Week 40 - Challenger ($100,000) - Sacramento, USA (Hard)

Tennisnow · Lower Club Player

RE: Week 40 - Challenger ($100,000) - Sacramento, USA (Hard)

indiana · Tennis legend

I know that Dan Cox has no points to defend for the next 5 months. But at approximate WR 260 is he yet really secure for getting an Aussie Open qualies spot ? I would be less concerned about draws once that was secured.

I know that Steven recently gave some details of recent cut offs, which I can't find and I believe also mentioned some travel subsidy for players that could make more turn up and hence lower the cut off.

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
I know that Dan Cox has no points to defend for the next 5 months. But at approximate WR 260 is he yet really secure for getting an Aussie Open qualies spot ? I would be less concerned about draws once that was secured.

I know that Steven recently gave some details of recent cut offs, which I can't find and I believe also mentioned some travel subsidy for players that could make more turn up and hence lower the cut off.

260 will be fine. Lots of players on or around the cut don't travel to Australia. This year the final cut dropped to around 300.

RJA · Hall of fame

Josh 6-2, *1-2

steven · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
indiana wrote:
I know that Dan Cox has no points to defend for the next 5 months. But at approximate WR 260 is he yet really secure for getting an Aussie Open qualies spot ? I would be less concerned about draws once that was secured.

I know that Steven recently gave some details of recent cut offs, which I can't find and I believe also mentioned some travel subsidy for players that could make more turn up and hence lower the cut off.
260 will be fine. Lots of players on or around the cut don't travel to Australia. This year the final cut dropped to around 300.

This year, the initial AO qualifying cut was 247 and it ended up going out to 304. If I remember right, that's fairly normal, though the cut usually only goes out to the 260s/270s until very shortly before the draw, when players who haven't made the trip tend to withdraw en masse and players around the 300 level can sometimes get in if a late space opens up.

The travel subsidy of £1000 was brought in this year but not announced (at least not to the world in general) until it was too late to make a difference to players' decisions. It might mean that some players who have missed playing qualies in the past decide to have a go next year but I doubt it will make a huge difference.

Josh is now 6-2 *2-3 - it would be a good win (and somewhat unexpected, given recent form, even though they are quite close in the rankings) if he can do it.

RJA · Hall of fame

Josh gets the break

*4-3

Salmon · Tennis legend

Cox will be fine as things stand, I'm fairly confident of that. But in any case, he has 8 more weeks to play Challengers and Tour events (where he should pick up some points) and if he still has the appetite, he can enter some Futures in the Canary Islands to pick up some points.

But I'll not be negative. He'll beat Kudla and seal the deal.

RJA · Hall of fame

Josh was broken back but once again breaks and will serve for the match

*5-4

RJA · Hall of fame

Josh was 0-40 but won 5 points in a row

QR2: Joshua Milton WR 501 beat Daniel Nguyen (USA) WR 454 : 6-2, 6-4

FQR: Joshua Milton WR 501 v Fritz Wolmarans (RSA) WR 596

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I might be completely wrong but it seems like this is Josh's first GOOD win for absolutely ages . . . really pleased for him.

RJA · Hall of fame

Strange goings on here. All 8 qualifying seeds have gone out before the final qualifying round.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Things didn't get any better for Ed & Dan S in the doubles qualies:

Q1: (WC) Erik Elliott & Matt Seeberger (USA/USA) CR 1760 defeated (q2) Ed Corrie & Dan Smethurst CR 1186 by 2 & 5

****

Main draw:

R1: Steve Johnson & Tim Smyczek (USA/USA) CR 373 vs Marcelo Arevalo (ESA) & Dan Cox CR 1613
R1: Rajeev Ram & Bobby Reynolds (USA/USA) CR 358 vs Dan Evans & Nick Kyrgios (AUS) CR 1182

Tough draws for both pairs! disbelief

Spectator · All-time great

Very good win for Mr Milton - didn't expect that. Lousy FQR draw, though. Indeed, remaining draws overall couldn't have been much worse.

korriban · Challenger level

Spectator wrote:
Very good win for Mr Milton - didn't expect that. Lousy FQR draw, though. Indeed, remaining draws overall couldn't have been much worse.

Why would playing someone ranked about 600 in the FQR of a $100k Challenger be a lousy draw? It's about as good as it gets for a North Amercian or Western European Challenger.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Excellent results so far for Josh M since he has gone to the States. You have to remember that Josh is a 500+ ranked player playing in a 100K challenger so all matches will be tough. The South African has a pedigree though and i'm not sure of the reason for the ranking drop, but don't expect Josh to win this match.

If Dan E gets past Williams the draw really opens up and there is very little to frighten him. Here's hoping for a good week.