Week 24 - Challenger (€127,000+H) - Nature Valley Open - Nottingham, Great Britain (grass) - doubles

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Week 24 - Challenger (€127,000+H) - Nature Valley Open - Nottingham, Great Britain (grass) - doubles

flamingowings · All-time great

Interesting pairing at the end there with Aidan and Cam.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: Adrián Menéndez & Sergiy Stakhovsky (ESP/UKR) CR 408 (190+218) defeated (WC) Liam Broady & Scott Clayton CR 583 (469+114) by 4 & 5

Not Liam's day, sadly.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: (4) Austin Krajicek & Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (USA/IND) CR 228 (117+111) defeated Brydan Klein & Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) CR 626 (151+575) by 3-6 6-1 [10-8] cry

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Ken & Neal off to a flying start:

L16: (1) Ken Skupski & Neal Skupski CR 116 (61+55) defeated Jason Jung & Evan King (TPE/USA) CR 779 (649+130) by 3 & 3 smile

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: Marcel Granollers & Ilya Ivashka (ESP/BLR) CR 699 (20+679) defeated (WC) Aidan McHugh & Cam Norrie UNR (0+204) by 5 & 4

Jiwan · Club Coach

I've had enough of the wildcards for Clarke /Willis. It's over for Marcus as a professional sportsman and It's not doing anything to advance Jay's career to pair him with Marcus. It also rubs salt in the wounds of many Brits that are rising in the rankings and making their living of the tour as doubles specialists. Even if they win today, what's the point?

Same goes for Brits wanting 'court practice' like Jo Konta, a terrible doubles player that keeps getting wild cards (I know it's a men's thread but it was the most obvious example).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Jiwan wrote:
I've had enough of the wildcards for Clarke /Willis. It's over for Marcus as a professional sportsman and It's not doing anything to advance Jay's career to pair him with Marcus. It also rubs salt in the wounds of many Brits that are rising in the rankings and making their living of the tour as doubles specialists. Even if they win today, what's the point?

Same goes for Brits wanting 'court practice' like Jo Konta, a terrible doubles player that keeps getting wild cards (I know it's a men's thread but it was the most obvious example).

Yes, there does feel something of a circus act about the whole thing.

Meanwhile, the pair have lost in two tie-breaks.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: Mats Moraing & Peter Polansky (GER/CAN) CR 602 (445+157) defeated (WC) Jay Clarke & Marcus Willis CR 444 (227+217) by 7-6(4) 7-6(5) cry

*****

QF: (1) Ken Skupski & Neal Skupski CR 116 (61+55) vs Mats Moraing & Peter Polansky (GER/CAN) CR 602 (445+157)

Jiwan · Club Coach

Coup Droit wrote:
Jiwan wrote:
I've had enough of the wildcards for Clarke /Willis. It's over for Marcus as a professional sportsman and It's not doing anything to advance Jay's career to pair him with Marcus. It also rubs salt in the wounds of many Brits that are rising in the rankings and making their living of the tour as doubles specialists. Even if they win today, what's the point?

Same goes for Brits wanting 'court practice' like Jo Konta, a terrible doubles player that keeps getting wild cards (I know it's a men's thread but it was the most obvious example).
Yes, there does feel something of a circus act about the whole thing.
Meanwhile, the pair have lost in two tie-breaks.

I did post a few weeks ago about the 'death knoll' of mixed doubles and the ongoing belittling of doubles. I personally think doubles /mixed could reinvigorate tennis and breathe life into the sport. I personally believe big changes are ahead in all formats of tennis. It's already happening albeit in trials

Mark1968 · Intermediate Club Player

Jiwan wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Jiwan wrote:
I've had enough of the wildcards for Clarke /Willis. It's over for Marcus as a professional sportsman and It's not doing anything to advance Jay's career to pair him with Marcus. It also rubs salt in the wounds of many Brits that are rising in the rankings and making their living of the tour as doubles specialists. Even if they win today, what's the point?

Same goes for Brits wanting 'court practice' like Jo Konta, a terrible doubles player that keeps getting wild cards (I know it's a men's thread but it was the most obvious example).
Yes, there does feel something of a circus act about the whole thing.
Meanwhile, the pair have lost in two tie-breaks.
I did post a few weeks ago about the 'death knoll' of mixed doubles and the ongoing belittling of doubles. I personally think doubles /mixed could reinvigorate tennis and breathe life into the sport. I personally believe big changes are ahead in all formats of tennis. It's already happening albeit in trials

I wasn't going to bother commenting on what I've seen of Marcus the last few days but Jiwan has hit the nail bang on the head and summed the situation up better than I could. He is still overweight ( Marcus not Jiwan ) which limits his court movement, his forehand which he admitted himself (after Wimby 2016) needed to improve is just awful, as inefficient as it's ever been and I question why he can't play what is the most basic of all tennis shots, the first you will ever play when picking up a racket as a child. His play was lazy, a lot of serves were just rolled in etc. I like Jay but he needs to get out of this pairing and play with someone who has hunger and desire to succeed.

