Week 43 - Challenger ($50,000) - Melbourne, Australia (Hard)

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

RE: Week 43 - Challenger ($50,000) - Melbourne, Australia (Hard)

Salmon · Tennis legend

A very sloppy game from Ebden and Dino breaks.

0-1*

Salmon · Tennis legend

Well, just when I thought that this was dead... Ebden was serving for the match but Wardy breaks. 5-4*

It's not the despair...

Salmon · Tennis legend

Now Wardy breaks.

5-6*

Now behave yourself and serve it out.

steven · Tennis legend

4 games in a row from 0-6 3-5* down

Now should we be feeling sorry for those who gave up and went to bed or will we be sorry for ourselves for subjecting ourselves to another set? LOL

0-6 7-5

TMH · Futures qualifying

Broken right at the start of the third, looking lethargic again. 0-6, 7-5, 0-2*.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Frustratingly intermittent reception on this phone

Bruce · Lower Club Player

I'm giving up on Ward and going to bed

steven · Tennis legend

steven wrote:
Now should we be feeling sorry for those who gave up and went to bed or will we be sorry for ourselves for subjecting ourselves to another set?

When I wrote that, I had a horrible feeling about what the answer might be 0-6 7-5 0-4*

Someone courtside says it's very windy and there have been quite a few dodgy calls. Not that any of that has much to do with the scoreline.

RJA · Hall of fame

Utterly bizarre scoreline.

Salmon · Tennis legend

That was an awful performance and he was fairly lucky to get the set.

Anyway, the good thing is that once again he is winning matches, so hopefully he'll get the chance to avenge this next week. The points will get him to 166ish in the rankings, which is fantastic, but probably won't be good enough to secure a seeding the stronger Asian Challengers that he's going to play.

steven · Tennis legend

Sadly, two bagels with a bit of jam(my) in the middle:

SF: (8) James Ward WR 183 lost to (1) Matt Ebden (AUS) WR 109 (CH 61 in 2012) by 6-0 5-7 6-0

Ebden seemed very solid if a bit boring and nothing special. James just didn't have one of his better days - he hasn't really had one of those this week (though there has been the odd good set), but this was always going to be the match where he wouldn't get away with not being anywhere near his best.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Salmon wrote:
... so hopefully he'll get the chance to avenge this next week.

Or maybe not, Ebden isn't there in the Traralgon entry list. Although he may take a wild card?

Salmon · Tennis legend

Wardy is the third seed in Traralgon. No Ebden.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/6865/mds.pdf

Constant · Lower Club Player

Hi Guys, I was the guy court side that Steve mentioned.

Will start with the good points, Wards back hand was very sound and did look to cause Ebdon some problems. Strategy wise, he did move Edbon around quite well, but seemed to miss control length when going for a finish.

Serving has to improve as it did not seem to worry Ebdon, this let Ebdon attack far too much and dictate play.

The wind did pick up a bit and bought a cold blast from the south, but that would be for both guys, but could explain a few dodgy calls in the third set.