Week 18 - Challenger ($100.000+H) - Busan, South Korea (Hard)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Week 18 - Challenger ($100.000+H) - Busan, South Korea (Hard)

goldenboy · Club Coach

great results for both guys.
Wimbledon WC may well be in the post to Liam soon if he can continue (and of course Dan won't need one!)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Spaced wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
L32: Dan Evans WR 97 vs (WC) Nam Ji Sung (KOR) WR 566 (CH = 372 in June 2013)
L32: (SE) Liam Broady WR 257 vs (ALT) Daniel Nguyen (USA) WR 206 (189 last July)
I think they've both just won their L32 matches...

Error corrected.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

Aay Bob - I do think you have a soft spot for Liam Broady. Nothing wrong with that if true - we all have (the vast majority of us perhaps) develop soft spots for players, British or otherwise.
I developed a soft spot for Mel Oudin particularly when she won Birmingham some years back - pity her health seems to have had such a detrimental effect on her career and it would be great to see her return to the top 100 - but I doubt it.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

A131 wrote:
Aay Bob - I do think you have a soft spot for Liam Broady. Nothing wrong with that if true - we all have (the vast majority of us perhaps) develop soft spots for players, British or otherwise.
I developed a soft spot for Mel Oudin particularly when she won Birmingham some years back - pity her health seems to have had such a detrimental effect on her career and it would be great to see her return to the top 100 - but I doubt it.

Whilst I am obviously suppportive of all GB players, I tend to be most supportive of those players I have met personally. Liam is one of those. I have met him a couple of times in La Manga when he has been down there on training camps and I have seen the intensity he puts into everything he does. So it would be safe to say I am extra keen to see him do well and extra delighted when he does.

But the same could be said of many of the others I have met and spoken too. I was once described on here as the leader of Kyle's Barmy Army LOL, in the days when Kyle was doing the futures circuit in Spain.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

Bob in Spain wrote:
A131 wrote:
Aay Bob - I do think you have a soft spot for Liam Broady. Nothing wrong with that if true - we all have (the vast majority of us perhaps) develop soft spots for players, British or otherwise.
I developed a soft spot for Mel Oudin particularly when she won Birmingham some years back - pity her health seems to have had such a detrimental effect on her career and it would be great to see her return to the top 100 - but I doubt it.
Whilst I am obviously suppportive of all GB players, I tend to be most supportive of those players I have met personally. Liam is one of those. I have met him a couple of times in La Manga when he has been down there on training camps and I have seen the intensity he puts into everything he does. So it would be safe to say I am extra keen to see him do well and extra delighted when he does.
But the same could be said of many of the others I have met and spoken too. I was once described on here as the leader of Kyle's Barmy Army LOL, in the days when Kyle was doing the futures circuit in Spain.

I had a feeling you may have met LB from reading your other posts but couldn't be sure.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Does anybody know if it's possible to watch back either Liam's or Evo's match on the ATP challenger site ? It looks like they've only uploaded videos of centre court matches.

I'll second what Bob's said about Liam, really encouraging to see him get his matchplay skills back. Last year he didn't play badly but he just couldn't win close matches, this last couple of weeks, it looks like the confidence is coming back, and Liam becomes a very dangerous player when that's the case. Also great to see Evo have no reaction from getting into the top 100, in fact it looks like it may have inspired into even better form.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

A131 wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
A131 wrote:
Aay Bob - I do think you have a soft spot for Liam Broady. Nothing wrong with that if true - we all have (the vast majority of us perhaps) develop soft spots for players, British or otherwise.
I developed a soft spot for Mel Oudin particularly when she won Birmingham some years back - pity her health seems to have had such a detrimental effect on her career and it would be great to see her return to the top 100 - but I doubt it.
Whilst I am obviously suppportive of all GB players, I tend to be most supportive of those players I have met personally. Liam is one of those. I have met him a couple of times in La Manga when he has been down there on training camps and I have seen the intensity he puts into everything he does. So it would be safe to say I am extra keen to see him do well and extra delighted when he does.
But the same could be said of many of the others I have met and spoken too. I was once described on here as the leader of Kyle's Barmy Army LOL, in the days when Kyle was doing the futures circuit in Spain.
I had a feeling you may have met LB from reading your other posts but couldn't be sure.

