Week 4 - Challenger ($50,000) - Hong Kong - Hard

emma · Strong Club Player

RE: Week 4 - Challenger ($50,000) - Hong Kong - Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

Kyle at *5-5 in the first set ( one break each ). He did have a set point at his Ad in the last game.

And I'm gone, all the best, Kyle ...

Spectator · All-time great

A brief look at this match: rather mad last game to go 6 all - Mr Edmund had more break points than many players get in a match. Finally took one. Very good quality stuff: haven't seen him play for a while ... is it my imagination or has his speed and footwork improved quite a bit?

British_is_Best · County player

I was going to come on and post the same thing Spectator. Impressive set in many ways. It certainly rattled Nishioka!

freerider · Futures level

think Kyle was very lucky to win that set - skip to 1hour 11min and 20 seconds on livestream - looks like nishioka served a good ace town the tee that got called out on set point. I will give kyles forehand return winner off the second serve the benefit of the doubt that it may have clipped the line but that loked like a 50:50 call to me too

Still Kyle played a superb tie breaker but got to feel a bit for Nishioka

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Oh yes. Today definitely. 7-6 first set, comprehensively took the tie break. I can see Kyle rolling through the second set, generally overpowering his opponent. Serving much better than in QF.

Come on Kyle keep it up.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I think I just saw Kyle almost skipping on to court after taking the first game

British_is_Best · County player

Kyle serving for it at 5-0. Nishioka has thrown in the towel here.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Nishikora presently being destroyed by a Pocklington tornado.

British_is_Best · County player

Kyle wins 7-6(2), 6-0.

Spectator · All-time great

Came back for the last game 6-0. Very nice work.

British_is_Best · County player

On what I have seen today I would definitely go along with Bob's prediction for Kyle to make the top 100 this year. He seems to have gone up another level over the off season, particularly with regard to his defensive abilities. Going to be an exciting watch this year! Good luck to him for his 2nd challenger final.

freerider · Futures level

I enjoyed watching Nishioka in the first set today, and in his match vs. desein yesterday. think he has a lot of potential and hope that he is able to full-fill it. He got hung up on a couple of dodgy line calls at crucial times in the end of the first and failed to regroup for the second (Golding-esque).

I think it's a lovely centre court in Hong Kong and hope to see the stands more full for the final tomorrow.

Best of luck to Kyle and Andy in their respective finals tomorrow - could be a very special day.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Is this potentially the best weekend ever for British Tennis?

Katie age 15 junior finalist at Aussie open (ran out of steam rather than talent),
Kyle age 20 Challenger final and looking strong, perhaps on the verge of a break through similar to Andy's Binghamton challenger win
Andy Murray GS final back to the big time after back surgery

A big statement but maybe in a year or two with 20:20 hindsight we may look back on it

What a fantastic start to 2015, if it were a game of pontoon I might stick at the end of January

paulisi · Tennis legend

I caught the second set and it was so one sided, it was unbelievable. Nishioka could hardly get a first serve in and Kyle was forcing error after error.
Kyle's backhand looked impressive, the serve was big and we saw the occasional fearhand.

Kyle is flying up the rankings, but there is still room for improvement.