Entries - Week 12- 21/03/2016

paulisi · Tennis legend

RE: Entries - Week 12- 21/03/2016

Strongbow · All-time great

Laura D has withdrwn from Sharm.

theemptyvessel · Club Coach

Dan Evans has withdrawn from Miami. Not a big surprise as the turnaround from winning Drumondville would have left him no time to practice or transition from indoor to slow outdoor courts.

Rustie · Junior player

I'm sorry but passing up both Indian Wells qualifying (although I understood the logic there) AND Miami qualifying shows a distinct lack of ambition.

I'm getting really sick of him doing this.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Rustie wrote:
I'm sorry but passing up both Indian Wells qualifying (although I understood the logic there) AND Miami qualifying shows a distinct lack of ambition.

I'm getting really sick of him doing this.

there is no point turning up at the last minute under prepared and not used to the conditions.

He had DC and then the challenger final - there may have been logisitical issues as well.

Naomi did exactly the same thing.

Right call for these two events.

RJA · Hall of fame

Rustie wrote:
I'm sorry but passing up both Indian Wells qualifying (although I understood the logic there) AND Miami qualifying shows a distinct lack of ambition.

I'm getting really sick of him doing this.

I don't think it really shows a lack of ambition and whatever flaws Dan has his record is hardly one of a guy who doesn't back himself to take on better players. I just think trying to play on very different courts without any preparation was never likely to produce a positive result. Besides, think of the travel arrangements. He didn't finish up in Drummondville till mid afternoon and I can't imagine it would have been too easy getting down to Miami, it would probably have been a couple of flights and involved him not getting into his hotel until the early hours of the morning. So yes, he could have gone down to Maimi and we would have seen an unprepared and lethargic display probably resulting in a straight sets defeat.

I do get that he has built a rod for his own back in the past by frequently withdrawing from tournaments at the last minute, often without good reason, and it is something that I have criticised him for. I still find his occasional antics a little irritating but on the whole he has done very well to drag himself back up the rankings over the last 10 months and has shown a consistently better attitude than in the past. I think he deserves a lot of credit for that and just maybe we should give him he the benefit of the doubt from time to time when he does something we find a little disappointing.