Week 39 - Germany F14 ($10,000) - Hambach (Carpet)

paulisi · Tennis legend

Week 39 - Germany F14 ($10,000) - Hambach (Carpet)

steven · Tennis legend

Edited the top post to correct the name of the town.

Neil won two of his three Futures titles here in both 2012 and 2013 (the other was also on carpet, in the Czech Republic) but lost in R1 last year.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

R32:Keelan Oakley WR 1347 def. Hannes Wagner(GER) WR 994 6-4 6-4

Hannes is 19 and an ex-top 50 junior too so nice one Keelan

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Neil was up 6-3 5-3 but ended up losing the second set 5-7 (lost 4 straight games). Will wait to see the outcome before going 'Sherbert, get thy man to a mental game coach !!!!!'

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I take it all back

Neil wins 7-5 in the third . . .

good stuff!

sherbert · Lower Club Player

Should have served it out in the second though!! I tried again, but he won't go. Said he didn't play very well. The guy he played upped his game in the second and third sets. The second time he won this tournament, he played really badly until the final. The 1 seed is the guy he lost to here last year. He's also about 500 ranking places higher than last year. Neil loves a 1 seed though!

indiana · Tennis legend

Sometimes the quieter ones think too much, which can be a bad thing. I'm one.

Good though to see Neil coming through a tight one.

Topemp · Strong Club Player

Whilst Neil deserves great credit for hanging in there after 2nd set disappointment, the scale of the setback from 5-3 30-0 to 5-7 is pretty worrying again.

From Sherbert's posts it appears that Neil does create mental barriers for himself which appear to undermine his undoubted potential. He's not in any way unusual in finding serving out matches tough (it was notable that in 3rd set he broke in 12th game rather than needing to serve it out) but he also appears to have created a block about kinds of lesser players he can't beat (grinders) hope he can get support with this.
He has tough draw in 2nd round with the WC Number 1 seed, good luck Neil!!

sherbert · Lower Club Player

You are definitely right about the grinders. I'm just not sure what to think of it at all. Just very worried that he is getting older and has never reached his full potential. Might regret saying this on Thursday - but Neil rarely seems to lose to a foreign player 2 times on the trot, so I'm hoping he might win. However, the 1 seed has obviously come on a long way since last year. See if I'm right on Thursday!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Neil and Keelan lost their doubles, 6-3 6-4

sherbert · Lower Club Player

They never do well in the dubs together! You may all already know this, but if not, you can watch Neil's match live. www.dittelbrunn-open.com He should be on court 1 around 5ish if the matches aren't too far behind.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Keelan lost to the 4th seed 6-1 7-6 (4)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

sherbert wrote:
They never do well in the dubs together! You may all already know this, but if not, you can watch Neil's match live. www.dittelbrunn-open.com He should be on court 1 around 5ish if the matches aren't too far behind.

That's an excellent link, sherbert - thanks !

3-3

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Neil lost the first set but came back to win the second. Currently *2-2 in the decider. Another nail biter for Sherbert to sit through.

sherbert · Lower Club Player

3 sets every bloody time!