Week 16 - Challenger ($100,000): Sarasota Open, Longboat Key, FL (green clay, HarTru)

korriban · Challenger level

RE: Week 16 - Challenger ($100,000): Sarasota Open, Longboat Key, FL (green clay, HarTru)

Jaffa · Challenger level

I think he heard you korriban - much better stuff from James. If I was playing Kosakowski I would get so frustrated though. SO SLOW!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Korri - since I've started watching, james has won pracitcally every point ! :::))) (came in just at the the end of the first game).

The Kos guy obviously has great defence but nothing more.

OK, James - way to go !

korriban · Challenger level

True CD, but once again, having taken back the initiative..............James sits back again and just plays the American at his own game.......letting him sneak through his service game. All the American has is pretty decent defense and consistency - perhaps there is a more aggressive Plan B, but at this point he doesn't need to employ it. I just can't understand why James goes into his state of semi-torpor when ahead in matches.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Oh, you're harsh Korri :)

The K man has an attractive backhand and the court is obviously playing SO slow - I think james is trying to be aggressive and managing reasonably well but it's so hard to actually win the point - the caly just seems to sap all the energy out of the ball . .

TMH · Futures qualifying

korriban wrote:
It should be noted that the Serb who defeated Dan Smethurst handily in the finals of both $15k Futures in the previous 2 weeks in North America (and Dan made it very clear that he was beaten by the better man) has reached the quarter final of this Challenger by knocking out the #1 seed in straight sets - puts Dan's losses into perspective, and should alert us to a potential top 100 player in waiting - Mr Krajinovic.

He would have broken the top 100 years ago if not for horrible injury woes. Broke the top 200 at 18. Very talented player, it's great to see him finally finding his top form again after a couple of years of struggling around the 200-500 mark. Just a shame it had to be in the same tournaments as Dan!

LouieG · County player

Ward loses 3-6, 6-7(4)

johnnylad · Tennis legend

loses 3&6

LouieG · County player

A real shame, Ward keeps getting these opportunities and isn't really taking them

korriban · Challenger level

LouieG wrote:
A real shame, Ward keeps getting these opportunities and isn't really taking them

So long as he keeps waiting for the other player to lose, he'll keep getting the same results in the long run. A few amazing results when there's nothing to lose and he goes for it, and many baffling and frustrating losses like today. Yes, it was a slow court, but in my book if you keep doing the same thing and not getting the outcome you want, you really need to do something different - in this case, be "sensibly" aggressive all the time......unless the opponent is beating themselves, anyway.

LouieG · County player

Frustrating too, a very winnable QF which would have yielded 35 points. The 51 points due off on week 18 will dent his ranking now unless he can put a few wins together in the next 2 weeks

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You have a point, Korri, I'm not arguing . . . it was a shame and certainly a winnable match.

I guess all I meant was that I've certainly seem James play a LOT worse than that - which might not be saying much . . . . :::(((

indiana · Tennis legend

Bah ! ( my word / hmm expression of the day )

James can be so frustrating, no doubt chiefly to himaelf.

korriban · Challenger level

TMH wrote:
korriban wrote:
It should be noted that the Serb who defeated Dan Smethurst handily in the finals of both $15k Futures in the previous 2 weeks in North America (and Dan made it very clear that he was beaten by the better man) has reached the quarter final of this Challenger by knocking out the #1 seed in straight sets - puts Dan's losses into perspective, and should alert us to a potential top 100 player in waiting - Mr Krajinovic.
He would have broken the top 100 years ago if not for horrible injury woes. Broke the top 200 at 18. Very talented player, it's great to see him finally finding his top form again after a couple of years of struggling around the 200-500 mark. Just a shame it had to be in the same tournaments as Dan!

Make that the Semi Final for the Serb now.

indiana · Tennis legend

And at least Dan took Krajinovic to a tie break in the second set last week, which is more than anyone has so far managed against him in this challenger.