Week 8 - ATP 250 - Marseille (Hard)

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

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

RJA · Hall of fame

dorsetman wrote:
Not sure how much anyone here actually plays - but - (obvious statement) - tennis isn't played on rankings.
Sometimes you play someone whose strength plays right into a weakness of yours, or a shot that isn't working that day. This Marcora may very well have a big serve or an all-or-nothing indoor game, which can be hard to play against, you may just have to hang in there and ask them to play at that level for two full sets, you don't know...that cliché of "winning when you're not playing very well" basically.
Sometimes you don't just roll over and beat on someone you're "supposed" to beat. If upsets never happened then Evans wouldn't have caused any himself.
To win match after match easily against different game styles is a tough ask at any level - to see him go a set down and someone posting that he must have been out on the drink last night tells me that that person probably doesn't play the game much. I don't know the guy but he would not be 123 in the world if he wasn't dedicated, no matter what level of talent he has, it's a bit unfair to keep picking away at this argument now. They are all talented at his level.
Sorry for the long post but it's not as simple as: 100 point ranking difference = straightforward 2-set win.
I know it's probably that everyone wants the guys to achieve and the disappointment when they don't is difficult to take, but it's a long year and one result won't delete his points from Zagreb.
I hope he wins now I've written all this, ha!

All of this is obviously true and I never read too much into one off games. However, veteran Evo watchers will have noticed many patterns to his matches. Anybody who has watched him regularly knows that he frequently struggles with motivation and focus when playing lower ranked players. I don't know how anyone who has watched him on a regular basis could deny this and I am pretty sure that he himself accepts it.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Well he has done it now - 6-4 in the decider

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Got the win in the end. Held it together. Well done.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Good win in the end, but more importantly, ranking points collected. The top 100 beckons.

RJA · Hall of fame

Obviously a bit of a struggle but he survived which is the main thing.

RJA · Hall of fame

QR2: (q2) Dan Evans WR 123 beat Roberto Marcora (ITA) WR 348 : 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4

FQR: (q2) Dan Evans WR 123 v Henri Laaksonen (SUI) WR 241

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

Woke up in time to score-watch the final points. Good looking win! Laaksonen hasn't had a bad start to the year and has beaten a few sub-100's in qualies so it will be an interesting match. Hope Evo can pull it though.

RJA · Hall of fame

Laaksonen does have some pedigree (unlike Marcora). He has few wins against top 100 players and a fair few more against top 150 players as well as some very respectable score lines against very good players (lost 4 and 4 to Del Potro in Basel last year). I would certainly say that Dan is the favourite but not an overwhelming favourite

RJA · Hall of fame

James currently on serve at *2-3. He has pushed Giustino to duece in all three of his service games and has had 4 break points but couldn't take any of them.

RJA · Hall of fame

James finally gets the breakthrough

*4-3

RJA · Hall of fame

First set in the bag 6-4

Miriambee · Futures level

and 2-0 up in the second set.

DWH · Club Coach

Wardy serving for the match up *5-2

TMH · Futures qualifying

Now up a double break in the second and serving for the match at 6-4, *5-2.