Week 31 - Challenger ($125,000) - Chengdu, China (hard)

Constant · Lower Club Player

Week 31 - Challenger ($125,000) - Chengdu, China (hard)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Well done, James !

Wonderful to see him back. For me, it's a sign of an unhealthy tennis system that we have no players age 30+ in the top 1000 (barring Andy - just - and Emily W-S). There was a nice article a few months back about James, life away from tennis, his knee, getting married etc. etc.

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-4275514/James-Ward-plans-tennis-return-eyeing-Wimbledon.html

Good luck, James - that serve is certainly on form.

Shhh · Challenger level

Julia Carrot wrote:
Well done Wardy again . Caught a bit of the match. Stormin' serving.

As someone else said , the stadium was eerily empty. You'd think they'd wheel some school children in or something.

Maybe its an LTA event biggrin

Michael D · All-time great

Well, instead of disappearing off the rankings altogether James is now back up to the mid 850s and into the GB top 25 again. Congrats to him and pleased to hear his serving is really back to form. Next match is against the WR178, so a good test for him of how much he has got his previous game back together. Give this match a good go and he is certainly back in the mix and can face the game again with some renewed optimism.

Jan · Hall of fame

Good news - well done James!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: (PR) James Ward WR 1082 defeated (WC) Sidharth Rawat (IND) WR 574 by 3 & 1

That's one we'd confidently have expected him to win before his lengthy injury break, but given his apparent fragility since his return, it's quite a triumph!

*****

QF: (PR) James Ward WR 1082 vs (4) Nikola Milojevic (SRB) WR 178 (CH = 177 in June)

That one's going to be a bit of a challenge.

Jaffa · Challenger level

Great stuff, well pleased for him!

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Chuffed to bits for Wardy who is a true tennis journeyman. Absolutely no problem with 30 year old pro tennis players making a living from the game if they can, they have a lot to teach their opponents. The sweet serving and these couple of wins suggest he is fit! Form is temporary but class permenant. Anyone who plays top 100 tennis in my eyes is a player, and off a JCH of 1200! tending towards British Tennis legend. He just needs to be and stay fit. I would love to see him rival Luxembourg's finest in the rankings.

I hope Vandy is right (but for very different reasons) and we don't see Wardy playing DC again unless he has forced his way into a strong developing team.

It would mean Andy is not fit to play and a tournament we would be unlikely to win. Kyle is nicely teed up to be a strong second string and at last a player capable of consistently winning a singles rubber. Cam is going to be getting opportunities to play at a level consistent with James' career best with US qualis and then the AO beginning to appear on the horizon, Jay isn't too far off stepping up to challengers and squeezing into GS qualifying draws. Even if we are blighted by injury I would hope to see both do better than James at the AO but if that is not the case and Wardy is flying, welcome back to DC tennis Mr Ward.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Thursday 3rd of August 2017 11:10:16 AM

thejester · Satellite level

Decent effort from James who goes down 7-6 (5) 6-3 in his quarterfinal. Some positive things to build on from this week and great to have him back on tour.

seagull · Hall of fame

Unfortunately James has pulled out of next weeks event