Weeks 35/36 - US Open (hard) - non AM

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Weeks 35/36 - US Open (hard) - non AM

Jaffa · Challenger level

Why the shake of the head for James? He wouldn't have been expected to win that match even if he was firing.

indiana · Tennis legend

Well done to Aljaz.

Pity about Gulbis, but it certainly appears that Aljaz was playing well again and, as I think most folk suggested at the time, the performance and loss against Herbert was likely in fairly large part to be a reaction to the Simon match the day before and unlikely to be any real worry.

So, no repeat match vs Gilles, but what does look a distinctly winnable R2 match vs Donald Young.

Spectator · All-time great

Not bad and not great from Mr Ward. Glad - albeit with the usual regrets for a retiree - for Mr Bedene. The match-up with Mr Young should be interesting: both of them have been having good summers.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
L64: Aljaz Bedene WR 57 vs Donald Young (USA) WR 63 (CH = 38 in February 2012)
Young took out the eleventh seed, a certain M Simon, in five sets earlier...

Just totted up the playing time: three hours 14 minutes... Probably not enough to make a physical difference at this stage of the tournament. hmm

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

James Somethingorother

Jaffa · Challenger level

Doesn't matter anyway Aljaz will win that match. I believe he has a good record against lefties.

goldenboy · Club Coach

Aljaz seems to really be making strides this year. Expecting top 50 by year end.

Shame about James but not unexpected (though hoped he might get a set). Interesting comments from him -

"Obviously it's been tough," said the Londoner. "I've played in six of the top tournaments in the world.
"The last few weeks have been really good. I've been playing at a great level and I've been practising really well."

not sure if this is just fighting talk or if this is genuinely the case as haven't actually seen him play! Though has come up against some tough opponents.

indiana · Tennis legend

Fighting talk, which can be good in itself. James may have been practicing well and playing at a high level of tournament, but generally his play on court has not been of a particularly high level.

Reminds me a bit of Liam saying he though taking such a highly ranked player as David Goffin to a tiebreak showed that he was much closer than maybe even he thought. Well, gloss over the second and third 6-1 6-1 sets, Liam.

Two players that have had relatively poor years against expectations, though Liam in particular has a lot of time on his side.

savva0122 · Intermediate Club Player

goldenboy wrote:

Shame about James but not unexpected (though hoped he might get a set). Interesting comments from him -

"Obviously it's been tough," said the Londoner. "I've played in six of the top tournaments in the world.
"The last few weeks have been really good. I've been playing at a great level and I've been practising really well."

not sure if this is just fighting talk or if this is genuinely the case as haven't actually seen him play! Though has come up against some tough opponents.

Either that or deluded. I think he needs to take some time out and set his sights much lower. I don't see any advantage of playing "top" tournaments, getting thrashed in the first round, embarking on a 9-match losing streak. Evo has played a good schedule to get back into form (albeit after an injury), James should play low level challengers to try and get some wins together.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

To be honest James has worked so hard to get to that level he had to give it a go and earn some cash while his ranking allowed, his ranking will soon force him to play at a level that will yield some wins.

EddietheEagle · County player

I think that's right. As a general principle, play at the level your ranking affords. I'm not sure why Edmund's appearance in the qualies was being questioned either. Surely a grand slam tournament is where you want to be, whether qualies or main draw.

indiana · Tennis legend

EddietheEagle wrote:
I think that's right. As a general principle, play at the level your ranking affords. I'm not sure why Edmund's appearance in the qualies was being questioned either. Surely a grand slam tournament is where you want to be, whether qualies or main draw.

I didn't see Kyle's participation in qualies being questioned at all ( as distinct to not competing here ). Of course, a Slam is where you want to be at and I still don't know why he didn't appear in qualies last year.

Clearly not that Kyle had a choice in the matter, but the discussion / debate that Oakland and I had ( which I don't know if you are referencing ) was whether this year it would have been better for him to be in qualies or directly in the main draw, and we initiated this discussion before qualifying started.

I personally was and remain of the opinion that I would have preferred that Kyle had this year been directly into he main draw, and I won't bore with going through my reasoning again.

Of course, when his ranking at the entry date wasn't high enough, he should have played in qualifying and I'm not aware of anyone here that suggested otherwise.

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 2nd of September 2015 07:50:39 PM

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

Whataver it takes, Mr.Ward.. If James has decided such an appraisal of events is what will serve him best, so be it. Still, to lose several matches in a row and call it a great period does initially sound farcical.

LouieG · County player

Oakland2002 wrote:
To be honest James has worked so hard to get to that level he had to give it a go and earn some cash while his ranking allowed, his ranking will soon force him to play at a level that will yield some wins.

Spot on