Week 24 - Challenger (€42,500) - Ilkley, GB (Grass)

RJA · Hall of fame

RE: Week 24 - Challenger (€42,500) - Ilkley, GB (Grass)

indiana · Tennis legend

For the record I make Josh's win the 17th men's GB rankings "upset" win vs just 1 the other way this grass court season.

16 of the 17 have had over 100 places rankings gap.

10 have been in qualifying, 7 in main draws.

Leading players in this have been Josh 4, Brydan 3, Luke 2, Dan S 2, Dave S 2. The 17 are completed by one each from Joe, Sean, Marcus and Alex.

The single non GB rankings "upset" win vs GB has been Luke Saville vs Brydan in the Manchester QF. Good young player, WR 220 vs WR 196, and after Brydan had beaten Baghdatis. Think I'll let him off !

Of course, like here, the GB guys are certainly usually the ones well outranked, so lots of upset opportunities.

But to my mind a pleasing number have been taken with some pretty big hits.

Well done, guyss !

paulisi · Tennis legend

Didn't see to much of the first two men's games as I was watching the girls, but watched all of Marcus's game and the last few games of Josh's win.

Josh obviously struggled in the first set, but was more aggressive in sets 2 & 3 and in the end won comfortably. The Spaniard wasn't injured, that was a tactical injury break.

Josh is excellent with his groundshots and when he controls his aggression, which he did today and serves well he wins games at challenger level. Josh's results on the grass have been very consistent and he deserves a qualifying draw wildcard for Wimbledon.

Marcus' match was very much serve dominated. Marcus broke straight away and looked real classy, but in the following game he struggled to get a first serve in and was broken straight back. After that his first serve was the best I have seen it and didn't really look in too much bother on serve.
Tie breaker was always the outcome in the first set and Marcus was always up, until he got broken, serving for the set, and was unlucky to lose out.

Second set was very much serve dominated again until the dreaded tannoy threw Marcus just as he was hitting an approach shot at 4-4 in the match and a chance to get in a position to break. That totally broke Marcus' concentration and he failed to get a first serve in and was duly broken.

I was really gutted for Marcus as the levels of each player were very close. Marcus stronger on serve. Grega stronger on the groundshots.

I seriously believe that Marcus is very under ranked and can easily play at challenger level, but there are always aspects of his game he can improve.

Today, he cut down on a lot of the chops, chips and drop shots we normally see. I think he just needs to find that balance.

His second serve stats weren't great today. Marcus can also look at being more aggressive on return of serve and a generate a little more power in the ground shots.

He looks like a challenger player and has the talented to be successful at challenger level and with some adjustments on aspects of his game could go a lot higher.

scottie1 · Futures level

paulisi wrote:
Didn't see to much of the first two men's games as I was watching the girls, but watched all of Marcus's game and the last few games of Josh's win.

Josh obviously struggled in the first set, but was more aggressive in sets 2 & 3 and in the end won comfortably. The Spaniard wasn't injured, that was a tactical injury break.

Josh is excellent with his groundshots and when he controls his aggression, which he did today and serves well he wins games at challenger level. Josh's results on the grass have been very consistent and he deserves a qualifying draw wildcard for Wimbledon.

Marcus' match was very much serve dominated. Marcus broke straight away and looked real classy, but in the following game he struggled to get a first serve in and was broken straight back. After that his first serve was the best I have seen it and didn't really look in too much bother on serve.
Tie breaker was always the outcome in the first set and Marcus was always up, until he got broken, serving for the set, and was unlucky to lose out.

Second set was very much serve dominated again until the dreaded tannoy threw Marcus just as he was hitting an approach shot at 4-4 in the match and a chance to get in a position to break. That totally broke Marcus' concentration and he failed to get a first serve in and was duly broken.

I was really gutted for Marcus as the levels of each player were very close. Marcus stronger on serve. Grega stronger on the groundshots.

I seriously believe that Marcus is very under ranked and can easily play at challenger level, but there are always aspects of his game he can improve.

Today, he cut down on a lot of the chops, chips and drop shots we normally see. I think he just needs to find that balance.

His second serve stats weren't great today. Marcus can also look at being more aggressive on return of serve and a generate a little more power in the ground shots.

He looks like a challenger player and has the talented to be successful at challenger level and with some adjustments on aspects of his game could go a lot higher.

Seen Marcus play a few times and his matches are never boring

Along with Dan Evans he is the pick of British players with finesse excluding Andy

indiana · Tennis legend

Re Marcus, it has over time been very clear that many on this forrum have wanted him to really commit to singles as against doubles for at least a couple of years or so, and were pleased to see Gary indicating that intention.

I actually wouldn't particularly question him in challengers. His performances in general and indeed some of his results have not been at all bad. What I wwould question is his lack of ambition to play much more at that level. His schedule, both in level and willlingness to travel, has long seemed far too "cosy".

To me, if he would truly go for it Marcus could certainly be top 200. Purely on ability it is slightly absurd that he has never yet reached the top 300.

