Week 23 - Challenger (€42,500) - Surbiton, GB (Grass)

BradMarx90 · County player

RE: Week 23 - Challenger (€42,500) - Surbiton, GB (Grass)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

A rather happier tale than this time yesterday! wink

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Expect people will have seen the matches on livestream so just to say, the match between Luke and Josh was GREAT!.

Luke is one of my favourite players anyway (especially of the Aussie 'second' group) - nice guy, good tennis, fairplay, great fighter.

And Josh was exactly the same - so what's not to love !

Really good spirited match, Josh did SO well to keep his focus and intensity at 100% all the way through (even when losing some key points/game). Made a lot of balls, great backhands, some clever net play when needed, and Luke playing well too, and both smiling ! (I know you get paid to win, not to smile, but it's nice for the spectators

)

Dave played more very good tennis (a different player from earlier this year). And was unlucky (careless) to not get the break in the second - some easy balls dumped, just at the worst moment, hardly dumped a ball at all otherwise :( ..... But he really made Kudla work for it....

And Brydan carried on in fine form, and nearly lost his rag towards the end, when he should have closed it out easier, but didn't (there were lots of points that needed replaying because of loose balls), but (just) managed to keep himself in check (well done to him, it was tense out there) and played a good tie-break.

The Brits did good .....

Josh · Challenger level

A bit late I know I was there yesterday too. Didn't see much of Cox's first set but 2nd set was close, he was a break-up but couldn't consolidate and eventually lost out. God knows how the Skupski's were bageled in the 1st set, they played really well in from what I saw and dominated in the MTB. Sean/Darren were 4-3 up in the MTB, looking solid when Devverman dived for a ball and crashed into the chairs, cutting the back of his arm and the trainer was called for. Trainer took a while to arrive and I went to check out another court, by the time I was back they had lost the momentum and lost pretty quickly. Sean smashed a ball towards the houses over the road after losing and seemed pretty frustrated in general. Not sure if this is Phil's big scoop from Notts but can't see this being a long term partnership, other than the convenience of being the only Brit doubles specialists at Challenger level.

Not sure how obvious it was from the stream but Ed was grabbing at his back throughout the 1st set and did seem to hamper a bit him when moving out wide. I left the court after the 1st set but wasn't too surprised to see he had retired early in the 2nd.

Racket smash of the day goes to Alex Bolt who absolutely mullered his racket after losing 7-5 in the 3rd. He launched a ball out of the club after being broken at 5-all and received a point penalty without no argument and went straight to the ad-side to return down 15-0 without bothering to sit down.

Hoping to back tomorrow.

RJA · Hall of fame

Further to yesterday's comments about James' scheduling. He has entered the ATP 250 in Bogota that starts the day after the Davis Cup tie against France. It isn't surprising because it is a very weak event and James has a lot of points to defend over the summer but it does indicate that there won't be much time for rest and recuperation in his schedule.

FriendofLouieG · Lower Club Player

Do you think Leon will feel confident selecting James on current form for DC duty?

Injured or not....

indiana · Tennis legend

As I said elsewhere, I wouldn't imagine so simply based on his previous Davis Cup form. Although of course that is very relevant.

He'll surely at least want to look closely at how James shapes up back among the Davis Cup guys in the practice days leading up to the match.

But then perhaps similarly with Kyle, given his current injury and the second singles spot being realistically between the two.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

all been very close. MTO for Klein, for his back, but was right after he got broken, so maybe wanted a little 'time for contemplation'....

J-P Smith served for the first set at 5-4 but Brydan broke him back....

Now 5-5

EddietheEagle · County player

Is Klein's opponent on an earner for dropping that second set?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

And Klein comes through in three :)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QF: Brydan Klein WR 196 defeated John-Patrick Smith (AUS) WR 162 by 6-7(4) 6-1 6-3 smile

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Bryan will overtake Liam and become GB no 5 now. I've got him to be GB number 3 (4really now we have Bedene) at year end ranked 130 he's certainly heading in that direction. Kudla is the danger though he's been streets ahead so far. Milts Klein final gets a step closer though. Come on Milts!

goldenboy · Club Coach

I wonder if Klein would get a Queens WC if either James or Kyle pulls out? Certainly a chance given his form of the last couple of weeks, and he's not entered Ilkley as far as I can tell, so no problem with scheduling.

perhaps he was intending to give qualies a go anyway? (though would likely need a WC for that too given strength of the draw)

indiana · Tennis legend

Well done to Brydan.

Threatening to take out his June 2009 CH 174 when a 19 yo. Moves to 289 points.

Current WR 174 is Evgeny Donskoy on, as it happens, 289 points.

Good effort to get back up there.

bigboyjumbo · Lower Club Player

Brydan for DC