Week 16 - Challenger (€42,500) - Vercelli, Italy - red clay

Priesty · Challenger level

Week 16 - Challenger (€42,500) - Vercelli, Italy - red clay

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

I wonder how long it would take to drive from Barcelona to Vercelli ? About 10 hours at a guess. Sadly though, sometimes life gets in the way of my whacky plans.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Kyle gets Maxime Hamou in round 1.

Ranked 283, age 19, was top 10 junior 18 months ago, most definitely a clay court player - comes from the south and seriously, if you look at this results sheet, I don't think he's ever played a match on anything else. . .

No amazing results in seniors, making his way up steadily but nothing spectacular - but certainly knows his way round a dirt court !

Floody78 · Junior player

I drove from Venice to Avignon then Andorra and then Barcelona a few years ago. I would guess that it would be around 9 and a half hours based on that. Shame you're not able to do it, although I am very jealous of the tennis you get to see in that part of the world!!

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Floody78 wrote:
I drove from Venice to Avignon then Andorra and then Barcelona a few years ago. I would guess that it would be around 9 and a half hours based on that. Shame you're not able to do it, although I am very jealous of the tennis you get to see in that part of the world!!

That sounds similar to the route I took when driving back from DC in Umag about 18 months ago. Went by Venice, just south of Milan but then headed down to the coast towards Genoa, following the coastline all the way through France, down to Barcelona and beyond.

Now that was a decent drive.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

For the record:

L32: (4) Kyle Edmund WR 130 vs (Q) Maxime Hamou (FRA) WR 283 (CH = 282 at the start of the month)

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

Kyle is now the last seed left in his half of the draw before even hitting a ball, after the 7th and 8th seeds tumbled in R1 and the 1st seed was replaced by a Lucky Loser. On paper, this looks like a perfect opportunity to make serious headway towards that top-100 area. Of course, in practice, who knows what will happen.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Kyle is up an instant break - on the non-streamed court unfortunately.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Hamou breaks back 3*-4, frenchman serving.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Kyle into a tie-break

add: which he wins comfortable, 7-3 smile

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Tuesday 21st of April 2015 09:34:30 AM

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Kedders eventually romps home:

L32: (4) Kyle Edmund WR 130 defeated (Q) Maxime Hamou (FRA) WR 283 by 7-6(3) 6-1 smile

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: (4) Kyle Edmund WR 130 vs Roberto Marcora (ITA) WR 178 (= CH)

goldenboy · Club Coach

v nicely done kyle, never know how first match on new surface will go

Spaced · Lower Club Player

A match he should be winning, but a good result nonetheless. As has been mentioned his first match of the season on clay and against a clay court specialist so he'll be pleased to avoid a potential slip up. This week looks a great opportunity for him to go deep and potentially pick up his 1st challenger title!

Edit: ooops I forgot about Hong Kong, I had it in my head he lost in the final for some reason...

-- Edited by Spaced on Tuesday 21st of April 2015 10:40:10 AM

Jaffa · Challenger level

He's won one before, Spaced!

Personally think it's a tough ask against a lot of dirt specialists in the field, but it would be nice!