A131 wrote:

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EddietheEagle wrote:

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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.

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Fitness can't be the only reason he lost - not sure if it would even be mentioned if the nationalities were reversed. 

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 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 wrote:

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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.

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 My feelings exactly. I live in hope.

RJA wrote:

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Madadman wrote:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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.

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.

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