Week 17 - Challenger ($50,000) - Tallahassee, USA - Clay

philwrig · Hall of fame

RE: Week 17 - Challenger ($50,000) - Tallahassee, USA - Clay

paulisi · Tennis legend

I watched sets 2and 3 and was really disappointed with Liam's performance. Lots of errors, a lack of variety(until the last couple of games) and trying to hit the ball too hard. He did win though, but will need to play a lot better.

Liam hasn't got the power on the forehand to out hit most opponents, he needs to use that variety, mix up pace and spin and come to the net more.

freerider · Futures level

Stircrazy wrote:
L32: Liam Broady WR 177 defeated (Q) Sekou Bangoura (USA) WR 606 by 4-6 6-3 7-6(1)
Never in doubt...

How come Bangoura is ranked so low? Is he a college player? Saw a lot of the 3rd set and he was playing smart consistent tennis. Liam looked the better player in general but just played a couple of horrendous service games

KyleM · Lower Club Player

freerider wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
L32: Liam Broady WR 177 defeated (Q) Sekou Bangoura (USA) WR 606 by 4-6 6-3 7-6(1)
Never in doubt...
How come Bangoura is ranked so low? Is he a college player? Saw a lot of the 3rd set and he was playing smart consistent tennis. Liam looked the better player in general but just played a couple of horrendous service games

He played at the University of Florida but I don't know whether he is still there or not.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Whilst all the excitement was going on with Liam, Alex and his Aussie partner lost their doubles 6-2 6-4.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Luke and Liam got the better of Neal and Ken again last night winning 3-6 7-6(5) 10-5

philwrig · Hall of fame

Bob in Spain wrote:
Luke and Liam got the better of Neal and Ken again last night winning 3-6 7-6(5) 10-5

I watched the full coverage live. It was a match of 2 halves. Ken and Neal were in relative complete control of the match ( playing better than last week, with Bambo missing a few returns and Liam a bit flat after his long singles match ) and it looked a dead cert that they would serve out the match at 5-4 in the second not having been pressurised at all on serve , but the LBs were able to get into a couple of points and eventually it went to a deciding point which looked to be Ken and Neal's until Bambo creamed a fearhand pass. Bambo's level then rose dramatically and Liam became energised, and for the 1st time in the match the brothers were on the back foot. The TB was tight, but Bambo and Liam prevailed before never looking back in the MTB.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

paulisi wrote:
I watched sets 2and 3 and was really disappointed with Liam's performance. Lots of errors, a lack of variety(until the last couple of games) and trying to hit the ball too hard. He did win though, but will need to play a lot better.

Liam hasn't got the power on the forehand to out hit most opponents, he needs to use that variety, mix up pace and spin and come to the net more.

I watched the recording of the last 2 sets, fast forwarding between points. Liam's level wasn't great, and he was fortunate that Bangoura played a really poor tie break. Liam's most notable problem was finishing points. Many a time he would construct a point well, create the opening and then miss. He will have to play considerably better if he wants to progess much further in this tournament. On the positive side, he managed to get the W despite playing well below his best.

Does he get a couple of days off now? Usually 2nd round matches are played on a Thursday.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
Luke and Liam got the better of Neal and Ken again last night winning 3-6 7-6(5) 10-5
I watched the full coverage live. It was a match of 2 halves. Ken and Neal were in relative complete control of the match ( playing better than last week, with Bambo missing a few returns and Liam a bit flat after his long singles match ) and it looked a dead cert that they would serve out the match at 5-4 in the second not having been pressurised at all on serve , but the LBs were able to get into a couple of points and eventually it went to a deciding point which looked to be Ken and Neal's until Bambo creamed a fearhand pass. Bambo's level then rose dramatically and Liam became energised, and for the 1st time in the match the brothers were on the back foot. The TB was tight, but Bambo and Liam prevailed before never looking back in the MTB.

Gutted for Ken and Neal. I know they had some "new ideas" up their sleeve and it sounds like it was working. They have been so close, so many times recently but just can't get over the line. That has to be a lack of confidence manifesting itself at key moments.

