Week 30 - Challenger ($50,000) - Kentucky Bank Tennis Ch., Lexington, KY (USA) - Hard

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Week 30 - Challenger ($50,000) - Kentucky Bank Tennis Ch., Lexington, KY (USA) - Hard

FriendofLouieG · Lower Club Player

Evo, Wardy, Liam all in the MD EL (maybe Brydan too???)

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

As commented elsewhere Evo would need to get to the final at least to have any ranking benefit such is the level he is at now. Which is a good thing to think we now have 4 ATP level Brits.

indiana · Tennis legend

Jaggy1876 wrote:
As commented elsewhere Evo would need to get to the final at least to have any ranking benefit such is the level he is at now. Which is a good thing to think we now have 4 ATP level Brits.

I didn't see that and it's not strictly true, although of course rather more substantial benefit if he reached the final.

While there may be slight surprise at Evo playing here, since he is short of the maximum 18 counters ( he will have 17 on Monday and drops an 8 pointer next week ) every single point he gets adds to what his ranking score would otherwise have been ( though yes in the higher plains he now roams each point or indeed collection of points is generally of much less significance )

This coming Monday he will be on 713 points which is currently showing on live rankings as WR 78.

If he won the title next week he would add 72 (80-8) net points, which looking at the current live table would be equivalent to rising a further 10 places to WR 68. And although a SF say would just add 21(29-8) net points, that would still likely move him up a few places - it would be WR 75 on the current live table.

The actual ranking place moves are a bit of a moveable feast based on how the players are distributed above him, but at any rate all points won just now add to his ranking points total and certainly the 80 for the title are not to be sniffed at.

Otherwise, no I'm not suggesting he starts playing futures again just for points !! And I am sure that he has much bigger fish in mind in the near future than challengers and many more points. But he can tick over nicely with some matches and points additions here.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 23rd of July 2016 06:51:58 PM

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L32: Brydan Klein WR 260 (CH = 169 last September) vs (WC) Eric Quigley (USA) WR 385 (CH = 297 last August)

L32: (3) Dan Evans WR 82 (CH = 73 earlier this month) vs (WC) Brian Baker (USA) WR 437 (CH = 52 in October 2012 - he's 31)
L32: (WC) William Bushamuka (USA) WR 2010 (CH = 960 last September) vs Liam Broady WR 274 (CH = 158 last August)

L32: Qualifier vs James Ward WR 242 (CH = 89 last July)

The top seed is Adrian Mannarino (WR 55).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Well, to get three wildcards and a qualifier HAS to be a good draw (although Brian Baker is a good player, whom everybody wishes well, given his history....)

Spectator · All-time great

The match against William Bushamuka should be quite winnable for Liam Broady, but that's a completely erroneous ranking for (yet another) university player - and while I don't know whether the University of Tennessee is based in Knoxville, I'd guess that as a Tennessee player, he'll have strong support. Brian Baker is using the WC rather than his protected ranking, which is high enough that he's on the US Olympic team: against any other of our players, he'd definitely be the favourite, though probably not against Mr Evans on hard courts. Again, I think he's from Tennessee, or played at university in the state.

So it's just as well that there are a number of our players to support each other, as I think most of the cheering will probably be going in the other direction!

brendan · Strong Club Player

the university is in Knoxville (at least one of them is) but they're playing in Lexington

Spectator · All-time great

Sigh. I am very geographically challenged. There is also a Knoxville Challenger, isn't there? For some reason Tennessee/Knoxville/Challenger go together in my mind. (Checks internet. Yes there is. It's later in the year, though)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
Brian Baker is using the WC rather than his protected ranking, which is high enough that he's on the US Olympic team: against any other of our players, he'd definitely be the favourite, though probably not against Mr Evans on hard courts. Again, I think he's from Tennessee, or played at university in the state.

Brian Baker was apparently born - & still lives - in Nashville. wink

Spectator · All-time great

Phew! At least it's a relief to know the memory was correct on something! I've never seen him play, but he's one of my favourite non-GB players for the reasons CD cites.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

The geography in and around Tennessee is a bit challenging in that Tennessee has borders with 10% of all the states in the U.S. As Brendan points out the tournament is in Lexington Kentucky. So the home of University of Kentucky a basketball powerhouse I would be surprised if the University of Kentucky tennis team come out to cheer a volunteer particularly when his opponent is from the UK!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QR1: (q2) Lloyd Glasspool (or "Grasspool", as bet365 billed him! disbelief ) WR 307 defeated Jeremy Efferding (USA) WR 1202 by 4-6 6-4 7-5

Efferding served for the match at 5-4 in the decider! There was an injury break between the 11th & 12th games of that set.

the addict · Tennis legend

Oakland2002 wrote:
The geography in and around Tennessee is a bit challenging in that Tennessee has borders with 10% of all the states in the U.S. As Brendan points out the tournament is in Lexington Kentucky. So the home of University of Kentucky a basketball powerhouse I would be surprised if the University of Kentucky tennis team come out to cheer a volunteer particularly when his opponent is from the UK!

Knoxville is some 150 miles south if Lexington, so I would also be surprised if there is much local support for out-of-state players

Madadman · Top national player

Evans Baker should be a good match and arguably wouldn't be out of place if it was played in Toronto this week. A very high calibre match for a R1 of a challenger.