Entries Week 44 - 28/10/2013

korriban · Challenger level

RE: Entries Week 44 - 28/10/2013

Salmon · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
Edgbaston is looking quite weak(GB wise) given all the defectors. Suprised Marcus is not having a go at challengers yet.

Well, British players are normally conservative...

I want Marcus to mix in the Challengers with Futures, but with all due respect, I expect him to struggle a bit if he steps up this autumn/winter. He hasn't beaten too many top players in the last few months and the European Challengers around this period are packed with top 200 players.

paulisi · Tennis legend

korriban wrote:
paulisi wrote:
Edgbaston is looking quite weak(GB wise) given all the defectors. Suprised Marcus is not having a go at challengers yet.
Know what you mean, but he did lose in the first round at the $10k this week!

I get the impression he has a points target to attain rather than trying to step up a level and improve his game.....

A certain manager may well be pushing him to get inside the top 300 before the end of the season and futures is probabaly the way to go

indiana · Tennis legend

Wow, that's 14 of the GB top 21 now down for foreign challengers ( whether 14 will turn up or not, especially for qualifying, is another matter ).

4 are down for futures : Marcus, Josh G and Liam at Edgbaston and Dan C in Greece for whatever reasons.

The remaining 3 are the recuperating Andy, the retired Jamie, and Dan S ( no excuse for absence known ).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
My personal feeling is that Marcus has already exceeded expectation this year and after a 3 week stint in the heat of Kuwait, he may be a bit drained - hence the slightly surprising result this week.

I would have no problem if he decided to take a couple of weeks off and then dive head first into pre-season training, leaving the Challengers for next year.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Wednesday 16th of October 2013 03:37:25 PM

No insider knowledge but I'd tend to agree. Noone's a robot - it's difficult to start fresh each week and bring the same intensity each time. A bit of rest and then hard training for next year would certainly have some logic to it.

seagull · Hall of fame

Sam Murray has withdrawn from Barnstaple and wild cards go to Broady, Webley-Smith (who will be coming back from Nigeria), Windley and South.

-- Edited by seagull on Thursday 24th of October 2013 12:46:43 PM

paulisi · Tennis legend

It looks like Fitzy will make his long awaited return to futures tournaments as he has not withdrawn from Edgbaston.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
It looks like Fitzy will make his long awaited return to futures tournaments as he has not withdrawn from Edgbaston.

I hope you are right and there is not a last minute change of plan.

It will be ineresting to see what form he is in having not played competitively for several months. But hitting with Sloane and looking at the game from more of a coaching angle could stand him in good stead.

Either way, nothing to lose Fitzy. Go out and do your stuff.

Shhh · Challenger level

Mel seems to have received quite a few wc's to Brit tournaments?

korriban · Challenger level

seagull wrote:
Sam Murray has withdrawn from Barnstaple and wild cards go to Broady, Webley-Smith (who will be coming back from Nigeria), Windley and South.

-- Edited by seagull on Thursday 24th of October 2013 12:46:43 PM

And what would the logic be in giving Mel a singles WC, given her form this year and with a raft of younger players no doubt desperate to have a shot? Are we really saying that there's noone else remotely good enough to even stand a chance? I am baffled.

indiana · Tennis legend

I see your point, korriban.

Although with the drop off in the rankings after the GB top 11, and then further drop after the top 13, with the addition of Lucy and Mel, there probably is a fair arguement that there is hardly anyone else good enough.

Personally, I would have given Mel's WC to Lucy or Katy Dunne.

korriban · Challenger level

indiana wrote:
I see your point, korriban.

Although with the drop off in the rankings after the GB top 11, and then further drop after the top 13, with the addition of Lucy and Mel, there probably is a fair arguement that there is hardly anyone else good enough.

Personally, I would have given Mel's WC to Lucy or Katy Dunne.

Absolutely. Even one of our talented 15 year olds might have benefitted from being thrown into a big tournament like this as a learning exercise. As it is, unless there has been a quite spectacular change in Mel over the past week, we will be watching her lose almost every single point which develops into a rally of greater than about 5 shots.

indiana · Tennis legend

I'd personally be rather wary about throwing any 15 yos, however good a prospect, in here. There's a fair chance that they could be marmalised by quite a high ranked opponent, so I think you'ed almost have to make a judgement on the character and likely reaction of such a player.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Corrie is just 3 places away from the Charlottesville main draw, although I'd actually prefer him to be in the qualies. Boggo has withdrawn, which isn't a surprise, and if I were to be completely honest, I think that he has retired from full time tennis. I'd love to be wrong, though!

All three of Pauffley's Futures titles have come on carpet, so let's see how he does in Eckental? Assuming that's where he is going, of course.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Corrie 3rd alt, Rice 6th alt Charlottesville - wouldn't be surprised if both made main draw
A Ward 10th alt in Seoul, Hewitt 16th alt - Alex could sneak into main draw here.

Ward will be in the top 4 seeds in Trablagon - field looks quite weak for a challenger and potentially good chance of getting good points again.
Evo might just sneak a seeding in Seoul