Week 15 - ATP 250 - Grand Prix Hassan II - Marrakech, Morocco (clay)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Week 15 - ATP 250 - Grand Prix Hassan II - Marrakech, Morocco (clay)

paulisi · Tennis legend

Unfortunately Alex may have to default. He is struggling to find a flight in time. Everything is booked up...

the addict · Tennis legend

According to skyscanner, there are some indirect flights available for Saturday (both from the UK and from Madrid if he is still there), but nothing I have found would get him there in time to play. And the prices are really high :(

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

This one has come out of the blue and must be as a result of his early exit this week. He told me that his next tournaments would be a string of Challengers in Korea. Hope he makes it over to Morocco.

indiana · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
This one has come out of the blue and must be as a result of his early exit this week. He told me that his next tournaments would be a string of Challengers in Korea. Hope he makes it over to Morocco.

Clearly Alex just wasn't telling you for fear you'ed turn up and watch

Though then again you might have given him a lift to Morocco !

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: Dom Inglot & Mate Pavic (CRO) CR 81 (44+37) vs Treat Huey & Max Mirnyi (PHI/BLR) CR 69 (35+34) cry

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Well, Alex made it & not only that, he somehow pulled a rabbit out of the hat to take the first set in a tie-break (7-5) after the Russian served for it at 5-2! smile

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QR1: Alex Ward WR 462 defeated (q5) Andrey Rublev (RUS) WR 119 by 7-6(5) 6-4

Nine aces to Rublev's none, four double faults to Rublev's two. wink

*****

FQR: Laslo Djere (SRB) WR 196 (CH = 170 in November 2015) vs Alex Ward WR 462

If he can topple the WR 119 in straight sets, the WR 196 should be a pushover...

-- Edited by Stircrazy on Saturday 8th of April 2017 05:43:25 PM

Jan · Hall of fame

Great win for Alex!!

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

Well worth the last minute dash there. The expensive last minute flights should be covered now. 6 ranking points. Let hope of more of the same tomorrow.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Good decision by me not to fly over and watch. On that basis, I'll take the credit for that win today.

Seriously though, that is an awesome win. Rublev must fear the Brits having also been beaten by Marcus in Wimbledon qualies last year. As for Alex, you couldn't ask for a much better draw in the FQR of an ATP 250. Let's hope his form continues and he can take advantage. Regardless of that, he already has 2,195 euros to his name and 6 more ranking points to boot, with the chance for more to come.

steven · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
QR1: Alex Ward WR 462 defeated (q5) Andrey Rublev (RUS) WR 119 by 7-6(5) 6-4
Nine aces to Rublev's none, four double faults to Rublev's two.
*****
QR2: Laslo Djere (SRB) WR 196 (CH = 170 in November 2015) vs Alex Ward WR 462
If he can topple the WR 119 in straight sets, the WR 196 should be a pushover...

That's an amazing win under the circumstances 6 points too because there are only two qualifying rounds, so QR2 is the FQR. Djere also knocked out a seed in QR1, but in his case, the seed retired after the 1st set.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Alex had a period, a while back, where he only ever seemed to win Challenger matches, and bomb in all his ITF matches.

It would be nice to pick that up again - and to upgrade it even further to ATP matches

Spectator · All-time great

Wow. That's wonderful.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Sounds like getting there was touch and go. But already well worth the effort.

Alex tweeted yesterday:

Managed to fly Barcelona - Sevilla - Marrakech landing at 11:40 this morning. Massive help that the first match went over 3 hours!