But as has been said, maybe he is generally happy just having fun doing what he is doing.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Just a couple of other thinks to mention. The courts weren't as true as yesterday. Some inconsistent bounce, Marcus tried to return a first serve that bounced way over head height and there were some funny bounces for the girls on one end of the court.

Otherwise nice venue, quite busy, good atmosphere.

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
For the record I make Josh's win the 17th men's GB rankings "upset" win vs just 1 the other way this grass court season.

16 of the 17 have had over 100 places rankings gap.

10 have been in qualifying, 7 in main draws.

Leading players in this have been Josh 4, Brydan 3, Luke 2, Dan S 2, Dave S 2. The 17 are completed by one each from Joe, Sean, Marcus and Alex.

The single non GB rankings "upset" win vs GB has been Luke Saville vs Brydan in the Manchester QF. Good young player, WR 220 vs WR 196, and after Brydan had beaten Baghdatis. Think I'll let him off !

Of course, like here, the GB guys are certainly usually the ones well outranked, so lots of upset opportunities.

But to my mind a pleasing number have been taken with some pretty big hits.

Well done, guyss !

70 to 80 years ago there was a chap in Germany called Goebbels. He was pretty good when it came to propaganda but even he had nothing on this.

indiana · Tennis legend

Ha Ha, behave.

As I said, of course the GB guys in general were outranked, so a huge inbalance in GB vs non GB against the other way round ranking "shocks" is to be expected.

But to my mind, considering where our guys generally stand in the game ( and oh that it was higher ! ) we have had a pleasing number of really good wins headed in number by Josh and Brydan but with a good number of others stepping up to the plate at times.

Of course, it would have been good to see better form from one or two of our higher ranked guys plus no fitness concerns, but some gloom re results or picking on one day's set has seemed a bit unrealistic.

We are not about to conquer the world anytime soon, but credit where credit is due.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I don't know in a historical context we may be getting as close to world domination as we have for a decade or two.

I can see in the men's side UK tennis male ranking trending upwards with broader representation through and close to top 100. Andy 1-3, Kyle I think in twelve months will sit given good health between 40-70, aljaz is probably a 70-90 guy, Brydan if he keeps it together will push close to James with the potential to sit with or go past aljaz and James will be 99.

The sad thing is that of all those wins I can only see Brydan's being part of a process that will lift him to or close to top 150-100. I see breaking 150 and staying above it for for a year as qualifying a mature player (younger players, ie less than 24 slightly different as in development) to say I am/was a tennis player who earns/earnt a living on the ATP tour.

EddietheEagle · County player

Mark1968 wrote:
More nonsense on Marcus Willis, bags of talent, not likely. Serve aside his game is lacking in every department. There is no power to his game and just seems to 'spoon' the ball back. He will never be quick enough round the court to make it (top 150) as a singles player. Having seen him play live several times over the last couple of years he is no better than any other GB player and his results, which is the only way to judge a player, especially at challenger level back this up.
However I believe with the right partner he has top 100 potential in doubles and doubles is now what he needs to put first even if it means playing 15H futures to lift his ranking. I know Burton let him down but I question why his management team have not focused on the doubles aspect. Oh well, at least it's not my money down the drain.

The aspirations for his career held by posters here are probably way higher than he has for himself. What's wrong with playing futures and top level European club tennis if it brings in enough money and that's what you want to do? That appears to be his comfort zone and the level at which he operates to best effect for himself. That's up to him. He's no drain on the system and even if he possesses the skills to go higher he may not want to make the sacrifices required.

TMH · Futures qualifying

murray_2k9 wrote:
TMH wrote:
murray_2k9 wrote:
BeefyDeedz wrote:
murray_2k9 wrote:
Epic choke from Evo, *6-3 in the second set TB, lost it 6-8!
That is the least 'epic' 'choke' I've ever seen. Players often lose TB's from winning positions on serve - it's part of the TB's nature.
Behave, 6-3 up on serve, on grass, is a rare position to lose from.
Behave?

You must not see a lot of tennis, or perhaps you're just a bit sensationalist if you believe losing a tie-break from 6-3 up is an 'epic choke'. Not really sure what the grass factor has to do it with (was it even on grass? It may well have been indoors by the sounds of it) given it was a tie-break situation. Not like he served for the match on multiple occasions. It's very possible to lose 3-5 points in quick succession without 'choking'. Christ almighty.
It is incredibly rare to lose 5 points in a row in a TB, especially when three of those are on serve and MPs. However you choose to look at it, the third set would very much suggest that it was a choke, and Evo threw in the towel. Not sure what part of that makes me a sensationalist with no knowledge of tennis.

It's very evident from this post that you have no idea what a 'choke' is.

freerider · Futures level

Milton has one the first set against Bhambri on a tie break - unfortunately not on a streamed court

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Yet another terrific result from Josh who takes out Bhambri 6-3 in the 3rd. Is it too late to "upgrade" him to an MD WC for Wimbledon ?

RJA · Hall of fame

QF's of all 3 grass court challengers.

-- Edited by RJA on Wednesday 17th of June 2015 08:10:44 PM

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Gets another shot at James McGee in the QF.