Week 11 - Challenger ($125,000+H) - Irving TX, USA - Outdoor Hard

Sim · County player

RE: Week 11 - Challenger ($125,000+H) - Irving TX, USA - Outdoor Hard

korriban · Challenger level

philwrig wrote:
Wardy is undroppable at the moment, but certainly Kyle could start to put some pressure on him if he keeps winning. The biggest factor in Wardy's favour is the lack of wins/ experience Kyle has in best of 5 set matches. Wardy's ability to outlast Isner was one of the biggest reasons he won that match.

Exactly right. Last year Kyle had a nasty habit of getting into winning positions in matches (set and a break up), then losing......and in some cases, collapsing spectacularly. Lack of experience, lack of fitness, opponents going for broke with nothing to lose then momentum switching......who knows?

With this in mind, it's great news that Kyle (6 months on) seems to have left that habit behind......but his relative lack of experience in general and over 5 sets in particular would rule him out in the next 12 months unless he progressed spectacularly and James went the other way.

None of us know why James can raise his game in Davis Cup but not on the tour (to date), and recent weeks suggest old habits die hard. But at 0-2 in sets against Isner we all know that Kyle would have been toast, and yet (for whatever reason) James would still believe and still have fitness and stamina to burn over 5. Still surprised he won against Isner, but I wouldn't have ruled out a win at 0-2; whereas with Kyle for the next 12 months I would.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Despite the fact that I am massive Kyle fan, Wardy is still 1st in line for DC. Wardy's ranking counts for nothing when he gets into that environment and he plays Top 50 tennis. Add that to the positive experiences he has to call on, he is "shoe-in" for the French tie.

As others have said though, Kyle's time will come and it won't be too long in coming either.

wimdledont · Challenger level

First reserve is an important role. Our Number 1 player has already had to take several months out for quite major back surgery. And at the tournament preceding the Davis Cup tie, he's not likely to retire to try to protect a minor niggle. The DC will not be his main priority over the few weeks before it.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Maybe next year perhaps the year after it might be worth having this discussion. But barring injuries Wardy is our number two. If Andy stays fit and interested into his mid thirties DC tennis could become a real treat, with a bit of creativity and forward thinking re venues and profile it maybe a real opportunity to raise the profile of tennis in the UK.

LouieG · County player

Could be a good battle for GB no.2 between James & Kyle

Jan · Hall of fame

Matches have a revised start time - 2pm local, so 7pm UK.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Boooooo

paulisi · Tennis legend

3pm now

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Cleared the decks workwise. Housework done. Emails sent. Ready to watch some good tennis and they do this to me. So what do I do now. Only thing on TV in English is CNN, which I hate with a vengeance. Just going to have to watch "Cake Boss" in Portuguese until the rain stops I suppose.

You would think that for a match of this importance, they would put it on a court with a retractable roof.