Week 9 - Portugal F1 ($15,000) - Vale do Lobo (hard)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Week 9 - Portugal F1 ($15,000) - Vale do Lobo (hard)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
L32: (Q) Billy Harris WR 1041 beat Fred Gil (POR) WR 432 (CH = 62 in April 2011 - he's 32!) 6-4 6-2

DF · Tennis legend

Brilliant

indiana · Tennis legend

That's a result and a half ( so deserves more than a point

)

Well done, Billy !!

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

L16: (Q) Billy Harris WR 1041 v (Q) Pietro Licciardi (ITA) WR 867 (CH 556 Nov 2014)

Licciardi took out the Nº5 seed in straight sets today.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Billy took the 1st set 6-4 but is down 1-4* in the 2nd. More breaks than holds so far though so anything could still happen.

Edit

9 breaks in 15 games so far.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Thursday 2nd of March 2017 11:59:14 AM

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Some really strange serving stats in this match. We have now had 11 breaks in 17 games and yet both players are serving well in excess of 70% of 1st serves. However, both are winning less that 50% of points when that 1st serve goes in. We have had 7 DFs and not an ace in sight for either player.

I am guessing the conditions are really windy leaving players having to use the serve just to get the ball in play. The courts at Vale do Lobo are very open and have very little protection from any wind.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Ooh. A hold. Sadly it's for Licciardi who takes the 2nd set 6-2.

Into a decider we go.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Billy rediscovers his mojo in the decider:

L16: (Q) Billy Harris WR 1041 defeated (Q) Pietro Licciardi (ITA) WR 867 by 6-4 2-6 6-1 biggrin

There was an MTO at the end of the fifth game of the third set. The one game Licciardi won in it was against Billy's service!

*****

QF: (1) Ricardo Ojeda (ESP) WR 232 (= CH) vs (Q) Billy Harris WR 1041 bleh

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

And one 'Brazilian' sombrero gets hurled skywards !

Well done, Billy

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

This whole match and scoreline are so reminiscent of a match I saw Billy play in Murcia last year. In that match, Billy won the opening set with very few holds for either player, lost the 2nd when he was trying to force it with old balls. but when the new balls came out at the start of the 3rd set, he upped his game and dished out a bagel as his power game proved too much for his opponent. That was also difficult conditions.

Here is a link to my report of that match last year.

http://britishtennis.activeboard.com/t61652091/week-7-spain-f4-10000-murcia-clay/?page=3

I wonder if the New Balls situation was the same here ? I doubt it , because last years match was in qualifying and I think the new balls rule is different in qualifying to MD matches, but the similarities in so many other ways are startling.

Anyway, well done Billy. Nice easy one next as you try to reach your 1st SF. wink

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Looks like a complete wash-out in Portugal today and I have to say, having travelled through Lisbon this morning on my way back to Spain, it doesn't surprise me. Lots of very heavy rain and high winds.

One big plus that should come out of this, is that Billy should now get an SE for next week in Faro. His QF match in Vale do Lobo has been put back until tomorrow and qualies start tomorrow in Faro, so unless there are others ahead of him in the queue, he should go straight into the MD. Just reward really having won 6 matches in 6 days this week.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Not sure what happens if more than 2 players are eligible for SE at the same tournaments - anyone know?

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

paulisi wrote:
Not sure what happens if more than 2 players are eligible for SE at the same tournaments - anyone know?

I could be wrong but I think the two who are highest ranked get the SE.

the addict · Tennis legend

Yes, it is based on their ranking a week before the tournament. But I think he has to apply for SE before the sign-in deadline