"La surprise du jour" the tournament's Twitter calls it
I wasn't able to watch but it sounds like that might have been a good thing. Still, Mertl is a top 200 player and all players have bad tournaments - it's trying to have them less often that is key.
The worst part really is you can't say that he simply had a bad day.
At 6-4, *1-0 he was in complete control. Totally untroubled on serve having lost just two points on it. Then one sloppy service game and his level never recovered.
Given that a year ago he was just really a regular futures player, maybe he finds it hard not to panic when things don't go according to plan at this higher level. The more he plays better quality events, the more he'll trust himself to weather any setbacks within the matches (hopefully anyway !)
"La surprise du jour" the tournament's Twitter calls it
I wasn't able to watch but it sounds like that might have been a good thing. Still, Mertl is a top 200 player and all players have bad tournaments - it's trying to have them less often that is key.
The worst part really is you can't say that he simply had a bad day.
At 6-4, *1-0 he was in complete control. Totally untroubled on serve having lost just two points on it. Then one sloppy service game and his level never recovered.
Perhaps mentally Evo thought he'd already won, at the same time as Mertl switched to "do or die" mode at a set and a break down. It happens, but still hugely frustrating.
A disappointing result. I'm afraid to say that I missed it - the order of play on the ATP website must have been Tuesday's when I looked on Monday during the middle of the day. I was looking forward to it!
I wonder how genuine the injury is? Let's hope it is just a precaution and that Dan takes his A game and his A head to IW.
Dan has withdrawn from doubles (with Mr Rice) with the reason given as "left knee"
That's a real shame for Dave (but Dave 'should' have done better in the singles too). Can't say there seemed much problem with Dan's left knee but, anyway, hope it's OK.
Dan has withdrawn from doubles (with Mr Rice) with the reason given as "left knee"
That's really tough on David. So all our hopes, not just in the doubles, but in the tournament as a whole, rest with Delgo (& Paul, who I suppose could be regarded as an honorary Brit, given his choice of recent palying partners & the fact that he lives in Sutton )!
i can't help but think - unless he's going to end up like a 32 year old journeyman - these are the matches he must win
I think you have got this the wrong way round. These are the kind of matches that a good solid journeyman ranked about 100 will win 9 times out of 10 and I just don't ever see Dan being like that. Results like this are of course very frustrating but they aren't the results that tell you much about where he is going. Where ever he ends up in the rankings Dan's career will almost certainly be a roller coaster ride, some wonderful highs and some terrible lows.
Dan has withdrawn from doubles (with Mr Rice) with the reason given as "left knee"
That's a real shame for Dave (but Dave 'should' have done better in the singles too). Can't say there seemed much problem with Dan's left knee but, anyway, hope it's OK.
I would hope that he wants to get to Indian Wells fairly quickly. After 5 weeks training and playing on quick indoor courts he could do with some time to prepare for an outdoor tournament on the notoriously slow Indian Wells courts. That is of course very tough on Dave but when you sign in too play doubles with someone who is not remotely committed to that aspect of the game this is an occupational hazard.
For me Evo is something of a male version of Robbo - performs better on the bigger stage. Frustrating defeat though.
Judging by recent results I would agree as they can easily take the approach in that when they are playing against someone much higher in the rankings then they have nothing to lose, there is no pressure on them and in a sense find it easier to perform. Just wander if Mertl took that approach the other day?
Dan has withdrawn from doubles (with Mr Rice) with the reason given as "left knee"
That's a real shame for Dave (but Dave 'should' have done better in the singles too). Can't say there seemed much problem with Dan's left knee but, anyway, hope it's OK.
I would hope that he wants to get to Indian Wells fairly quickly. After 5 weeks training and playing on quick indoor courts he could do with some time to prepare for an outdoor tournament on the notoriously slow Indian Wells courts. That is of course very tough on Dave but when you sign in too play doubles with someone who is not remotely committed to that aspect of the game this is an occupational hazard.
Let us assume that the left knee was injured, at least enough that it would have posed a risk to play on it. Certainly a niggle would help account for the poorer performance as the match went on. And, given that Mr Rice needed doubles points from this tournament, it spares us thinking that Mr Evans' would have jeopardised someone else's prospects simply so that he could get a few days' more practice in ... which I'd really rather not do.
Yes, I do think Evo should be given the benefit of any doubt here. He doesn't exactly need to have been limping in his singles match to have a niggle that there is a good case for protecting.