Catch Me Up

BradMarx90 · County player

Catch Me Up

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Hi Brad.

Remember you well. Weren't you writing for an online sports news site or something. I certainly remember your reports. How far back do we need to go ?

Evo - Made 3rd round of US Open 18 months ago but since suffered a long term knee problem. Made a come back a couple of weeks ago winning a futures in Egypt. How long will it last ? Watch this space.

We have a couple of "new" Brits. Aljaz Bedene has become a Brit and is already Top 100. Bradley Klein has also transferred allegiance from Aus to GB.

Dan S had a really good start to last year but has also had injury problems.

Marcus Willis is going OK at the moment but back problems have stopped him pushing on as some had hoped. He recently won in Spain (with me shouting him on from the sidelines). You might enjoy these highlights of the final.

www.youtube.com/watch

Hope that gives you something to feed off for now.

Welcome back.

TMH · Futures qualifying

There's also Gosea and Norrie in foreigners-turned-Brits (both have British parentage I believe) who are now both at college. Keep an eye on.

Bambridge and Broady were steadily rising together last year but Bambridge has stalled (having peaked in the 500s) and fallen back since then (although he recently beat a player on the brink of the top 100 in a challenger), whilst Broady has absolutely kicked on, winning a few futures on US clay before stepping up to challengers and continuing to improve. Has struggled with results this year and perhaps hasn't pushed on as much as he would have liked.

Corrie and Cox continue to float around the 200s (both were very close to breaking the 100s at one point). Alex Ward keeps on getting injured (having had very impressive spells in between), and although finally seems to be putting a run of tournaments together now, seems to be struggling to get back to his best level. Smethurst started 2014 on fire but seems to have had permanent niggles since.

BradMarx90 · County player

Thanks guys.

I knew about Bedene already, nice to have an extra top 100 player to give the rest some more motivation.

It seems like everyone seems to be making decent progress when they're not injured. Alex Ward, Smethurst, Evo hopefully (I was a big fan of his and was delighted when he made the 3rd round of the US, like you say) and Bambo, and obviously I'm delighted to see a Yorkshireman into the main draw of RG (Go Kyle!)

Yes, I was writing for the Yorkshire Times, a local website, on some work experience. They're still going strong, although their tennis correspondent has moved on ;)

Looking forward to keeping up as we turn the corner into Wimbledon.

indiana · Tennis legend

Welcome back, Brad.

I think it would be remiss not to state that after the undoubted knee injury Evo had ( and whether there are still any issues there who knows .. ), Evo as too often in the past, by some of his actions and inactions, has again generated quite a bit of discussion re his state of mind and commitment. Hence Bob's "How long will it last ? Watch this space". Hopefuly he can yet be most of what he could be, but the clock ticks on ...

James Ward found a very pleasing level of consistency in the second half of last year. He has long had a very decent top level, but a new found real consistency week in week out brought in the ranking points thst got him very close to the top 100.

This year, in many ways helped more ny relatively fewer points to defend than his own performances, he has remained pretty close to that top 100. Speculation that that top 100 'barrier' in itself was causing him issues do it seems have some substance to them based on commenrs that have emerged from himself re thinking each week about say how many rounds he needs to win to make the top 100. He appears to know himself that he is better not getting obsessed about it. It's kind of don't think about it and don't thibk about not thinking about it !

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
We have a couple of "new" Brits. Aljaz Bedene has become a Brit and is already Top 100. Bradley Klein has also transferred allegiance from Aus to GB.

Bradley, Bob? confuse

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
We have a couple of "new" Brits. Aljaz Bedene has become a Brit and is already Top 100. Bradley Klein has also transferred allegiance from Aus to GB.
Bradley, Bob?

Bradley, Brydan, Brydan, Bradley. Klahn, Klein, Klein, Klahn.

Not the first time I have muddled those names up and probably won't be the last disbelief

No idea how I would cope if either Joao Souza or Joao Sousa became British. Would just have to give up completely.

Strongbow · All-time great

At least if it's Sousa you'll be able to steal a march on somebody. smile

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Hahaha ....... very good!

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Sousa British, fantastic! Hev had a great start to the year winning in Tazzie, Liam although not getting the points also seems to be improving, a bit like last year where he had his frustrating US ITF summer and then golden Autumn.

Katie Swan also had a bit of success in the Aussie juniors, final at 15 and won her first ITF

Couple of slightly younger girls who may also push on into the top 50 juniors and beyond when they get to 16?

Boys side cupboard a bit bare, 98's may build a presence in top 50 as they get closer to 18.

BradMarx90 · County player

What happened to Oli Golding?

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

He decided to take a break from tennis - it's starting to look as though it may be permanent.

Priesty · Challenger level

Madeline wrote:
He decided to take a break from tennis - it's starting to look as though it may be permanent.

Yes, reading between the lines it looks as though if it's not provided on his doorstep at the NTC then he doesn't care sufficiently about the sport to want to travel to do his training.

paulisi · Tennis legend

That is not quite fair as he wasn't enjoying his tennis, became disillusioned with the travelling and felt the coaching he was given was taking away his strengths in his game.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You may be right, paulisi, but that may be largely linked to what Preisty says i.e. sure. he wasn't enjoying his tennis and didn't like the travel - because he was losing and it wasn't as much fun as when it was a jaunt at the NTC.

And although we bash the LTA a lot, if one winds the clock back to pre-Wimbledon, when lots of us (me right up there) thought the LTA were wrong to insist that all the players miss WImbledon and go the States on a long 10k trip.....

Well, Liam etc. toed the line, and look where he is now. Golding decided to do it his own way and break with the LTA and their coaches. And look where that ended up .....