Week 40 - Challenger (€106,500+H), Mons, Belgium (Hard)

Topemp · Strong Club Player

RE: Week 40 - Challenger (€106,500+H), Mons, Belgium (Hard)

Topemp · Strong Club Player

Now *2-5 and Khachanov taking no prisoners on serve, has won 16 of 17 points on serve in 3rd set. Another example that, at this level, you just can't let your level drop for a game at the start of the third set (didn't see it, so not saying that's what happened, but wouldn't be surprised), because these players are good enough to just slam the door on you.

Hope KK gets tight, but no sign of it yet.

Topemp · Strong Club Player

Before he can think about breaking, James has to hold serve, 15-40 down and 2 match points to KK

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
Dino claims the second set by 6-4 to steady the ship & take the match into a decider.

... only to fall badly at the final hurdle:

L16: (Q) Karen Khachanov (RUS) WR 166 defeated James Ward WR 150 by 6-1 4-6 6-2 disbelief

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

well, overall, the Russian most certainly deserved that match....

Topemp · Strong Club Player

GSM Khachanov 6-1 4-6 6-2, in truth he dominated vast majority of that except 5 games in the middle.

thejester · Satellite level

Shame James couldn't carry any momentum into the decider. I wouldn't normally say winning a solitary match at a challenger qualifies as a good week for James but after his recent run, stopping the first round rot was a good place to start. KK looks good, and James still looks to be lacking the full confidence to really go for his game. Hopefully a few more wins over the next couple of weeks will come, and he can get some of that confidence flowing again.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

Well no wins on the main tour since Wimbledon - received way too much hype for beating a lucky loser and a half-fit Vesely.

bigboyjumbo · Lower Club Player

A131 wrote:
Well no wins on the main tour since Wimbledon - received way too much hype for beating a lucky loser and a half-fit Vesely.

completely agree

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Also agree with the above comments The Wimbledon victory was a stoke of luck simply isn't a top 100 player. Leon should be looking elsewhere. Evans Edmund and Klein are better players.

Similar level to another one of our British number 2s from a few year ago. Dare I say it

RJA · Hall of fame

A131 wrote:
Well no wins on the main tour since Wimbledon - received way too much hype for beating a lucky loser and a half-fit Vesely.

Not to mention a LL who is a basically a clay courter. That being said James did play very well against Pospisil and it really is shocking that his Wimbledon run didn't do anything for his confidence. Over the next few weeks he is playing some pretty weak challengers (Tashkent then 2 in India) so he really should be able to get some wins on the board.

indiana · Tennis legend

Pity, bit better seemingly this week but that's better than very poor.

Must admit I missed all this supposed hype James got for Wimbledon. Certainly on this forum there were plenty who put in caveats at the time including myself and some above who are reitterating doubts previously expressed. Don't generally recall all that was said but there was a pretty sceptical number here, maybe even majority I'm not sure. Yes, some thought he deserved more credit, but I think were having to fairly push to express that opinion. In general I didn't see this supposed hype

So anyway, skilled GB tennis player required, ideally fairly adept on clay, healthy and in some sort of form, to play second singles in the Davis Cup Final. Someone stand up, please, in the next six weeks or so.

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 02:20:07 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

Jaggy1876 wrote:
Also agree with the above comments The Wimbledon victory was a stoke of luck simply isn't a top 100 player. Leon should be looking elsewhere. Evans Edmund and Klein are better players.

Similar level to another one of our British number 2s from a few year ago. Dare I say it

A lot of truth in that now but the form that James displayed in the second half of last year was consistently good, certainly a consistency that had previously been lacked.

Without going back and analysing his wins and losses and who against I saw no particular luck that he got himself to the fringes of the top 100. He did look a top 100 player ( that 6 months form produced over a whole year would have had him well into the top 100 ) and I expected him to push quite readily into the top 100 in the relative first half of 2015 window that he had rather than just finally do it at Wimbledon.

So yes I share much of the concerns re his form this year ( and that form now is very relevant to the upcoming Davis Cup Final ) and it is a great pity he has gone backwards, but I don't think an impression should be given that James was never a top 100 player.

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 02:30:30 PM

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

For me the discussion around whether James was a top 100 player centres around whether you say a top 100 player is one who can beat top 10 players, or one who can beat top 100 players consistently. James comes under the former - especially last year. So I would say he was towards the end of last year, start of this, but not at the moment.

I only hope that he gets to that level again.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes. I agree with Indy, and Helen

James has often looked a little fragile in matches, especially one is the UK (extra pressure?).

But slowly, over time, he was looking more and more consistent and solid and - as Indy says - the second 6 months of last year was a very good period, with no luck or fluke (that I remember). I think it's obvious, based on that period, and his age, that a lot of people (me included) thought he would now go on to make the top 100 - he was very close.

The problem was, again as Indy says, is that the first half of 2015 was just so dodgy. And - leaving aside a definitely 'lucky' Wimbledon and some great Davis Cup (which is coached) - there's really been nothing this year to be positive about.

So, as above, he certainly doesn't look like a top 100 player now. But he certainly did this time last year (and so maybe it's just that he did turn out to be one - for a very fleeting time). And may well do so again.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 02:28:58 PM