Week 31 - Challenger ($75,000) - Lexington, KY, USA (hard)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Week 31 - Challenger ($75,000) - Lexington, KY, USA (hard)

the addict · Tennis legend

Cam on court, warming up - stream available

the addict · Tennis legend

Early break, then went with serve. 6-3 0-0*

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QF: (SE) Cam Norrie WR 199 defeated Dominik Köpfer (GER) WR 282 by 3 & 2 smile

the addict · Tennis legend

Looking good, could have been even greater margin.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

SF: (SE) Cam Norrie WR 199 vs (3) John Millman (AUS) WR 169 (CH = 60 in May last year)

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Excellent progress, the milkman will be a good test.

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

SE for Aptos now I assume as well! When was the last time we had the same player SE for challenger events two weeks in a row!

indiana · Tennis legend

SF: (3) Luke Bambridge & David O'Hare (IRL) CR 287 (146+141) lost to Alex Bolt & Max Purcell (AUS/AUS) CR 704 (123+581) 6-2 6-4

steven · Tennis legend

Madadman wrote:
SE for Aptos now I assume as well! When was the last time we had the same player SE for challenger events two weeks in a row!

I can't find any instances in this decade but Brits seem to get more Challenger SEs at this time of year (i.e. late July/early August in North America) than any other. The last time a Brit might have got Challenger SEs two weeks in a row was in 2014, when James Ward reached the final in Lexington then the semis in Vancouver with an SE - he could then have got another SE for Aptos had he needed one but he was already a direct entrant there.

The last time a Brit got SEs for consecutive Futures was also in 2014, when Farris Gosea got them in Godfrey and Decatur.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I like this North Anerican late summer/autumn swing for the challenger players, indeed I see it as the highlight of the challenger tour with lots of tournaments up and down the west coast. Evo, Kyle and Liam Broady have all had some good runs in the past. Fabulous time for a young player going deep in Challengers although some of theses can be stacked.

It's a hard life playing Aptos and Vancouver, US Open qualys (and then who knows ?the big show) little break Tiburon, Stockton and I see Fairfield which is not far from Napa is on again.

I know futures can be very tough but if you like your job and by hook or by crook can make ends meet you can see why the likes of Ed Corrie would want to keep on playing. Hopefully Wardy will be back in good enough shape for a jaunt stateside (although he is canny and would likely scan the globe for less stacked opportunities to build a rank)

JonH · All-time great

I agree Re this time of year in the north American swing and have a little theory on why our players often do ok:

A) our players prefer hard courts, it's more natural to them than grass or clay in the main. So they are more likely to practice well, feel confident etc

B) language and culture are more natural as well so our guys feel more relaxed and easier

C) the Gb players have had 6 weeks at home, time with their coaches, saved some cash, got home cooking etc so come into this swing better prepared

just some thoughts

-- Edited by JonH on Saturday 5th of August 2017 07:47:12 AM

Michael D · All-time great

Yes, spirits do seem to be up more this part of the season, and maybe it is because of the afterglow of the home season swing... but back on courts which players are very comfortable on, and perhaps seeing the ball a little better after the grass...

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Even Evo liked it, or was less reluctant to leave Birmingham than usual.

Vandenburg · Futures level

Milkman is in good form, looks like a bridge too far for Cam