Week 17 - Spain F11 ($10,000) - Móstoles (Hard)

wolf · Tennis legend

RE: Week 17 - Spain F11 ($10,000) - Móstoles (Hard)

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

1 set all in the doubles final, just about to start the mtb

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

Marcus & partner lost the MTB 10-5.

wolf · Tennis legend

Squeaky culo time for Bob.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

For the record:

Final: (1) Juan Samuel Arauzo & Iván Arenas (ESP/ESP) CR 560 defeated (3) José Checa (ESP) & Marcus Willis CR 1196 (843+353) by 6-3 5-7 [10-5] cry

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Tomorrow's final is scheduled at 2pm local (1pm UK). Marcus made a request to bring it forward as he has a flight to catch to Toulouse for French League on Sunday. The request was denied at first, but they eventually agreed to move it.

Will put match reports up when I can, but there is a rumour we are off on a Fitzy hunt in Madrid shortly.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Singles

It was clear in the early stages that Marcus was feeling his back. It was a cold (by Spanish standards) and overcast day with a chill wind which didn't help and the warmup facilities were very poor. He went an early break down before squaring the match up at 4-4 and then went on to win it on a TB. The overriding feature of the first set however were the appalling line calls. In truth, both players were equally affected and the Spanish player admitted loudly at one point that he was too scared to hit the ball near the line because of a lack on confidence in the umpire. The crowd (all 20 of them) laughed at many of the calls, describing the situation as a lottery.

The most glaring error came when Vivero was serving at *4-3 0-15. He hit a backhand cross court that was a clear 18 inches inside the line (more in Marcus' opinion) and yet is was called out. Vivero lost the plot, his concentration was gone and Marcus went on to break and win the next game to love as well.

In the end, Marcus requested a line judge and one was provided.

Back to the match though. Vivero was a player whoclearly enjoyed pace on the ball and Marcus used a lot of slice from both wings to deny him this. The frustration that this caused was clear and Marcus really took control of the match in the 2nd set and went on to win comfortably in the end.

Perhaps most important of all, was that as Marcus warmed to the task, his back warmed up as well and by the end, he was moving well.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Doubles

The first set seemed to hinge on it being doubles pair versus scratch pair. There were a few occasions when misunderstandings caused problems and calls of mine, yours, no, sorry. There were still chances to get back into it though but they couldn't get any of the "deciding" points to go their way.

In the 2nd set, although it was 7-5, Marcus and Checa played much better, and but for a few missed volleys early on, would have won the set much more easily. They were always in control however and we came to an MTB.

This was almost decided on the first point. Checa hit a super return down the middle onto the baseline - out !! Yet another bad call and they ALL knew it. Unfortunately the Anglo/Spanish partnership let it get to them and they continued to chunter about it all the way through. And with the concentration affected, they soon found themselves 6-1 down. At this point they started to gt it back together and at *4-7 with 2 Marcus "bombs" due next, there was still a chance. First serve from the ad court was out wide. The sliced return was slightly mis-hit, caught the top of the tape and dropped dead for a "clean" winner.

That was really the final straw and the other team ran out 10-5 winners.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Should also add here that Marcus is now down 14 kilos since last November. He is looking fit and healthy (apart from the back at times). He has also admitted that it has affected his game positively and but has also provided challenges. Clearly he is fitter, but says it feels "different" when he has to jump for a ball and it is taking some getting used to.

It reminded me of a story Kyle's mum told me last year in Marseille about a top junior player who suddenly had a dramatic loss of form. The reason was eventually discovered to be that his feet had shot up from size 7 to size 10 in a very short period of time and he couldn't get used to running around with bigger feet.

indiana · Tennis legend

It is great that Marcus has lost so much weight and it should be for his good in the long run.

Why it has taken so ruddy long to go for it like that remains a question, but good luck to him in general and in the final here.

indiana · Tennis legend

Thanks very much for such interesting and informative reports, Bob.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
Should also add here that Marcus is now down 14 kilos since last November. He is looking fit and healthy (apart from the back at times). He has also admitted that it has affected his game positively and but has also provided challenges. Clearly he is fitter, but says it feels "different" when he has to jump for a ball and it is taking some getting used to.

It reminded me of a story Kyle's mum told me last year in Marseille about a top junior player who suddenly had a dramatic loss of form. The reason was eventually discovered to be that his feet had shot up from size 7 to size 10 in a very short period of time and he couldn't get used to running around with bigger feet.

Brilliant reports, Bob smile

By the way, are you sure that Kyle's mum told you that story (about the shoes/feet) ?

Could well be but that's also a story I posted on this forum a year or so ago because I was involved with a talented youngster in France where this had happened (no one understood why there was such a sudden drop in form until his mum mentioned to me in passing that her shoe bills had been so high recently because his feet had grown so fast, so quick).

If it was Kyle's mum too, it shows it's more common than one would have thought !

Jan · Hall of fame

Thanks Bob
Good luck to Marcus in the final

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

It's about time we created a fund to make Bob our roving reporter all-year-round. Always very interesting to read Bob's reports, and very grateful that he takes the time to report back to us from amidst his dedicated antics.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

BeefyDeedz wrote:
It's about time we created a fund to make Bob our roving reporter all-year-round. Always very interesting to read Bob's reports, and very grateful that he takes the time to report back to us from amidst his dedicated antics.

Perhaps we could get the LTA to set up a performance bonus scheme for me based on the quality of my reports. After all, they should have plenty of cash to spare as they refuse to support anyone over 18 months old who is not already in the top 10.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Friday 1st of May 2015 09:15:03 PM