Just been down the Top 25 mens table and I have had the pleasure of meeting 14 of them personally. Whilst I enjoy going to the really big tournaments (missing Madrid this year is killing me), I actually prefer going to the lower ranked tournaments, whether they are Futures, Challengers or even ATP 250s. With so few spectators around, the players are much more accessible. I also think that in overseas tournaments particularly, where there are fewer Brits, they appreciate the chance to talk to other people outside the group of fellow competitors whom they are with 24/7. Classic example of this for me was Portugal recently, when I went to the futures there and spent a lot of time talking to the likes of Jonny O'Mara, Scott Clayton, Joel Cannell, Harry Meehan etc. The more you know someone, the more invested you become in their success/setbacks etc.

It's also great for me that La Manga is regularly used for training purposes by GB players as it is less than 1 hour from where I live (when I am in Spain, that is). This is where I have met Liam a couple of times. Two years ago, he was over in a training group with Luke B, Toby M, Evan H and Oli G. Last year, he was there with the likes of JWH, Alex W, Josh M and working with Leon and Mark Hilts.

I have to add that ALL of the guys I have met, both players and coaches have always been extremely approachable.

And if we are talking about "soft spots", then on the doubles side, Ken and Neal Skupski are high up on that list as well. I have spent a lot of time chatting with them at various tournaments, so I get that extra buzz for them too, when they do well.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:
Does anybody know if it's possible to watch back either Liam's or Evo's match on the ATP challenger site ? It looks like they've only uploaded videos of centre court matches.

I'll second what Bob's said about Liam, really encouraging to see him get his matchplay skills back. Last year he didn't play badly but he just couldn't win close matches, this last couple of weeks, it looks like the confidence is coming back, and Liam becomes a very dangerous player when that's the case. Also great to see Evo have no reaction from getting into the top 100, in fact it looks like it may have inspired into even better form.

Liam's match is there. I have watched some of it myself this morning.

He was on court 1

http://livestream.com/ATP/busan2016court1

philwrig · Hall of fame

Muchas gracias Bob !!

Vandenburg · Futures level

Good stuff, 20 points for a QF is decent going too.

Nice to see Liam beat the German grandfather too. If Evo wins this challenger, just imagine!

spud · Challenger qualifying

Good wins from both. Dan in particular showing no signs of fatigue from last week which is great although I am glad he has a much deserved day off tomorrow! Anyone know what the turnaround plan was like from winning the title on the Sunday, traveling and then playing again Tuesday?

Will also be interesting to see how Dan changes his game on what seem like quite slow courts in Busan (Groth hitting more doubles than aces!), was interesting to see him coming over the backhand much more today so maybe feels like the slice will be less effective this week.

