Week 45 - Challenger ($50,000) - Knoxville, TN, USA (Hard)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Week 45 - Challenger ($50,000) - Knoxville, TN, USA (Hard)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Well, that was a bit of a damp squib.

Finalists last week.

Knocked out in qualifying this week.

Marcus and Lewis lost the MTB 11-9 :(

paulisi · Tennis legend

Not much between the two pairs. Always behind in MTB. Tough loss.

indiana · Tennis legend

Pity in the doubles, but really good fighting wins by Marcus in singles qualifying. Really well deserved qualifying and the relatively few points that come with it ( though I personally do think that it is difficult to justify more and some challengers offer much easier qualifying ). I really hope he can come through that R1 match, which does look possible if still tough.

Well said, CD, re comments about Marcus. We are very much with Marcus as with other British players. Just because some of us make occasional ( hopefully often constructive ) negative comments as well as many positive comments ( and I do think that we almost all at least lean to and look for positives ) is no reason for the occasional if you're not entirely positive you are somehow against nonsense. Even worse when some supposed negatives are misconstrued. We're on the same side here ! But if you expect nothing but unadulterated positive comments and no criticisms in this forum, tough :)

I do like Marcus himself's seemingly much more chilled attitude and even occasional pretty witty at least half acknowledgement of points.

Actually, Gary, by some of Marcus's comments, you need to have a word with him. He strikes me as a Marcus doubter, been saying all sorts of things about such as his return :)

Go, Marcus and Liam !

Mwillis · Improver

My comments about return were sarcastic after I beat a huge server (lokoli) 64 62. Proving I can return, I chose to chop returns often to make my opponent generate pace which is tiring for them to do after a while, and can generate a lot of free points, if I returned like everyone else I would be easier to play....if you watched today's match I hit at least 5-10 winners off his second serve... Weight fair enough il take it on the chin and tough out players in long 3 setters. But when it comes to my tennis game/ tactics, unless you have experience of being a top player or coach then il carry on my weak returns and slow moving! Thanks to all the positive support.... You know who you are.

indiana · Tennis legend

Well done again, Marcus. But please don't go too much down the "them and us" Gary route.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Just for the sake of completeness:

FQR: Taro Daniel & Dimitar Kutrovsky (JPN/BUL) CR 1590 (1209+381) defeated (q1) Lewis Burton & Marcus Willis CR 451 (221+230) by 3-6 7-5 [11-9] bleh

Hugely disappointing. hmm

Robin · Lower Club Player

Thanks for joining the forum Marcus, it's great to hear from a player and hear your insights into your matches. I am sure I speak for everyone on the forum in that we wish to see you succeed.

Good luck in your next match!

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Marcus love it! You are obviously all in and totally committed to being the best you can be. It definitely is a them and us situation, we support all the UK players trying to make a living as elite touring pros and without them there would be no board and no one to watch, no one to support. I also considered myself to have the potential to be an elite female athlete and indeed now my total body fat is closer to 4% feel i cold definitely do it. Totally appreciate the itinerant lifestyle of a touring player makes attention to detail re diet yet another challenge and seriously difficult.

In a way it would be better if you were getting more inane comments about your physique as it means more people are interested in UK tennis and wish you well. Until a couple of years ago, although obsessed with professional sport, I had very little interest in UK men's tennis over and above that of the average UK sun sports journalist ie 2 weeks of wimbledon and no more. That changed when I went to a futures tournament and saw just how good players ranked 600 of less are.

That interest which admittedly is niche, was maintained and sustained by this forum. Hats off to Steven and the moderators as to be fair the level of knowledge and understanding of most of the other contributors is at the elite end of the nerd scale, the flow of information and detail unsurpassed after 6-9 months scratching around for information I have been totally sucked in to a group that is probably only rivaled by the comicon on line forum.

There have be lots of positive comments regarding you attitude and desire for success which not only benefits you but reflects well on British tennis and the sport in generally. Having had a very positive chance encounter with one of the other elite young british players all three of my kids now play tennis.

