Week 44 - Challenger ($75,000) - Charlottesville, VA, USA (hard)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Week 44 - Challenger ($75,000) - Charlottesville, VA, USA (hard)

RJA · Hall of fame

Coup Droit wrote:
TMH wrote:
The one American in that top section is going to qualify isn't he?
No.

I hope that is based on your confidence of a Josh victory and not simply because there were in fact 3 Americans in the top section wink

wolf · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
Ed and Dan are playing Doubles qualifying. First round later today.

QR1: Ed Corrie & Dan Smethurst v John Harrison Richmond & Ryan Shane (USA/USA)

And after beating him twice in French futures recently, Sean & Dave have draw James Cluskey again.

R1: (4) James Cluskey & Maximilian Neuchrist (IRL/AUT) v Sean Thornley & David Rice

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
TMH wrote:
The one American in that top section is going to qualify isn't he?
No.
I hope that is based on your confidence of a Josh victory and not simply because there were in fact 3 Americans in the top section

100% vote for Josh. smile

Don't like his serve but he's seemed pretty solid recently and tomorrow that American is going to be tired and on a downer after all the buzz of today's victory wears off . . . (well, that's my theory . . . ).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

On the other hand, it's encouraging to see how strong (and under-ranked) the US college scene is because we have about 200 players involved in it and so in a year's time/two year's time we may well have new strong players ready to launch on the circuit.

paulisi · Tennis legend

I predict Josh will win in 3 sets.

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Spectator wrote:
Lot of current and former University of Virginia players here: in a sense all of ours are lucky to have avoided both Singh and Shabaz, even if it is largely because they all play each other. Only one potential point may be better than unlikely to get any. Smethurst likely to play at least one current Virginia team member, so should be a Davis Cup-type match. But yes, having most of your compatriots in your bracket is unfortunate, when no points on offer before qualification. And having almost all the rest be locals just adds to the fun!

-- Edited by Spectator on Saturday 26th of October 2013 10:06:02 AM

That's the problem with too many Brits at the same tournament

steven · Tennis legend

CD - true

RJA - yes, that's fair enough, I guess all other things weren't equal here - I just worry about players feeling pushed into giving up on Challengers before they've really had chance to get going in them, and not getting regular points from them because you are in unusually strong qualifying draws seems like the most likely reason for players dropping back down.

That said, it remains the case that the way the points work (i.e. the fact you get a lot more points for going deep in Futures than for beating similarly-ranked players in Challenger qualies) is the root cause of the problem - even Alex Ward, who has been relatively successful in Challenger/ATP qualies this year, is likely to see his ranking suffer for having played them (also due to his lack of success in Futures when he has dropped down, admittedly), yet he has had some much better wins this year than in previous years. Of course, he's still doing the right thing by playing them - if you stay down in Futures forever, you condemn yourself to almost certainly never cracking the top 200.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

R1: (4) James Cluskey & Maximilian Neuchrist (IRL/AUT) CR 302 (150+152) vs David Rice & Sean Thornley CR 560 (232+228)

DWH · Club Coach

Dave breaks again and will have another chance to serve for the set *6-5

Not to be though. Broken. 6-6 Tiebreak. Come on Dave!

-- Edited by DWH on Monday 28th of October 2013 03:12:52 PM

DWH · Club Coach

Very long game countless deuces and its still 2-1* in Dave's match break points and game points aplenty. Over 15 minutes

Edit Mike C confirms it was a roughly 22 minute game and Halebian holds 2-2

-- Edited by DWH on Monday 28th of October 2013 04:31:41 PM

DWH · Club Coach

Well done Dave! (and well done Bob wink )

Ken Skupski and Dom Inglot went to US college as well

-- Edited by DWH on Monday 28th of October 2013 04:51:28 PM

DWH · Club Coach

Double break up 5-2 and Josh will serve for the match. Come on Josh

Impressive record for Dave!

-- Edited by DWH on Monday 28th of October 2013 05:11:46 PM

DWH · Club Coach

Does it still count as tactical if it comes before your own serve?

Actually I suppose it could do.

Come on Josh. No dfs

-- Edited by DWH on Monday 28th of October 2013 05:25:29 PM

DWH · Club Coach

Dave's match has started and is streamed. 1-1