Oakland2002 wrote:

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14 losses to players 28 or older (only one of whom outside the top 40 at 61). Outside that only two bad losses based on rankings differential all season (not including Dennis the orbital exenterator) one a three setter where he came back after loosing the first, the other two tie break sets, so no sign of caving there.

It's all entirely consistent with a great year in terms of progress, it's just he has moved to such a level of increased intensity that the outcomes that indicate continued progress become more subtle as Priesty and the data suggests taking mature players to three sets is a positive outcome.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Wednesday 9th of August 2017 07:25:28 AM

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I agree with a lot of what you have been saying re Kyle's performances and competing with and taking very good players so often to three sets.

But "no sign of caving"  in connection with the facts that I have given and many would be generally aware of anyway. 10 three set matches against top 50 players this year that have gone the three sets and all lost ( 5 by 6-4, 5 by 6-3 ) that's just head in the sand sheer denial. For what purpose? I think we all here want Kyle to succeed.

There is so clearly an issue there, whatever words one uses, caving may not be the best nor the worst, but I'd like to think you at least recognise that. Those final set scores are clearly not bad, consistent 6-3s and 6-4s, but still a cumulative 60-35 in games having shared first sets and I have a feeling that many be late fall aways like the *4-4 vs Ferrer ( and yes Kyle had come from a break down earlier ) then evidently two very poor games. Hmm, maybe my next task to try and check back on that, when were the final breaks.

Kyle is still on a very good course, I'd certainly like to think top 20 at least in time. And while you may not be able to add his 23rd birthday as yet another year of steady incremental rankings improvement ( and maybe you will still be able to yet, he could better last year's strong finish  ) this year has at times been very encouraging for the competitiveness with some very good players. 

I just point to a clear issue, and not a totally new one ( seen in his early pro career and passed through, hopefully it again will be ). So hopefully say Hilts as a new voice can help and as soon as possible get more Ws which is what it ultimately has to be about, however really encouraging as a lot of his play and competitiveness may have been. "No sign ...", I beg to differ.