Week 11 - Challenger ($50,000+H) - Drummondville, Canada (hard)

Jimmy09 · Intermediate Club Player

RE: Week 11 - Challenger ($50,000+H) - Drummondville, Canada (hard)

Spectator · All-time great

A grand week for both players. Hope this sets them both up nicely to pursue higher goals.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

GBJ wrote:
vohor wrote:
Dan confirmed at 125 :D
I wonder it that is a factor in the decision not to play Miami - if the field at the challenger he's down for next week (in France I think) is as weak as last week's he has a great chance of a new career high which I'm sure was a personal target at the start of the year. Perhaps he can feel that he would be wearing himself out to chasing to Miami and then to France and that this would risk this?
I don't know. Personally I would have really loved to have seen him look to keep the winning habit going in Miami and give himself a chance f playing against some bigger names given how well tends to do against them. I find the decision a bit odd.
Well done to him anyway on last week's win and the incredible rankings improvements pretty good consistency of level he has achieved in the last few months!

It's a double-edged sword, isn't it? Try to make hay whilst your purple patch lasts versus rush like a maniac to then maybe lose in first round of qualies because you haven't been able to catch your breath (and thereby not make the most of your feel-good factor).

Here's hoping he knocks 'em dead in France :)

RJA · Hall of fame

My guess is that it isn't really that he needs a week off to "catch his breath" it is simply a case that trying to play in vastly different conditions with next to no time to adjust would be an exercise in futility. His last 5 events have all been on indoor hard and he has spent the week at Drummondville playing on pretty quick courts. The courts in Miami are extremely slow, especially in the heavy and humid weather that it is the norm. Unless he got a very soft draw (which was actual impossible because he would have been unseeded) the chances of him winning a match there were limited at best so all in all I think he was better to give it a miss and focus on next week.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Agree; by catch his breath I meant acclimatise :)

Oakland2002 · All-time great

A wise decision the goal must be DE into GS main draws, Miami is unlikely to yield a significant points hall.

GBJ · Club Coach

Anyone know what Evo's schedule is after the French challenger next week? He seems ready to give quallies on the main tour a go but it's all clay for a while now. When did he last play on clay? Doesn't seem likely to me.

savva0122 · Intermediate Club Player

Hope he plays some clay matches- and make the MD of the FO

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

I would be really suprised if Dan steps onto the dirt. He could have a month's training and R&R and then travel to S. Korea and play the two $100k+h events there. Then back to Blighty for a couple of week's preparation for the grass court season where he might very well play five consecutive weeks: Challengers in Manchester and Surbiton then Queens, Nottingham and Wimbledon.

-- Edited by stevemcqueen on Tuesday 22nd of March 2016 06:52:09 AM

Robin · Lower Club Player

stevemcqueen wrote:
I would be really suprised if Dan steps onto the dirt. He could have a month's training and R&R and then travel to S. Korea and play the two $100k+h events there. Then back to Blighty for a couple of week's preparation for the grass court season where he might very well play five consecutive weeks: Challengers in Manchester and Surbiton then Queens, Nottingham and Wimbledon.

-- Edited by stevemcqueen on Tuesday 22nd of March 2016 06:52:09 AM

Much as I'd like to watch Dan at the French Open, this makes sense.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

stevemcqueen wrote:
I would be really suprised if Dan steps onto the dirt. He could have a month's training and R&R and then travel to S. Korea and play the two $100k+h events there. Then back to Blighty for a couple of week's preparation for the grass court season where he might very well play five consecutive weeks: Challengers in Manchester and Surbiton then Queens, Nottingham and Wimbledon.

-- Edited by stevemcqueen on Tuesday 22nd of March 2016 06:52:09 AM

Yes, but wasn't it S. Korea that he went to after his success at the US OPen? And positively TRULY loathed it?

Not sure about the clay events and I may be wrong but I can't see him wanting to go to S. Korea again...

RJA · Hall of fame

Coup Droit wrote:
stevemcqueen wrote:
I would be really suprised if Dan steps onto the dirt. He could have a month's training and R&R and then travel to S. Korea and play the two $100k+h events there. Then back to Blighty for a couple of week's preparation for the grass court season where he might very well play five consecutive weeks: Challengers in Manchester and Surbiton then Queens, Nottingham and Wimbledon.

-- Edited by stevemcqueen on Tuesday 22nd of March 2016 06:52:09 AM

Yes, but wasn't it S. Korea that he went to after his success at the US OPen? And positively TRULY loathed it?
Not sure about the clay events and I may be wrong but I can't see him wanting to go to S. Korea again...

I agree that he is unlikely to be heading to Korea. I would expect him to play a fairly light schedule over the next couple of months as it makes sense for him to be fresh for the grass court season and the US summer. I would however be very surprised if he didn't play qualifying at the French Open and so I would expect a couple of clay events before then. I know he doesn't play on the dirt very often but he isn't a complete mug on the surface and does have a clay court futures title to his name.

thejester · Satellite level

RJA wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
stevemcqueen wrote:
I would be really suprised if Dan steps onto the dirt. He could have a month's training and R&R and then travel to S. Korea and play the two $100k+h events there. Then back to Blighty for a couple of week's preparation for the grass court season where he might very well play five consecutive weeks: Challengers in Manchester and Surbiton then Queens, Nottingham and Wimbledon.

-- Edited by stevemcqueen on Tuesday 22nd of March 2016 06:52:09 AM

Yes, but wasn't it S. Korea that he went to after his success at the US OPen? And positively TRULY loathed it?
Not sure about the clay events and I may be wrong but I can't see him wanting to go to S. Korea again...
I agree that he is unlikely to be heading to Korea. I would expect him to play a fairly light schedule over the next couple of months as it makes sense for him to be fresh for the grass court season and the US summer. I would however be very surprised if he didn't play qualifying at the French Open and so I would expect a couple of clay events before then. I know he doesn't play on the dirt very often but he isn't a complete mug on the surface and does have a clay court futures title to his name.

Absolutely, it's worth his while playing the French Open qualies even for a QR1 losers pay check, and with a decent draw there's always a chance he could go through a couple of rounds. Korea certainly seems unlikely, hopefully he'll be continuing to hit the gym and get himself in even better shape for a run on the grass that should suit him a fair bit better than the dirt

Oakland2002 · All-time great

It is great to see Dan fit and playing at a level commensurate with his talent, having seen how he has comeback from injury after a fairly miserable 2014 following his success at the US open in 2013 I can't help be impressed with his on court attitude and focus.

Very excited about what the spring and summer will bring. I agree wholehearted with much of what has been said this is a good time to take stock and focus on where the value is for Dan in timing his preparation and schedule. The compact schedule and potential for fatigue effecting the performance of some of the top players involved in the Olympics means there are likely to be some great opportunities in and around the US open that he should prepare for and seek to exploit.

Dirt or no dirt freshness and stamina in August through October is where the value is for Dan.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Friday 25th of March 2016 06:21:35 AM