Oops.  better delete all the rubbish I have just written about Billy's next opponent as I obviously can't read a draw sheet on the new style layout of the ITF live scores site.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Wednesday 25th of July 2018 02:06:45 PM

Today, Billy produced a bit of a roller coaster performance on a tough day with the match lasting exactly 3 hours in temperatures of the mid to high 30s and no shade whatsoever on the court. Billy was expecting a tough match. He told me yesterday that he had seen Barroso play a few times and rated his game quite highly. He told me he was a clay court specialist, but in truth you could say that about almost anyone with the suffix (ESP) behind their name.

As is often the case with Billy, when his serve is ticking, has has the ability to dominate much higher standard opponents, but when the serve goes off the boil, the rest of the game can follow suit. Today was very much like that. In the first set, the two players went for the power game and there was only going to be one winner. Billy played a highly controlled set, breaking Barroso in 3 of his 4 service games. And but for a couple of over hit backhands from 40-15 on one of his own service games, where he went on to be broken, the score would have been even more emphatic than the well deserved 6-2.

The 2nd set started in the same manner and Billy found himself a break up early and I thought we were heading for a swift conclusion. At this point, Barroso change tack and started to take the rhythm out of the game with a lot more slice and some very effective drop shots. It disrupted Billy's flow and the game became a real battle. Don't get me wrong. Billy game didn't fall apart completely (as he did last week) and there were still moments of real quality but the consistency went out of his game. It should be said though, that but for a really bad bounce when he was *3-1 40-15 up, the match could have been over very quickly. Barroso found some excellent length on a defensive shot and the ball caught the back of the baseline and simply shot along the ground. Billy went on to lose that game and there were several more breaks before the set went into a TB.

The most obvious stats to look at were the DFs for Billy. Set 1: Zero. Set 2: Six. This included two at the start of the TB with his first two service points. The TB itself was a strange affair where 10 of the first 11 points went against serve. At this point Billy had MP at *6-5. Both players played a good point. Barosso hit an excellent cross court forehand forcing Billy out wide. Billy responded in kind forcing Barroso even wider. So far out of position was he that with his sliding forehand chop at full stretch, he decided to go for the drop shot and played it superbly. Billy couldn't get anyway near it. Two points later and we were at one set all.

At the start of the final set, Billy seemed to get his mojo back and swiftly went *2-0 up, but the gremlins were still in the system and this soon became 3-4* down. However, at the crunch moments at the back of the 3rd set, Billy played the big points better than Barroso. On match point, Barroso played another exquisite drop shot. Billy raced in and this time, instead of bunting it down the line as he had tried unsuccessfully to do on several occasions before, he caught Barroso out by dinking a backhand drop shot cross court for a clean winner.

I think it was fair to say that Billy was the better player overall although Barroso should take a lot of credit for a battling performance. The local Spanish supporters were all very impressed with Billy and were constantly asking me all sorts of questions.

Having lost in the doubles later, Billy now has a day off tomorrow. And as the AirBnB lodgings have a washing machine, I can have a day off too.

QF: Billy Harris WR 673 v (5) Javier Barranco Cosano (ESP) WR 445 (=CH)

Billy's opponent is 19 years old and had a victory over Billy in the doubles yesterday. He will now be looking to get a singles win too as revenge for his partner whom Billy beat in R1 here.

He heard you, Bob - just taken the first set 6-3....

Billy-can decided to go off the boil for a while.....

0-6 in the second....

I just walked back in when he was MP down on serve at *3-5

Vamos Billy. I need my day out in Denia tomorrow.

*5-5

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Friday 27th of July 2018 11:32:05 AM