As a 40+ yr old bloke it is unlikely that I will ever become an elite athlete but at 350 in the world with the enormous amount of training you do developing the body of a Greek god by being T-total and closely watching the fat content of your diet will get you closer to being the best you can be and at 350 in the world I think everyone on this forum would accept that is already better than good.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Mwillis wrote:
My comments about return were sarcastic after I beat a huge server (lokoli) 64 62. Proving I can return, I chose to chop returns often to make my opponent generate pace which is tiring for them to do after a while, and can generate a lot of free points, if I returned like everyone else I would be easier to play....if you watched today's match I hit at least 5-10 winners off his second serve... Weight fair enough il take it on the chin and tough out players in long 3 setters. But when it comes to my tennis game/ tactics, unless you have experience of being a top player or coach then il carry on my weak returns and slow moving! Thanks to all the positive support.... You know who you are.

Marcus, of course you shouldn't take any notice of my comments, Or anyone elses on this forum. You have a coach ( I assume) and a strategy. This forum is not a coaching manual resource smile

However, nor is it a place where you collect your 5 year-old from nursery, look at his/her painting and say 'darling, it's SO wonderful, it's beautiful!!!!', no matter what.

People have opinions. On tennis and technique and whatever. They can voice them. You probably have opinions on top 10 tennis players, but haven't been one (yet?). You probably have opinions on top football players, on politicians, film stars, whatever. We all do. And none of us (I'm guessing) have been any of those things.

I did watch most of your two matches yesterday. I was thrilled you won the singles match, and 'suffered' in the second set (as tennis fans do). And, for what it's worth (which is VERY little) I still stand by my opinion and could go into a lot more detail. And I've also worked with some top (French) coaches, for a long time, and could ask them to look at the ATP archive stream - and I know full well what several coaches would say. Which I'm not going to do, of course. Hardly relevant.

You might also want to note that even the most diehard Andy fans on this forum will worry about his 'poor' second serve, that Laura's movement gets some negative remarks, Naomi Broady's unorthodox technique makes some people howl in horror, etc. etc. - and no one expects Andy to say 'oh, gosh, must go and work on my second serve, the forumites think it's looking a bit ropey' !!!! smile

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 5th of November 2014 09:27:48 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

I don't really want to labour the point, but in case of misinterpretation ( as seems possible ) the "them and us" that I was meaning was splitting folk ( such as in here ) into true supporters and doubting critics when actually everyone that I am aware of here are supporters of Marcus and the other British tennis players.

We are all different individuals and some choose to steer more clear of anything they see as negative. Fair enough, but it doesn't change the fact that the others are supporters, often big supporters.

As a for instance, I have given Andy stick on here eg. that second second serve and his attitude at times ( with comments on change as if I was remotely qualified or would be noticed where it could be taken on board ! ) but I could hardly be more a supporter of him.

Anyway, onward....and a successful British tennis day hopefully.

indiana · Tennis legend

Interesting about Andy ( and others ), CD. Our posts crossed :)

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

I listened to Marcus' chat with the commentator (Mike, I believe) discussing some of the negative comments he receives, arguably mainly from gamblers who bet on him, lose, then decide to vent their frustrations at Marcus directly, which is totally inexcusable.

However, those of use who post on a British Tennis forum arent doing so to vent their frustrations at losing bets, we do so because we are genuine fans of the sport and the British players who play it. As mentioned, that doesnt mean we think we know best, but we are still entitled to opinions about what we would do differently. It isnt fair to label someone with a suggestion of doing something differently a doubter/hater/negative person when they are in fact just a fan with an opinion and there is no restricting criteria on fans that means they have to be top professionals or coaches themselves.

EddietheEagle · County player

Were I in Marcus's shoes I'd be quietly talking to and absorbing from as many guys as possible who've 'been there, done it' at high level (as and when those situations arose). Whether it's weight, fitness, speed, tactics whatever, I'd sift through it all and ultimately work out what to apply to my own tennis.

Mwillis · Improver

Sure thing, I'm not offended by anyone at all and understand this is why you have the forum, to discuss views and opinions, but when I see stuff like. 'Giron took his foot off the pedal and relaxed at 40-0' I can't help but laugh. I hit a return (topspin) ;) and drop volley winner followed by 2 very good passes.... It's like we are looking at a different match here! Anyway I'm off to sort the body out. I'm not a they and us guy at all! Just thought id voice my opinion as a player... Have a good day.