Week 20 French Open Qualifying

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Week 20 French Open Qualifying

RJA · Hall of fame

It does worry me if James is so anxious about making the top 100 to the point where he looks at the rankings each week and how many matches he needs to win. As fans we obsess over such things but players never should, all they need to do is win matches, if they do that their ranking will take care of itself. More tellingly a player who believes that he truly belong in the top 100 wouldn't fret too much about it on a weekly basis.

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

Cheers Indy. Here, I just spent the last 20 mins on google trying to find the article. Happily i found it after remembering he used the word 'hammered' for twitter. That was another part of what he said that stayed with me. Maybe my impression was a little off what he meant and maybe not. Here:

Jan 15 2015

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/australianopen/11347728/James-Wards-boot-camp-with-Andy-Murray-holds-him-in-good-stead-in-pursuit-of-world-top-100-spot.html

".......First, he has insisted that Ward concentrates on finding the court more this year, rather than displaying his former penchant for flashy shots, especially when in trouble in rallies. "If you can get it between the lines you have a chance," says Tandy, while Ward acknowledges that he has been a lot more consistent since the pair began working together seriously in May.

Tandy's other big idea is that you must turn up because you love playing, not because you love winning. And he points out that his approach has kept Roger Federer at the top of the game for over a decade.

"It's a work in progress," said Ward. "And it's difficult sometimes to follow Darren's principals when you're looking at your ranking, or taking a hammering on Twitter, or worrying about your bank balance. But I have been trying to remove that [obsession with results] a little bit. If you think that way, you are always playing under stress, and then it's not easy to perform at such a high level."

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Big fan of James, in fact he is one of four/ five UK players that I have utmost respective for their total professionalism, not at all bothered by top 100. Naomi Cav made some good points about what really matters and james also elude to it previously. Financial circumstances. The rank that facilitates entry into the optimal level of tournament to not only score points but make a living and then make enough to invest in your game ie for James direct GS entry (I should really look through and give the mean and median for the last decade for all GS) and ATP 250 s he might go deep in And avoid having to qualify for.

Personally I feel he is the canniest of all our players in terms of making the best of this and in part that reflects his personality and the worries he has. Andy has always been very positive about James weapons ie his forehand and serve which can seriously impact top players, so perhaps he is right at the top of the performance anxiety curve but he seems to function best when taking on the additional burden of winning for the team indeed whole nation, a puzzle indeed.

Most important is the level that allows a player to fund a full time coach who will travel with him and her and allow Further development to that that sustains an entourage!

You have all also failed to identify the major stress at the moment for Mr Ward which is a unique form of SAD ( seasonal affective disorder ) that impacts his performance in the French which is obviously the availability of cup final tickets .

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Thursday 21st of May 2015 06:04:34 AM

wimdledont · Challenger level

Brydan is out on court 16, currently 1-3 down...

Jaffa · Challenger level

One bad game from Brydan cost him the first set, down the pan 6-3.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Kyle now the only one left standing:

QR2: (q31) Facundo Argüello (ARG) WR 139 defeated Brydan Klein WR 195 by 3 & 1 cry

indiana · Tennis legend

So, oakland, are you trying to tell us that James hasn't been letting getting into the top 100 ( and specifically that top 100 as distinct to say the roughly equivalent GS entry mark or just a high general ranking ) get to him?

Evidence, including very relevantly from his own mouth suggests otherwise. He clearly has been considering it all a lot.

All the best to him, and at least he is aware of it as an issue with himself ( that can lead to problems in itself, don't think about it, don't think about it, and so you do ).

Neither getting overobsessed with the top 100 or about being "hammered" on twitter can be at all helpful, quite the reverse.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

No I'm not trying to tell you anything, just the more I watch the less relevant being 101 v 99 becomes to me, in reality would it be a massive relief to have been ranked 99 once in your life ummm not convinced although DE to all 4 slams, progress deep into ATPs etc.. neans something and that is what we should attempt to capture.

James I don't know exactly how he feels but it did come after the making a living bit, which is something that has been a frustration he has commented on in the past. He can't control the importance others attach to it, personally I don't see the relevance to the individual perhaps useful when quantifying the performance of a national program's etc...

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

And then there was one.

No pressure Kyle wink

indiana · Tennis legend

I think you are point missing, Oakland.

The issue to me brought up and discussed is not how relevant and important 101, 100 ( or 99 in Tara thinking ) are to us, you or anyone else. It is how relevant and important it is to James and how much it may be effecting him.

indiana · Tennis legend

Anyway, to French Open business, come on Kyle !

KK · Club Coach

indiana wrote:
We were also treated to "Heather Bogdanovic" after Heather's defeat in Madrid.

I'm not seeing any relevant top 100 barrier for her.

Despite his protestations, it was clear his comment was not meant kindly.

What irony! Someone who has a quote on the bottom of his posts casting unpleasant aspersions on the motives of others being nasty about out tennis players who didn't quite make the top rank.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

I think you ll find there is no nasty language as you put it in my posts. Tongue in cheek perhaps. British people or tennis fans of a certain ilk have to learn to stop takings things so seriously. There is nothing wrong with dry humour no abuse or nasty feelings conveyed.

Apology accepted thanks.

Anyway moving on come on Kyle soon to be Britains number 3

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
Kyle now the only one left standing:
QR2: (q31) Facundo Argüello (ARG) WR 139 defeated Brydan Klein WR 195 by 3 & 1

I think Brydan on clay would lose to most Argentinians, and one ranked 139 is just punching way above his weight on clay. So well done to him on his previous win and no shame in that loss.