Week 29 - Challenger ($50,000+H) - Granby, Canada (Hard)

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Week 29 - Challenger ($50,000+H) - Granby, Canada (Hard)

RJA · Hall of fame

Jaggy1876 wrote:
I think it was a case of right place at right time for Richard against Lacko who collapsed basically. 400 ranking is his limit I feel.

I think a bit higher is possible but hard to see him as more than a good futures player.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I didn't see this match (or many of Gabb's) but I'm not sure one can that someone who lost 6-3 6-4 or so, to a WR 220 or so, is therefore a 400 rank player.

I think it's also very easy - and it happens a lot of the time - to say: X is ranked WR 550, say, and therefore he's probably limited to about WR 500.

It's a trading v. investment problem - to go from your current starting point (i.e. a relative thing) as opposed to an absolute value thing.

If you look back at the threads for this time last year, or the 6 months before that, there are lots saying Dan Cox (then about 500) is limited to 400/450 or close. And that Dan S (about 400 st the time) is limited to about 350. i.e. always just a little bit higher than they are currently, but no more. Similar Dave Rice.

I'm not saying that I think that Gabb is a top 200 player - I've hardly seen him - but I do think that there is not as much difference as all that between the rankings (up to a certain point) and that many players who don't look particularly exciting suddenly have a run/get it together and make a sudden significant jump.

Here's hoping . . .

indiana · Tennis legend

When you see how many of the 1990 GB guys have advanced their ranking in the last year, I would be wary about setting any limit like WR 400 to Richard, born 1992, when he has already been so close to that mark.

I've not seen Richard play and he has had a really quiet year before this week, looking like his ranking had more downside in the short term. But a year or so ago, he was producing some promising looking results and some fairly close losses to higher ranked players.

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

I think it's easier to limit hopes for somebody you support than to openly express your opinion that they could climb and become a top-xxx player. Not that that's why Jaggy or RJA did that, but I think that that has probably played a part in my own views on certain peoples' futures. Telling yourself that, for instance, Andy Murray could only make the QF's at Wimbledon may have lessened the blow this year than openly believing in his further potential.

It's probably useless to attempt to put any general rank constraints on anybody. There are of course those special people who you know can make it, but in the midst of all the 'also-rans' there lies the potential for almost anybody to string big wins together and snowball into becoming a comfortable Challenger player.