Week 38 - Challenger ($50,000) - Columbus OH, USA (hard)

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Week 38 - Challenger ($50,000) - Columbus OH, USA (hard)

Spectator · All-time great

That would be the same Luke Bambridge who has 178 doubles points YTD, yes? Well done to the two of them (LB and LG) on their doubles win. And while I'm always sorry to see someone retire, glad that it's Mr Norrie who has the benefit.

Mikael Torpegaard is, I think, the top-ranked university player in singles, as well as being part of a top-ranked pair in doubles - and often (presumably when not at university) second singles on the Danish DC team. I noticed him earlier this year when they won a tie I expected them to lose - he won the 5th rubber 7-5 in the 5th set. He also just defeated Nicolas Meister in straight sets.

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

Is Cam eligible for DC currently? He would be my next pick after Dan and Kyle if it came to it

DF · Tennis legend

Lloyd is down a set 4-6

Spectator · All-time great

Had a few spare minutes and looked for Mr Glasspool's match, which is evidently not streamed. But Libietis v the 17-year-old American JJ Wolf was. Think the latter may - on the basis of a few games' viewing, mind - be another one to watch.

DF · Tennis legend

and the second set has also gone the same way 5-7

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

For the record:

L32: Hubert Hurkacz (POL) WR 329 defeated Lloyd Glasspool WR 292 by 4 & 5 cry

*****

Funny Spectator should say that the Latvian, Libietis, who, it seems is already 24 (& comes from Sigulda, a place I've visited a couple of times), might be one to watch because

L16: (Q) Mikelis Libietis ((LAT) WR 404 (CH = 381 last month) vs Cam Norrie WR 297

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

Talking of points and Marcus. Anyone got the latest re Marcus and playing in the tour?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
For the record:
L32: Hubert Hurkacz (POL) WR 329 defeated Lloyd Glasspool WR 292 by 4 & 5
*****
Funny Spectator should say that the Latvian, Libietis, who, it seems is already 24 (& comes from Sigulda, a place I've visited a couple of times), might be one to watch because
L16: (Q) Mikelis Libietis ((LAT) WR 404 (CH = 381 last month) vs Cam Norrie WR 297

I think Spec was actually saying the American kid, JJ Wolf, was the one to watch (only 17....)

Spectator · All-time great

Actually, it was JJ Wolf I thought might be one to watch. (And yes, I was aware he was losing the match - but there was a lot to like in his game and a 6-3 7-6(4) loss isn't a bad one in a Challenger when you're 17) I would think/hope that Mikelis Libietis is probably within Cameron Norrie's comfort zone in singles. Libietis was another university player - seem to recall that he was top-ranked in doubles quite recently ... so probably still a little underranked. Don't know, though - haven't seen him play until today.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
Actually, it was JJ Wolf I thought might be one to watch. (And yes, I was aware he was losing the match - but there was a lot to like in his game and a 6-3 7-6(4) loss isn't a bad one in a Challenger when you're 17) I would think/hope that Mikelis Libietis is probably within Cameron Norrie's comfort zone in singles. Libietis was another university player - seem to recall that he was top-ranked in doubles quite recently ... so probably still a little underranked. Don't know, though - haven't seen him play until today.

I see that now. I completely misread your post!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Further to the Libietis/Wolf discussion I inadvertently started by misreading Spectator's post yesterday, the Latvian & his partner, Dennis Novikov, took out the top seeds, Groth & Krajicek, in three sets yesterday & face JJ Wolf & his partner, John McNally (WCs) in the quarter-final.

Meanwhile, in the bottom half of the draw, the unseeded Yank pair, Meister & Quigley, despatched the second seeds, Reyes & Schnur, in straight sets, so:

QF: Luke Bambridge & Lloyd Glasspool CR 529 (294+235) vs Nicolas Meister & Eric Quigley (USA/USA) CR 396 (195+201)

Oakland2002 · All-time great

SPECTATOR WROTE:
Actually, it was JJ Wolf I thought might be one to watch. (And yes, I was aware he was losing the match - but there was a lot to like in his game and a 6-3 7-6(4) loss isn't a bad one in a Challenger when you're 17) I would think/hope that Mikelis Libietis is probably within Cameron Norrie's comfort zone in singles. Libietis was another university player - seem to recall that he was top-ranked in doubles quite recently ... so probably still a little underranked. Don't know, though - haven't seen him play until today.

Libietis.... The type of player ubiquitous in this tournament that tennis oxymoron a collegiate Davis cup player. He was top ranked in both doubles and singles for Tennessee seeming to focus more on doubles in his later years with Hunter Reese ie he had no singles rank in 2014 but won 3 national collegiate doubles titles and a challenger doubles tittle before beginning to build a singles rank again as a post grad. He did his 4 years and graduated, from a tennis perspective it appears to me he would have been better off going pro in 2013 as now stalling at about 400 as a 24 year old.

There is an obvious physical peak in ones early 20's but that 21-24 period appears to be critical in terms of truely being able to make a living on the ATP tour. The ability to play high level consistent yet tactical tennis means you have to be exposed to and constantly testing yourself at the highest level possible, i.e. in the professional tennis environment to peak at 24-29. It is a short career and the collegiate tennis titles are great for Tennessee but have no currency with the ATP so potentially time wasted unless his aim is a visa/green card and then to become a top level college coach in which case the national collegiate tittles will pay dividends in that he can show that he is qualified to a level that very few indigenous college players could aspire to.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Thursday 22nd of September 2016 11:29:10 AM

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Thursday 22nd of September 2016 11:41:12 AM

James · Satellite level

Cam's match has begun. He's about to serve at *0-1. The stream can be found here: livestream.com/ATP/columbus2016court1

Spectator · All-time great

Mikelis Libietis took the first set 6-4. Cameron Norrie is serving for the second at 6-5.

Edit: But was broken, and it's into a tie-breaker.

-- Edited by Spectator on Thursday 22nd of September 2016 06:19:54 PM