Totally agree re moving forward and call me optimistic but compared to this time last year...

The backhand is better
The serve is better
His movement is better

So who knows, I would hope for a few more than 45 points this season.

Kyle is top seed in Umag on clay a week after Wimbledon. Interesting move, will he play a few clay events or just this one?

www.menstennisforums.com/6396-plava-laguna-croatia-open-umag/945402-umag-entry-list.html

OK. So here is the conundrum.

Flights from Alicante to Croatia: Cost approx 550 euros plus transfer/taxi in Croatia. Total cost = 700 euros more or less.
Time wise, we are talking about 14 hours if you include time waiting at airport plus transfers etc. Most options are two stops. One of the cheapest options, believe it or not, is Alicante - Manchester - Pula. There is the option to fly to Trieste in Italy which is only 40km from Umag but I don't know if you can take a hire car across international borders, particularly as Croatia is outside the EU/Shengen Zone.

Driving is about 21 hours actual driving plus stops for rests. Total cost for the round trip about 600 euros including petrol and tolls. Obviously that is more tiring as I would be doing the driving but I've done it before and I can take as many stops as required. The big plus is that I don't have to book in advance. So if Kyle pulls out at the last moment, either through injury, schedule change or because he is still too busy winning the Wimbledon Final (we live in hope), then I can change my mind at the last moment and it has not cost anything. Also, if I go and want to leave after a couple of days, there is no additional costs, whereas changing flights would incur that extra cost.

Big issue for me is the hotel. So far I have only checked Hotel Sol Umag, where I stayed last time. They don't have single room rates and even though I would be on my own, I would have to pay the full room rate as if there were two people. That is 220 euros per night. Must be high season so need to look at other options. Maybe I could take a tent.

Or perhaps Kyle will sub me a hotel room if I agree to carry his bags for the week.

So. Will Bob in Croatia resurface in July ? Watch this space.

flamingowings wrote:

---

There is the risk that if Kyle gets into the 2nd week he might end up withdrawing from Umag.

---

Which is why the car option is preferable. I can decide at the very last minute or not as to whether I am going and if I don't, it hasn't cost me anything.

indiana wrote:

---

Yes, lucky it's so convenient, just up over the top of Italy and round the corner ...

---

Yes.  Sñr Trungilleti is a complete lightweight if he thinks a 10 hour drive from Barcelona to RG is a worthy news story.

I'm sure you could hire a car in Trieste Bob, and take it across the border. It would probably cost you a bit more to do that though.

The drive sounds a fabulous one, but 2k km is a long way. If you're not sure about the reliability of your car now, make sure you have international breakdown cover, and that it covers, if necessary, temp vehicle replacement! Boy, have I been glad to have had that in France before...

For accommodation, I assume you are using a site like booking.com to find cheaper rates and deals? Also check Airbnb too, in Europe these days, I find it's often a cheaper way to stay.

I hired a car in Venice 2 years ago and we drove to Croatia for a family holiday - no problems except 1 hr queue at the Croatian border but was on a Saturday in August so peak time. Just check the details on the hire car website but should be fine especially as Croatia is in EU. Didn't cost any more than staying in Italy. That was with Hertz. It was much cheaper to fly to Venice and stay there 1 night that fly to Pula - we needed the car when we were there anyway, plus had bonus of 1 day in Venice.

There are also high speed ferries from Venice to various Croatian coastal towns