Week 8 - ATP 250 - Marseille (Hard)

korriban · Challenger level

RE: Week 8 - ATP 250 - Marseille (Hard)

RJA · Hall of fame

Well it should be obvious really that you don't go from playing futures to winning regularly on ATP tour just like that. Time for Kyle to hit the challenger tour and continue developing his game.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

OK. Well let's start with the Evo match which was remarkable to say the least. Both players served exceptionally well, particularly under pressure and as I think someone noted, there were 21 BPs in the 1st two sets and only 1 was taken. That one was taken by Evo in the 1st set and was the difference between two evenly matched players. On set point, Evo went for a backhand down the line which was called out. He turned to pick up his towel and as an after thought, waved his hand at the umpire for a challenge. As he did so, he looked at coach Julien and said, "don't know why I've done that, I think it was out. Actually I know it was out." It was a very sheepish grin on his face when hawk eye showed it clipping the line.

Three times in the second set, Evo had 15-40 on the Stakhovsky serve but had very few opportunities to convert. Most were saved with big serves and there were only really two where Evo had a chance. The first, at 15-40, he went for a forehand return down the line and netted. "That wasn't stupid, that was lunacy" was his own comment about his shot selection. The next point at 30-40 was the only BP that he got into a rally, and Stakhovsky won it with a net chord. Had that ball gone in the net, Evo would have won the match IMHO.

Having said all that, Evo himself held 3 times from 0-40 with some awesome serving. Sadly, his serve deserted him slightly in the tiebreak where he DFed twice and there were more DFs in his early service games in set 3. That was really the only difference. At 5-1 down, Evo started a fightback and finally got another break. However, at 5-4 down, and needing another break, Stakhovsky finished the match off to love with service winner, ace, ace, ace. It summed up the match.

Both players played a great match and it really could have gone either way. Evo had his game face on right from the off and proved again that he absolutely belongs at this level.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

As for Kyle, it seems many of you saw the match on live stream, so I don't need to give a running commentary. My take was that the 1st set was an opportunity missed. For much of the set, Kyle matched or bettered Kamke in nearly all departments. Unfortunately, when it came to the BPs (5 in all), he seemed to panic and rush things a bit. A bit more experience and a bit more patience in those situations and I am sure he would have won the set. And as Steven noted, a hawk eye overrule on a DF at 30-40 for Kamke, when Kyle had hit a pretty decent return as well, may have been a turning point. Kamke made his 1st serve on the replayed point and went on to hold.

For me, the other area where Kamke was stronger was attacking the second serve. Perhaps it is more the case that Kyle's 2nd serve needs to improve. Greg mentioned afterwards that he would like to see more variety to keep the opponent guessing.

Unfortunately towards the end of the 1st set, Kyle began to lose rhythm completely on his serve and to be honest, he never got it back. This problem with the serve put pressure on the rest of his game and Kamke ran out an easy winner in the end. Kamke was very complimentary about Kyle in his post match interview, talking about all the BPs he had to save and openly admitted that he could easily have lost that set.

Kyle's time will undoubtedly come and there was enough evidence in that 1st set to see that he is not far away. But you can only gain experience over time and some runs in challengers may be the order of the day.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Only one GB match tomorrow. Colin and Ross are last match on Court 1.

steven · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
Well it should be obvious really that you don't go from playing futures to winning regularly on ATP tour just like that. Time for Kyle to hit the challenger tour and continue developing his game.

Very true, but hopefully that is what he'll do soon enough. He looks like he's got the game to go far, doesn't get fazed by a bigger stage and we know he works very hard - he just needs more experience taking on hardened, wily pros like Kamke and he'll get plenty of that once he's playing Challengers on a regular basis.

indiana · Tennis legend

Decent by Kyle, well certainly in the first set, but yes ATP tour may be an occasional good experience, but for some time to come challengers is where he can really progress.

As for Evo, who knows what to suggest ?! I thought it was challengers for a while. But he does his own thing and one can't have much argument about his general performances and results. Just keep playing well mate ( or even better ! ) It's great to see.

Spectator · All-time great

At a guess, the appearance (or reappearance) of Julien Hoferlin, who seems to be a good match with Mr Evans, is also something of a factor in creating the scheduling.

RJA · Hall of fame

Well he is playing qualifying at Indian Wells in two weeks time and presumably Miami two weeks after that with possibly the Irving (Dallas) challenger in between them. He is down to play the Cherbourg challenger next week but until I actually see him there I wouldn't take that as a certainty.

I get the feeling that Leon Smith has given up trying control where Dan plays. Every attempt to push him into a schedule that he isn't comfortable with seems to result in a negative reaction so I can see the case for just saying 'Okay Dan, do things your way and we will judge you on the results'. Outside of tournaments he isn't training at the NTC any more but at Nottingham and it seems that part of the reason is that he can commute there and back from Birmingham on daily basis. This doesn't really strike me as ideal and gives the strong impression of someone who still isn't reconciled to life as a tennis professional but once again maybe this is just 'Dan being Dan'. So far this year you can't argue with the results.

Spectator · All-time great

Speaking without ever having personally encountered any of the people in question - and thus with no claim to anything other than the ability to be completely and utterly wrong - I would guess that the very sage Leon Smith has devolved responsibility, recognising that Dan Evans needs someone who can both focus primarily on him and deal with his temperament without getting frustrated. Mr Evans made the first of his big runs up the rankings under M Hoferlin's tutelage in 2009 (I think) and it seems, from the little one sees of him, that M Hoferlin's personality works well with Mr Evans'.

-- Edited by Spectator on Wednesday 19th of February 2014 10:06:07 AM

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
Speaking without ever having personally encountered any of the people in question - and thus with no claim to anything other than the ability to be completely and utterly wrong - I would guess that the very sage Leon Smith has devolved responsibility, recognising that Dan Evans needs someone who can both focus primarily on him and deal with his temperament without getting frustrated. Mr Evans made the first of his big runs up the rankings under M Hoferlin's tutelage in 2009 (I think) and it seems, from the little one sees of him, that M Hoferlin's personality works well with Mr Evans'.

-- Edited by Spectator on Wednesday 19th of February 2014 10:06:07 AM

From what I have seen over the last few days, I would agree totally. They were made for each other LOL

Spectator · All-time great

Relevantly for Mr Marray and Mr Hanley, Messrs Mahut and Llodra have withdrawn from the doubles and been replaced by Messrs Shamasdin and Cerretani.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
Relevantly for Mr Marray and Mr Hanley, Messrs Mahut and Llodra have withdrawn from the doubles and been replaced by Messrs Shamasdin and Cerretani.

Interesting news. I think Jonny's & Paul's chances of a semi-final place may just have improved a little! wink

QF: (PR) Colin Fleming & Ross Hutchins CR 557 (34+523) vs Marin Draganja & Mate Pavic (CRO/CRO) CR 118 (58+60)

Priesty · Challenger level

With Evo I guess it just shows that one size doesn't fit all and while his methods may be questionable there's no denying that they've worked well for him this year. The proof in the pudding is after all in the eating, and in the past the LTA have been criticised for not encouraging individuality in players' development so if they are leaving Evo to do it his way this would seem to mark a welcome change in culture, and good evidence that sometimes leaving players to their own devices can work.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QF: (ALT) James Cerretani & Adil Shamasdin (USA/CAN) CR 290 (136+154) vs Paul Hanley (AUS) & Jonny Marray CR 128 (82+46)