British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

Madadman · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Week 25 - Wimbledon Qualifying

RJA · Hall of fame

A131 wrote:
EddietheEagle wrote:
Fitness is the issue and in his case will come with playing matches as he's unlikely to dedicate himself to the training required. I'd have loved to have seen him win a couple more matches and force his way into DC contention, even if only in the minds of the public.
Fitness can't be the only reason he lost - not sure if it would even be mentioned if the nationalities were reversed.

Indeed. It is frankly an insult to Sugita, who has spent the last 3 and half years inside the top 200, to suggest that he could only have won this match due to Evans' alleged lack of fitness.

For what it's worth I don't think Evo has a major fitness problem although he probably isn't quite back to 100% after a long time out. If we were to accept that occasionally breathing heavy after points indicates a lack of fitness then the half the players on the tour lack fitness. As we have discussed before he does seem to find big match tennis to be mentally tiring, probably because to compete at the top he has to play with very high intensity, but physically he has always been in pretty good shape.

-- Edited by RJA on Thursday 25th of June 2015 01:15:22 PM

RJA · Hall of fame

Madadman wrote:
Shame that Dan couldn't get the win today, look in general a tight match? Should jump up to 631 in the ranking and also a decent amount of cash for reaching the 3qr. Will be interesting to see his strategy now. I see he isn't signed in for the 15k in Frinton like a lot of other Brits. Which i don't necesairily think is a bad thing as British Futures normally have a high level of entrants. Although he might ask for a WC. I wonder weather he might instead attempt Challenger qualies.

Frankly the further away from British futures Dan is the better. Challenger qualifying is a much better option in my view, if not futures somewhere abroad.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

RJA wrote:
Slightly disappointing result but Dan has done more than enough this week to show that he is capable of fighting his way back up the rankings. I hope I am not clutching at straws if I add that this might be for the best. Returning in a blaze of glory at Wimbledon would have been very nice but it would told us nothing about Dan's willingness to knuckle down for the weekly grind of the tour. He has shown that he can still produce high level tennis, we will now have to see if can apply himself week in week out. I would be lying if I said I was optimistic but after this week I have some renewed hope that maybe, just maybe, he will.

My feelings exactly. I live in hope.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Madadman wrote:
[...] I see he isn't signed in for the 15k in Frinton like a lot of other Brits. [...]

From the Beeb's rolling sports news page:

Evans staying positive

Wimbledon qualifying

Russell Fuller

BBC tennis correspondent

Posted at14:19

Dan Evans might have lost in straight sets in the final round of Wimbledon qualifying (see 13:27 BST), but the Briton told BBC Sport he can still crack the top 100. The 25-year-old, who reached the last 32 of the US Open in 2013, has fallen to 752 in the world rankings after a knee injury. Now he plans to head for the grass courts of Frinton and Felixstowe instead.

"I love playing tennis and that's the only thing I really want to do," he said. "I still think I can be top 100 - that's why I am playing tennis. If I didn't think I could be top 100 I wouldn't be playing tennis. There's no reason why not."

Improver

RJA wrote:
Madadman wrote:
Shame that Dan couldn't get the win today, look in general a tight match? Should jump up to 631 in the ranking and also a decent amount of cash for reaching the 3qr. Will be interesting to see his strategy now. I see he isn't signed in for the 15k in Frinton like a lot of other Brits. Which i don't necesairily think is a bad thing as British Futures normally have a high level of entrants. Although he might ask for a WC. I wonder weather he might instead attempt Challenger qualies.
Frankly the further away from British futures Dan is the better. Challenger qualifying is a much better option in my view, if not futures somewhere abroad.

I disagree. Dan hasn't won many matches in the last year or so at any level, a few weeks of futures and he should (hopefully) get some wins and points, and build a bit of form and momentum before jumping back into challengers.

Madadman · Grand Slam Champion

Cheers Stircrazy. I assume they will give him a WC then.

paulisi · Tennis legend

He's remembered to enter for Felixstowe as has Ed Corrie

Miriambee · Futures level

Hopefully coming back from qualifying where he got further than all the other Brit qualifiers, and in front of a Brit crowd and other British players, will motivate him to do well in Frinton and Felixstowe. If that pushes his ranking up enough to go for challenger qualies that should help get him out of the present "rut" - not sure that's the right word for him, but best I could think of. He doesn't play well down in the 700s.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Dan was fit enough to be very competitive here in a field that would have resembled that of a fairly loaded challenger, all three games were a delight to watch, exciting tennis, today's game could have easily run a completely different course if he'd been able to hold his serve in the first after breaking Sugita's . Sugita was more consistent throughout and a worthy winner.

Dan had to graft to get here and to stay here, he must be short of a bit of conditioning work, but was only breathing hard after long rallies played from the baseline, consistent with 200m sprints, who wouldn't be.

At 25 Hopefully his priorities in life have changed, I think he can take plenty from his performance this week, the main think being that if he wants it enough and does the preparation, stays fit, he has the game to be top 100 and a GS MD regular.

Anyone know much about his new coach, exposure to the French system, a budget flight from home, where tennis is played by a broader demographic of society seems a good fit for him.

wales1994 · County player

I was there, it just seemed like he was completely outplayed. But then.... when you compare the hitting in Evans' match to that of Mathieu - Sjisling (or however you spell it) you can see he still has a long way to go.

He was playing well at some points, by no stretch of the imagination anywhere near the best I've seen him play. He kept slicing EVERY backhand, then whenever he went for a topspin backhand he missed. Maybe the slicing was his 'tactic' then from a lack of hitting backhands kept misfiring. There's a lot to work on, as mentioned earlier his fitness needs to be upped a considerable level. When you see some of the balls some of these players are getting back...

But a great tournament for him nonetheless, he was just outplayed today. I hope he can really buckle down and realise his potential! ALLEZ DAN!

Topemp · Strong Club Player

Share the view of some on here that Dan is not suited to the grind of Futures events, though he doesnt appear to be mad keen on travelling either.

As soon as he can (assuming he stays fit and gets the wins to get there) he should be aiming for Challenger/ ATP Qualies, he's a big game player, who finds it tough to motivate himself against (technically) inferior players in an empty hall.

Would love him to do well in British futures (he's great to watch, and is dead genuine guy) and then make the step back to Challengers/ ATP Qualies later this year, though like others I am living more in hope than expectation.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Oakland2002 wrote:

Anyone know much about his new coach, exposure to the French system, a budget flight from home, where tennis is played by a broader demographic of society seems a good fit for him.

I thought he was training in Nottingham, although from reports earlier in the year not very frequently.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Well 25-28 is his time, time to seize the day. He's more than good enough and good luck to him.

emma · Strong Club Player

yes,

fear not the future, weep not for the past. (Shelley)

good luck to Dan and all the British Tennis players. how wonderful it is to be able to work doing something you love :)