-- Edited by spud on Tuesday 3rd of May 2016 03:55:19 PM

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

Bob in Spain wrote:
A131 wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
A131 wrote:
Aay Bob - I do think you have a soft spot for Liam Broady. Nothing wrong with that if true - we all have (the vast majority of us perhaps) develop soft spots for players, British or otherwise.
I developed a soft spot for Mel Oudin particularly when she won Birmingham some years back - pity her health seems to have had such a detrimental effect on her career and it would be great to see her return to the top 100 - but I doubt it.
Whilst I am obviously suppportive of all GB players, I tend to be most supportive of those players I have met personally. Liam is one of those. I have met him a couple of times in La Manga when he has been down there on training camps and I have seen the intensity he puts into everything he does. So it would be safe to say I am extra keen to see him do well and extra delighted when he does.
But the same could be said of many of the others I have met and spoken too. I was once described on here as the leader of Kyle's Barmy Army LOL, in the days when Kyle was doing the futures circuit in Spain.
I had a feeling you may have met LB from reading your other posts but couldn't be sure.
Just been down the Top 25 mens table and I have had the pleasure of meeting 14 of them personally. Whilst I enjoy going to the really big tournaments (missing Madrid this year is killing me), I actually prefer going to the lower ranked tournaments, whether they are Futures, Challengers or even ATP 250s. With so few spectators around, the players are much more accessible. I also think that in overseas tournaments particularly, where there are fewer Brits, they appreciate the chance to talk to other people outside the group of fellow competitors whom they are with 24/7. Classic example of this for me was Portugal recently, when I went to the futures there and spent a lot of time talking to the likes of Jonny O'Mara, Scott Clayton, Joel Cannell, Harry Meehan etc. The more you know someone, the more invested you become in their success/setbacks etc.
It's also great for me that La Manga is regularly used for training purposes by GB players as it is less than 1 hour from where I live (when I am in Spain, that is). This is where I have met Liam a couple of times. Two years ago, he was over in a training group with Luke B, Toby M, Evan H and Oli G. Last year, he was there with the likes of JWH, Alex W, Josh M and working with Leon and Mark Hilts.
I have to add that ALL of the guys I have met, both players and coaches have always been extremely approachable.
And if we are talking about "soft spots", then on the doubles side, Ken and Neal Skupski are high up on that list as well. I have spent a lot of time chatting with them at various tournaments, so I get that extra buzz for them too, when they do well.

Thanks Bob - glad the players and coaches give you a bit of time for the commitment you give. Good on you for supporting the lesser tournaments - there are advantages as you have clearly demonstrated. I've been going to the Aegon Classic for many years now and whilst I have noticed it has become a little more corporate since being upgraded to a Premier event if you really gave me a choice between attending that or Wimbledon, or in a position where I could only get a ticket for one of them or could only attend one or the other, then I think I would chose Birmingham all the time. As you say whilst I enjoy going to Wimbledon I do think it gets a bit crowded and its not quite as relaxing as Birmingham especially when it was still the DFS Classic you could easily get your photograph taken with the players (most of them) or get the autograph if you are prepared to wait a few minutes. Had my picture taken with the doubles champions one year who were happy to oblige - mind you they normally are when they have just won. Hoping to visit the Aegon Trophy at Manchester which is only 30 miles away from where I live, so I imagine Liam Broady could well be playing - see how I find it. The other thing I like about the lesser tournaments - they are celebrity free! Never seen one at Birmingham - doesn't mean they don't go necessarily but I've yet to see one. I know it's the way it is now but that's one of the things I don't like about Wimbledon.

Jan · Hall of fame

Nice wins.
I'm just catching up as we've been without power all day!

RJA · Hall of fame

spud wrote:
Good wins from both. Dan in particular showing no signs of fatigue from last week which is great although I am glad he has a much deserved day off tomorrow! Anyone know what the turnaround plan was like from winning the title on the Sunday, traveling and then playing again Tuesday?
Will also be interesting to see how Dan changes his game on what seem like quite slow courts in Busan (Groth hitting more doubles than aces!), was interesting to see him coming over the backhand much more today so maybe feels like the slice will be less effective this week.

It is has been quite noticeable this year just how much Dan has changed his tactics, especially on the back hand side, from match to match. Perhaps this is another aspect of of increased professionalism if he is preparing for matches more thoroughly. In the past I was often left with the impression that he just went out and played his own game without giving a whole lot of thought to who his opponent was.

As you say it was very pleasing for him to get such a solid win just 2 days after winning a title in what looked like a mentally draining final. Of course it was probably a big help that his opponent made a string of errors from very early on and never put him under any real pressure.

On the subject of the courts, I didn't think they seemed that slow. Obviously they seem slow compared the the carpet in Taipei but they looked to be a least middle of road for hard courts if not a bit faster. Groth is such a mess at the moment that I don't think his stats should be considered evidence of all that much.