Week 6 - Portugal F1 ($10,000) - Vale Do Lobo (Hard)

korriban · Challenger level

RE: Week 6 - Portugal F1 ($10,000) - Vale Do Lobo (Hard)

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, korriban, Oli's stated target for this year is top 250, which is not unreasonable for a minimum, but I agree that he might get a fair bit higher.

It remains my view that I believe he will in time make the top 100. Beyond that, it is so difficult to tell.

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
Yes, korriban, Oli's stated target for this year is top 250, which is not unreasonable for a minimum, but I agree that he might get a fair bit higher.

It remains my view that I believe he will in time make the top 100. Beyond that, it is so difficult to tell.

I agree that he has genuine top 100 potential. He has the weapons to hurt opponents with so as his game develops I can certainly see him being a very good challenger level player and hopefully a genuine tour player.

In this he varies from Cox, Corrie, Smethurst, Rice and a few other Brits who all have decent games and can do well at futures level but IMO just don't have what is needed to consistently win at a higher level.

RJA · Hall of fame

Looks like this evening's play was outdoors under lights. Tweet from Oli

"Slow conditions and lights only down 1 side of the court 🙈 Was the definition of winning ugly! Semis tomoro weather permiting!"

RJA · Hall of fame

OOP for tomorrow is out. They are going to try and play the SFs at midday and the final not before 3PM. However the weather forecast does not look promising.

Amusingly play is still going on now, 20 minutes after midnight, in the doubles. I am guessing that even in southern Portugal it will be a bit chilly at this time of night in February.

-- Edited by RJA on Sunday 9th of February 2014 01:01:04 AM

LouieG · County player

Would it be out of the question for Oli to reach 250 for Wimbledon?

RJA · Hall of fame

LouieG wrote:
Would it be out of the question for Oli to reach 250 for Wimbledon?

Of course it's not out of the question. Just win a challenger and that will nearly get him there.

In any event if he has a good year he may well get a wild card even if he isn't quite top 250. He can still get counted as a "youngster".

RJA · Hall of fame

RJA wrote:
Amusingly play is still going on now, 20 minutes after midnight, in the doubles. I am guessing that even in southern Portugal it will be a bit chilly at this time of night in February.

The one doubles SF started after midnight and despite being 6-3, 4-6 [10-8] it only lasted just over 50 minutes. Funny how players can get a move on when they want.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
OOP for tomorrow is out. They are going to try and play the SFs at midday and the final not before 3PM. However the weather forecast does not look promising.

I have to say I find this scheduling rather strange. You would think that given the unpredictability of the weather, the plan would be to get the SFs on as early as possible. They are going to kick themselves if it is dry first thing and then the rain comes in around lunchtime.

Perhaps they have more "inside info" than I have, but surely this scheduling doesn't give them the best chance of getting the whole tournament completed today.

RJA · Hall of fame

Bob in Spain wrote:
RJA wrote:
OOP for tomorrow is out. They are going to try and play the SFs at midday and the final not before 3PM. However the weather forecast does not look promising.

I have to say I find this scheduling rather strange. You would think that given the unpredictability of the weather, the plan would be to get the SFs on as early as possible. They are going to kick themselves if it is dry first thing and then the rain comes in around lunchtime.
Perhaps they have more "inside info" than I have, but surely this scheduling doesn't give them the best chance of getting the whole tournament completed today.

Problem is that one of the SF's was playing till just gone midnight in the doubles. It really wouldn't be fair to have him playing at say 9AM the following day.

Priesty · Challenger level

Oli has tweeted something about the Fulham line-up being "depressing"- so he's obviously not playing tennis, but I can't find a result anywhere so can only assume it's yet another rain delay.....

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Bob in Spain wrote:
RJA wrote:
OOP for tomorrow is out. They are going to try and play the SFs at midday and the final not before 3PM. However the weather forecast does not look promising.

I have to say I find this scheduling rather strange. You would think that given the unpredictability of the weather, the plan would be to get the SFs on as early as possible. They are going to kick themselves if it is dry first thing and then the rain comes in around lunchtime.
Perhaps they have more "inside info" than I have, but surely this scheduling doesn't give them the best chance of getting the whole tournament completed today.

I imagine if it's cold and not sunny, it might take most of the morning for the courts to properly dry out and not be slippery.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Priesty wrote:
Oli has tweeted something about the Fulham line-up being "depressing"- so he's obviously not playing tennis, but I can't find a result anywhere so can only assume it's yet another rain delay.....

He'll have been pleased with the half-time score, then: Steve Sidwell put the Cottagers 1-0 up in the 19th minute!

steven · Tennis legend

It's no longer raining now, apparently, but this time they aren't playing late (maybe there was no chance of the courts drying out) - ITF livescores now has the semis scheduled for tomorrow.

Next week's tournament is less than 10 miles away so there won't be any problems getting there. In any case, the chances of the main draw in Loulé starting any time soon are close to zero!

DWH · Club Coach

Oli started and streamed on e-tennis.

Down a break 0-2* Just the four double faults in that game :/

Not consecutively I should add. There was also a serve that was called out that Oli was not happy with and has continued to express his displeasure. I think he just got a code violation for it as well.

-- Edited by DWH on Monday 10th of February 2014 12:47:52 PM

-- Edited by DWH on Monday 10th of February 2014 12:51:13 PM