Pleased for Liam and Luke though. If only Luke could make that breakthrough in the singles as well, so he could keep playing Challengers, then maybe this partnership with Liam could go somewhere, but it is far too soon for Luke to start thinking of himself as a doubles specialist.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

To round up the doubles results:

R1: Luke Bambridge & Liam Broady CR 540 (268+272) defeated (1) Ken Skupski & Neal Skupski CR 251 (126+125) by 3-6 7-6(5) [10-5] biggrin bleh
R1: Alex Kuznetsov & Tennys Sandgren (USA/USA) CR 641 (382+259) defeated Jason Kubler (AUS) & Alex Ward UNR by 2 & 4

******

QF: Luke Bambridge & Liam Broady CR 540 (268+272) vs Alex Kuznetsov & Tennys Sandgren (USA/USA) CR 641 (382+259)

philwrig · Hall of fame

Bob in Spain wrote:
philwrig wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
Luke and Liam got the better of Neal and Ken again last night winning 3-6 7-6(5) 10-5
I watched the full coverage live. It was a match of 2 halves. Ken and Neal were in relative complete control of the match ( playing better than last week, with Bambo missing a few returns and Liam a bit flat after his long singles match ) and it looked a dead cert that they would serve out the match at 5-4 in the second not having been pressurised at all on serve , but the LBs were able to get into a couple of points and eventually it went to a deciding point which looked to be Ken and Neal's until Bambo creamed a fearhand pass. Bambo's level then rose dramatically and Liam became energised, and for the 1st time in the match the brothers were on the back foot. The TB was tight, but Bambo and Liam prevailed before never looking back in the MTB.
Gutted for Ken and Neal. I know they had some "new ideas" up their sleeve and it sounds like it was working. They have been so close, so many times recently but just can't get over the line. That has to be a lack of confidence manifesting itself at key moments.
Pleased for Liam and Luke though. If only Luke could make that breakthrough in the singles as well, so he could keep playing Challengers, then maybe this partnership with Liam could go somewhere, but it is far too soon for Luke to start thinking of himself as a doubles specialist.

Ken was returning from the deuce side, think that may have been a change up. It was weird because for most of the match I was thinking this is just the confidence boost they need, they could easily go on and win the whole tournament and then they will start to have a solid foundation heading into the grass season, and then things changed dramatically. Credit to Bambo and Liam who were able to change the momentum and sustain that to the end of the match.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
philwrig wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
Luke and Liam got the better of Neal and Ken again last night winning 3-6 7-6(5) 10-5
I watched the full coverage live. It was a match of 2 halves. Ken and Neal were in relative complete control of the match ( playing better than last week, with Bambo missing a few returns and Liam a bit flat after his long singles match ) and it looked a dead cert that they would serve out the match at 5-4 in the second not having been pressurised at all on serve , but the LBs were able to get into a couple of points and eventually it went to a deciding point which looked to be Ken and Neal's until Bambo creamed a fearhand pass. Bambo's level then rose dramatically and Liam became energised, and for the 1st time in the match the brothers were on the back foot. The TB was tight, but Bambo and Liam prevailed before never looking back in the MTB.
Gutted for Ken and Neal. I know they had some "new ideas" up their sleeve and it sounds like it was working. They have been so close, so many times recently but just can't get over the line. That has to be a lack of confidence manifesting itself at key moments.
Pleased for Liam and Luke though. If only Luke could make that breakthrough in the singles as well, so he could keep playing Challengers, then maybe this partnership with Liam could go somewhere, but it is far too soon for Luke to start thinking of himself as a doubles specialist.
Ken was returning from the deuce side, think that may have been a change up. It was weird because for most of the match I was thinking this is just the confidence boost they need, they could easily go on and win the whole tournament and then they will start to have a solid foundation heading into the grass season, and then things changed dramatically. Credit to Bambo and Liam who were able to change the momentum and sustain that to the end of the match.

Ken told me that they were going to try a change in formation but I didn't want to say anything in case Liam and Luke read the board here. wink Like you, I continue to believe that they are just a couple of confidence boosting wins away from going on a good run. They had MPs in both matches against Liam/Luke so they can't be far away. It must be so disheartening for them at the moment.

Spectator · All-time great

Well played, BiS.

And like you, I'm very sorry for the Skupski Brothers, whom I'd love to see doing well. But (said it before, will say it again), I think Messrs B and B could be quite a good doubles team. No shame in losing to them. Frustration, maybe, but no shame.

indiana · Tennis legend

There does seem real confidence issues for the Skupski. Not sure about hearing Ken having his head in his hands recently when Neil netted a good second serve return chance to serve for it in the MTB ( it was then evidently Neil who netted on the next point which settled the match ).

Do hope they can get a good win to maybe get them going again ...

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: Liam Broady WR 177 vs (6) Bjorn Fratangelo (USA) WR 160 (= CH)