Week 45 - Challenger ($50,000) - Traralgon 2, Australia (Hard)

TMH · Futures qualifying

RE: Week 45 - Challenger ($50,000) - Traralgon 2, Australia (Hard)

steven · Tennis legend

James isn't looking the better player now

4-6 *0-3

-- Edited by steven on Sunday 9th of November 2014 01:09:50 AM

steven · Tennis legend

Better serving in that game - he holds to love 4-6 1-3*

korriban · Challenger level

TMH wrote:
Oh dear, all going to pot now. Ward's serve has gone AWOL and he throws in 2 UEs and 2 double faults to tamely hand over the break. That was utterly woeful. 0-2*.

Millman has barely attempted to attack in the entire match: he's now a set and a break up. This is classic old style James Ward: too passive against an opponent who himself is simply trying not to lose. I'm convinced James UE count rises the more tentative he is.

TMH · Futures qualifying

Gets a break back point but can't convert. Throws in three straight UEs and it's *1-4.

steven · Tennis legend

korriban wrote:
TMH wrote:
Oh dear, all going to pot now. Ward's serve has gone AWOL and he throws in 2 UEs and 2 double faults to tamely hand over the break. That was utterly woeful. 0-2*.
Millman has barely attempted to attack in the entire match: he's now a set and a break up. This is classic old style James Ward: too passive against an opponent who himself is simply trying not to lose. I'm convinced James UE count rises the more tentative he is.

Which is sad, because he wasn't playing very tentatively at all early in the match

steven · Tennis legend

Millman breaks again and will serve for the title 4-6 1-5*

-- Edited by steven on Sunday 9th of November 2014 01:22:46 AM

TMH · Futures qualifying

And Millman breaks again.

This has been a hugely disappointing performance. Millman has barely hit a single winner and yet he's in complete control.

Wardy played well until 4-4, lost that tight game at 4-5 and went to pot.

-- Edited by TMH on Sunday 9th of November 2014 01:26:58 AM

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Strange match from Wardy, hard to place what really changed other than James not bringing his game.

steven · Tennis legend

At 30-30, James seemed to be well on top in the rally only to net - match point

steven · Tennis legend

FINAL: (2) James Ward WR 111 lost to John Millman (AUS) WR 278 (CH 126 in 2013) by 4 & 1

A sad end to an otherwise excellent week.

goldenboy · Club Coach

That second set really was woeful from james. So disappointing, and in complete contrast to yesterday's match.

One unforced error after another, and even when well on top in rallies, refused to come to the net to finish it off. Don't remember milllan hitting a winner...

Suppose I shouldn't be disappointed with his week as a whole, it's just the manner of the defeat really.

korriban · Challenger level

TMH wrote:
And Millman breaks again.

This has been a hugely disappointing performance. Millman has barely hit a single winner and yet he's in complete control.
Wardy played well until 4-4, lost that tight game at 4-5 and went to pot.

-- Edited by TMH on Sunday 9th of November 2014 01:26:58 AM

A perfect assessment of what I watched. Millman won by keeping the ball in play and waiting for UEs. James played well until it got to the business end of set 1 then nerves/panic appeared to set in.......not something new for him.........but something he had appeared to have made great progress on recently.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Disappointing ? Yes.

But I prefer to reflect on the tremendous 2nd half to the year that Wardy has had - the fact that he has improved his CH ranking again and again - that he will finish the year at another CH - that he should gain automatic direct entry into the AO main draw. Let's not forget, all the discussion at the start of the season was whether or not Evo could crack the Top 100 barrier. Very few spoke about Wardy in the same way, but he came within one win of achieving that goal.

The Top 100 will come. I am sure of that. Wardy needs to just keep focusing on continuing to improve his game and to keep believing that he is an ATP standard player - because when he is playing well, that is exactly what he is.

Great year Wardy. Plenty to be proud of. Plenty to build on. Enjoy the off season.

Having given my end of term speech, I half expect Wardy to pop up with a WC somewhere now and surprise us with one more tournament.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Spot on Bob - it has been a fantastic end to the year. Hopefully Wardy will work on the areas of his game that need tightening to anchor himself on the top 100 and come out strong in January.