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Post Info TOPIC: Week 30 - Challenger ($50,000) - Lexington Challenger, USA (hard)
thejester


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RE: Week 30 - Challenger ($50,000) - Lexington Challenger, USA (hard)
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indiana wrote:
savva0122 wrote:

I don't think people are being too criticial of Ward.

His performance over the years shows him to be an average player, with one or two highlights (which happen to be in the Davis cup). Reaching 89 is an overachievement on current form (for which he should be congratulated) but his default position is probably around 200 which would explain his recent losses, rather than a perplexing problem. He lucked out at Many plabledon with Lacko and Vesely and really could and should have put away Pospisil in a poor matchdeserved to reach a CH based on his past year. t like everyone I would love to see him playing well and consistently performing, I think the truth he just isn't good enough to be in or around the top 100 consistently.

I agree his schedule is strange; can't see the logic in hauling long distances, or even trying to qualify for Masters etc, just compounds a losing schedule. I've said before he should play some Challys or even Futures to build some consistency/confidence, but the performance at the grass court Challys this year make me think he's really needs to go back to basics.

But every cloud has a silver lining; Kyle's and Liam's performances are really positive and the LTA should really be looking to these guys now to support Andy in the Davis Cup, and the country moving forward.

Best thing for James is let him slip into the background and try to rebuild his game without the glare or publicity he's had. I personally think his issues are largely psychological; there are some tennis issues (that forehand) but I'm not sure he actually knows how to get where he wants to.

I know this board is really positive and supportive of all GB players, so I apologise for the negativity, but the frustration of his poor results has got to me this time.

 

I have said my reservations about James' current form and scheduling. However I disagree with quite a lot of the above.

James did ultimately "luck out" at Wimbledon for the final step into the top 100. But you know what, over time players get good and bad luck. His consistent form in the second half of last year was generally not "luck", it was a good level of tennis, which took him to the verge of the top 100. Good stuff and although his form has dipped this year he was a bit unlucky not to have slipped into the top 100 earlier.

Yes, reaching WR 89 is greater than his current form, but rankings sensibly are based on a year's results and he deserved to reach a CH based on his last year. One can argue whether he "deserved" to be top 100 and fling stats on results about, but he won the ranking points that put him into the top 100, well done him and a target achieved. I certainly disagreed with and still do with another poster that said he was lucky to have made the top 150.

 

 

Many players go through better and worse periods in their careers, and I'm not sure of the worth of supposed "default" positions. Fact is that for a period he played consistently better and markedly raised his ranking above any average / default position.

 

 

I do think his game is in a little bit of a relative rut just now ( it happens to many ), and personally I wish he would take a bit of time out and look longer term.

 

 

And there is no reason he should not have a decent longer term, having  just within the last year played the most consistently good tennis of his career. Slip into the background? Don't agree. Even play futures!? Don't agree.

 

 

 

I have expressed my current thoughts and relative frustrations re James, but what he has done so recently he can do again, and he hardly needs put out to grass !

 

 

Spot on. Your ranking is based on a whole years worth of results, meaning (to my mind at least) that on any given day your ranking is what you've earned. On 13th July James was in the top 100 on merit, having accrued the points over 52 weeks to put him there. Today he is 106 on the world, and after the next couple of months he may be at 150, 160 or 170 in the world (or lower) and he will be then, as he is now, there on merit.



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indiana


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Indeed, because that will be his past year.

( apologies for my paragraphing and editing going a bit wonky here )

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theemptyvessel


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I do think with James that a lot of the frustration people are feeling is due to his schedule this year really not making very much sense, the frequent long haul flights and playing qualifiers at Masters events etc. just does not seem to make sense if he is looking to consolidate and push on from the gains of last year.

In contrast you could look at Aljaz for maybe the right way to push forward. I must admit I have felt frustrated at times that he has taken quite a few weeks off through the year but it does appear that he is keeping himself in great shape, working on his game and then picking the right tournaments to rack up points and keep pushing his ranking higher. He is sticking with events at which he is comfortable and on the clay which suits his game and entering a nice mix of smaller ATP events and Challengers where he is almost always picking up at least a couple of wins and keeping momentum going.

James probably needs a similar approach, more time off to rest, dedicated training blocks and then picking events that suit him and that he can reasonably expect to win a few matches at. I would hope that he sticks mainly to Challenger events after the US Open just to give himself the chance of a few deep runs and to find some confidence and rhythm and then he can attack next year with maybe a few lessons learned from 2015 and safe in the knowledge he does not have that many points to defend in the first few months and so he can afford to play a more relaxed schedule.

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Jaggy1876


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James is clearly chasing ranking points he knew that getting to 89 was one thing but also that he'd drop out within two weeks hence the chasing and silly rush to Bogota (my predictor puts another word there after three letters being careful though).

As has been said his Wimbledon draw was very lucky he didn't play his best I'd say so it's no surprise he hasn't continued it. He needs to rest these challengers are doing nothing for him.

Another problem for tennis players is when they reach their ceiling. It applies to all players. Corrie ceiling of 200, same with Cox and Josh Milton. Marcus 300 etc. We could go on.

Sometimes if players relaxed more when they get a high they'd go higher. I know the attitude should always be to better yourself but putting pressure on your game won't help. You might go higher by taking the pressure off. Easier said than done I know.

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James


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Liam's warming up...

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Jaffa


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Liam is getting stuffed!

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Stircrazy


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Things not going well for Liam:  he's just lost the first set by 0-6. cry



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Bob in Spain


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Blame it on me. Since I started watching Liam hasn't lost a game. I should have turned on earlier.

Liam was 3-0* down in the 2nd but it is now 3-2*

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Bob in Spain


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Make that Liam leading *4-3. What a turn around. I had better keep watching. Trouble is, I have to go back out to work in 30 mins.

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indiana


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Bob in Spain wrote:

Make that Liam leading *4-3. What a turn around. I had better keep watching. Trouble is, I have to go back out to work in 30 mins.

 

You're going nowhere before this match is over !



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Bob in Spain


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Can I go out now ?

Rain delay with Liam serving at *4-5 40-40

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indiana


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Bob in Spain wrote:

Can I go out now ?

Rain delay with Liam serving at *4-5 40-40

 

On your conscience be it  !



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Spectator


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Comments that express concerns about Mr Ward's schedule seem fair, and some sighs over recent results from those who wish him well are understandable (and shared). But to suggest that becoming a top 100 player, reaching the 3rd round of a Grand Slam, and having some of the most exciting DC victories in recent years can be the result of good fortune or flukes I disagree with strongly. He earned the ranking, the victories in the Wimbledon matches (Vesely is currently at WR 45, so can't be regarded as just a lucky draw), and the DC hero status. Hope he can sort out his game and earn many more accolades.

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airsmashers


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Players are warming up

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Stircrazy


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L16:  (WC) Omar Jasika (AUS) WR 281 defeated (7) Liam Broady WR 160 by 6-0 7-6(6)  bleh



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