I'm really angry that old timers like Willis and Corrie get WC into various events ahead of younger players. I know nobody is banging the door down at the moment but these two are going backwards - again! In fact i'd rather see their wild cards go to promising overseas players I am that pi***d off with the situation!

Like CD I hope doubles can reinvigorate tennis, a format that is quicker and often more exiting to watch than singles.

Nix · Futures level

Jiwan wrote:
I've had enough of the wildcards for Clarke /Willis. It's over for Marcus as a professional sportsman and It's not doing anything to advance Jay's career to pair him with Marcus. It also rubs salt in the wounds of many Brits that are rising in the rankings and making their living of the tour as doubles specialists. Even if they win today, what's the point?

Same goes for Brits wanting 'court practice' like Jo Konta, a terrible doubles player that keeps getting wild cards (I know it's a men's thread but it was the most obvious example).

I kind of agree with you about Marcus. Its like a tennis equivalent of dad-dancing watching him play. He's got some of the moves but he really hasn't got the fitness to put it together. I dont know about people like Jo playing doubles; it may be good for practising volleys and getting match practice when struggling with her game a bit. But there should certainly be tough sanctions for pulling out of doubles. That happens way too often. Kyrios always seems to do it, for example. It really is unfair when they've already taken the place of a doubles specialist or a really keen player of both forms of the game.

-- Edited by Nix on Wednesday 13th of June 2018 10:17:24 AM

Mark1968 · Intermediate Club Player

Nix wrote:
Jiwan wrote:
I've had enough of the wildcards for Clarke /Willis. It's over for Marcus as a professional sportsman and It's not doing anything to advance Jay's career to pair him with Marcus. It also rubs salt in the wounds of many Brits that are rising in the rankings and making their living of the tour as doubles specialists. Even if they win today, what's the point?

Same goes for Brits wanting 'court practice' like Jo Konta, a terrible doubles player that keeps getting wild cards (I know it's a men's thread but it was the most obvious example).
I kind of agree with you about Marcus. Its like a tennis equivalent of dad-dancing watching him play. He's got some of the moves but he really hasn't got the fitness to put it together. I dont know about people like Jo playing doubles; it may be good for practising volleys and getting match practice when struggling with her game a bit. But there should certainly be tough sanctions for pulling out of doubles. That happens way too often. Kyrios always seems to do it, for example. It really is unfair when they've already taken the place of a doubles specialist or a really keen player of both forms of the game.

-- Edited by Nix on Wednesday 13th of June 2018 10:17:24 AM

Totally agree, doubles seems to be used and abused by some of the 'singles' players. Unless a player is dedicated to the event then don't enter! A few doubles 'Specialists' have been caught out teaming with singles players then finding they can't be bothered.

flamingowings · All-time great

Totally agree about Marcus as well - Also, like it or not, people may start to associate Jay with Marcus in a not so favourable way.

Born2WinTennis · Club Coach

Jiwan wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Jiwan wrote:
I've had enough of the wildcards for Clarke /Willis. It's over for Marcus as a professional sportsman and It's not doing anything to advance Jay's career to pair him with Marcus. It also rubs salt in the wounds of many Brits that are rising in the rankings and making their living of the tour as doubles specialists. Even if they win today, what's the point?

Same goes for Brits wanting 'court practice' like Jo Konta, a terrible doubles player that keeps getting wild cards (I know it's a men's thread but it was the most obvious example).
Yes, there does feel something of a circus act about the whole thing.
Meanwhile, the pair have lost in two tie-breaks.
I did post a few weeks ago about the 'death knoll' of mixed doubles and the ongoing belittling of doubles. I personally think doubles /mixed could reinvigorate tennis and breathe life into the sport. I personally believe big changes are ahead in all formats of tennis. It's already happening albeit in trials

Why do you think tennis needs reinvigorating and how do you think introducing more doubles will breathe life into the sport? What trials are happening? I enjoy playing doubles and love watching Davis Cup doubles, but singles is more exciting to watch for me personally in ATP tournaments.