Week 19 - Challenger (€50,000+H) - Samarkand, Uzbekistan - red clay

paulisi · Tennis legend

RE: Week 19 - Challenger (€50,000+H) - Samarkand, Uzbekistan - red clay

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

A sensible and logical analysis . . . I'm still going for the hair though

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Born2WinTennis wrote:
Wow is that his biggest scalp to date in terms of world ranking?

I believe it's Guido Pella on grass in Nottingham 2 years ago ranked 80odd I might be wrong though somebody else better than me can confirm.

Spaced · Lower Club Player

Great win for Luke! It would be good to see him start to make more regular inroads into chally main draws, that way him and Liam can continue to build what could be a promising doubles partnership without Bambo sacrificing progress in singles. Also, as has been mentioned, being back traveling and training with Liam and Hilton could well be bringing the best out of him, even if it's just put him in a better place mentally being around people he gets on well with.
Of course he's going to have to mix in a few 10ks and 15ks to get his ranking up, but it's good to see him having a go at challys and now seeing some success. I see a fair bit of criticism for Marcus not trying to push on out of the futures circuit, so it's good to see it paying off.

paulisi · Tennis legend

It will work out quite nicely for now, as i'm sure both will play the grass season in the UK and then it will be dependent on how Liam's ranking progresses.

There is a big financial risk for Luke to play challenger qualifiers week in week out.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Good effort!

R1: (2) Sergey Betov & Mikhail Elgin (BLR/RUS) CR 291 (86+205) defeated Luke Bambridge & Liam Broady CR 545 (268+277) by 7-5 3-6 [10-7]

They were even up a mini-break once or twice at the start of the MTB... hmm

*****

QF: Matt Ebden (AUS) & Brydan Klein CR 464 (255+171) vs (2) Sergey Betov & Mikhail Elgin (BLR/RUS) CR 291 (86+205)

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Bah

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Doesn't it depend how Luke is being funded? He played last summer on an American ITF swing with Liam which was the foundation from which Liam started progressing in challengers. I presume the LTA continue to support them both.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
It will work out quite nicely for now, as i'm sure both will play the grass season in the UK and then it will be dependent on how Liam's ranking progresses.

There is a big financial risk for Luke to play challenger qualifiers week in week out.

There's an even bigger financial risk if he plays ITF 10ks week in, week out.

With a 10k that involves travel and lodging, a player does not break even or make a very meagre profit unless he makes the final/wins the title. It's practically guaranteed to make a loss.

Therefore, from a purely financial point of view, any business model that involves 10ks is fundamentally flawed.

The only value of them is as a means to invest in yourself for the future, by experience and points.

From a business point of view, Luke would be advised to take out a contract with French league tennis, lock into 5 games and about £5,000 - £7,000 of guaranteed earnings (with zero expenses) and use that money to play challengers. The high-earning British Tour events would make sense here too.

How many of our players (since the scrapping of the top-up fund and before the prize money hikes come in) have earned 5k POST-expenses from 10-15ks? My guess would be hardly any (although doubles can help a little). So, why guarantee the loss? Why not play challengers and have the chance to make a profit, and earn money elsewhere to fund it?

paulisi · Tennis legend

Oakland2002 wrote:
Doesn't it depend how Luke is being funded? He played last summer on an American ITF swing with Liam which was the foundation from which Liam started progressing in challengers. I presume the LTA continue to support them both.

Highly unlikely the LTA fund both. Liam may have some funding, but I doubt Luke has.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
paulisi wrote:
It will work out quite nicely for now, as i'm sure both will play the grass season in the UK and then it will be dependent on how Liam's ranking progresses.

There is a big financial risk for Luke to play challenger qualifiers week in week out.

There's an even bigger financial risk if he plays ITF 10ks week in, week out.

With a 10k that involves travel and lodging, a player does not break even or make a very meagre profit unless he makes the final/wins the title. It's practically guaranteed to make a loss.
Therefore, from a purely financial point of view, any business model that involves 10ks is fundamentally flawed.
The only value of them is as a means to invest in yourself for the future, by experience and points.
From a business point of view, Luke would be advised to take out a contract with French league tennis, lock into 5 games and about £5,000 - £7,000 of guaranteed earnings (with zero expenses) and use that money to play challengers. The high-earning British Tour events would make sense here too.
How many of our players (since the scrapping of the top-up fund and before the prize money hikes come in) have earned 5k POST-expenses from 10-15ks? My guess would be hardly any (although doubles can help a little). So, why guarantee the loss? Why not play challengers and have the chance to make a profit, and earn money elsewhere to fund it?

That argument about 10ks v challenger doesn't wash unless you are hugely talented. There needs to be a balance. There are no points or cash in challenger qualifiers unless you win 3 rounds and there are expenses to boot. With a ranking over 400, you are bound to walk into a tough draw.

For 10ks you should at least be able to pick up some wins, points and prize money to cover some costs.

No issues earning money playing club tennis or British tour to supplement income.

Its all a balancing act unless you have a generous sponsor or governing body.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Brydan underway and an early break up.

LouieG · County player

Takes the first set 6-4, good stuff

Jaffa · Challenger level

Lost the second 1-6 and was 0-2 in the third, it's now 4-3*

Jaffa · Challenger level

Brydan won 6-4 1-6 6-4

That's a cracking result as he really had to dig in. The bookies had him at 5/2 which says a lot about his recent form.

Plays Bambo or Myneni next, which is just about to get underway on the same court.