but lacking in method - he has so many options on each shot it seems to do his head in and he likes trying things for the fun as opposed to working through tried and tested patterns of play and being 'business-like'. But the talent, technique and physique are all there. I love the bloke . . .

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Tuesday 10th of September 2013 09:00:41 PM

Sorry, korriban, this is entirely up to Richard, who I am sure is old enough and ugly enough to decide for himself !

korriban wrote:

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Yep. Considering all your points, I defer on this one 100%! He still needs to look after himself, though!

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 I doubt you'll find any disagreement on that!

indiana wrote:

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Good stuff by Isaac. I was pleased to read recently in another thread about someone seeing one of his matches recently ( he lost ) that was played in a very good spirit with mutual respect.

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 Hold on, he hasn't won yet and as I write, Toby is 2 points away from taking set 2. Nice to be just talking about tennis with regard to Isaac and it looks like he's a pretty good prospect too......we need as many of those as we can get, because there's not too many Coric's or Zverev's hidden away.

steven wrote:

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I noticed the retirement just before I went out - it must be pretty bad if he retired 4-1 up. So sorry for Bloomers, for whom it must be beyond frustrating.

I'm sure he must have considered his future a lot and korriban's point a) is a particular worry, I'm sure, but younger players aren't really getting blocked from Futures main draw places at the moment (as Shhh says, it's not as if he's getting WCs) and that shouldn't be his concern anyway. If he still loves playing (which he must do to have persevered through all this), it's up to him to weight the effects playing or not playing would have on him personally and make whatever decision is best for him.

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Exactly. It really isn't as though he is blocking other players, I would rather they got there by right and proved that they were better than Richard. The player who was hypothetically blocked form MD was Oliver Hudson who will be unranked again imminently. The player who Oliver beat was a Pole who hypothetically could have made the MD. I am glad that that didn't happen.

Richard not playing in this event does however weaken the draw, which may attract more foreign players, which leads to a fall in points going to British players. I would cheer on any of the young lads against Richard but it's always nice to have the competition.

Clearly Britain is not as attractive to the foreign players as it used to be, with a guaranteed British finalist on day 1 of MD matches.