Week 8 - ATP 250 - Delray Beach Open, FL, USA (hard)

Nix · Futures level

Week 8 - ATP 250 - Delray Beach Open, FL, USA (hard)

JonH · All-time great

Such a good match, both players take a lot of credit from that. Dan will just have to win miami on his next visit to Florida

goldfish · Futures qualifying

Excellent spirit from both players too - applauding shots, smiling (especially from Dan). Great match to watch but Dan will surely feel a little cheated.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

He's had a good week, and I'm happy this is a good step on his way back up. Now it just remains to be seen whether he can increase his stamina in terms of both single matches and lots of matches to get close to his CR again. So far this still feels untested, like his run going up to Wimbledon qualies when he ran out of steam too.

Also whether he's going to lose interest again and go astray. I think he's great to watch, and I'm happy another Brit is doing well, but still not a great fan of him personally, drugs aside.

daisy · County player

A line call in the tie-break might have made the difference but Dan must feel proud this week because he has fought in every match long and hard and came sooooo close to the win in Delray Beach. Let's hope he can keep the momentum going and make it into the top 100 - and avoid needing a WC into Wimbers.

JonH · All-time great

I think Felgate is proving great for Dan, he seems v focused and looks trim. I think he is fit, every match helps though.

good speech at end and he was v composed and enjoying it, no tears which i sort of expected given the past 24 months. But he was happy and confident and seems in a good place. Also seems to be friends with Albot and his coach and even spoke a word in Moldavan! PS is it me or does Dan do a good impersonation of Shane McGowan from the Pogues!

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

There is a report on the beeb site....

I wonder whether Dan feels he needs to rest this week? I hope he'd be given a Wednesday start.

JonH · All-time great

14 of the 16 Indian Wells Challenger first round ties are in the schedule for today, dans match is one of the 2 presumably held over to Tuesday, if he plays of course. But they need to get the event played so presume it will be a Tuesday latest start for Dan.

-- Edited by JonH on Monday 25th of February 2019 10:25:23 AM

the addict · Tennis legend

Good reports on the match on the BBC, Telegraph and Times websites. Yes, they mention the ban in passing, but not in such a bad way for a change. And generally full of praise for Dan.

hoots · Intermediate Club Player

But no HYS allowed yet again by the mafia that run the tennis part of the sports section

-- Edited by hoots on Monday 25th of February 2019 10:37:55 AM

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Gutted for Dan.

But a great week nonetheless

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
Good reports on the match on the BBC, Telegraph and Times websites. Yes, they mention the ban in passing, but not in such a bad way for a change. And generally full of praise for Dan.

Well yes, but I still find the BBC strange:

They write:

[Dan said] "It's easy to say I didn't take the match points but I thought he played great in the moments he needed to play great," Evans said.

"I gave it a good go and it wasn't good enough.

"It's a little unlucky to lose 7-6 in the third with big chances, obviously three match points, but I don't think I did much wrong. I missed two forehands, but not by a lot."

Once the bitterness of the way he lost the match disappears......"

But there's no 'bitterness' that I see there - where's the bitterness???? Because if they want to go down that route why don't they mention that he had MP, put the ball onto the back line, he'd have won the point, but it got called out, wrongly, and when they replayed the point, he lost it??? THAT would maybe make someone bitter. But Dan doesn't even mention that. (Neither do the BBC).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

NB Much as I think the BBC's report is sh*te, as above, and more, I think the Telegraph's is excellent:

www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2019/02/25/dan-evans-falls-final-hurdle-miss-chance-claim-first-career/

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Dan has moved up 43 places to 105 in today's rankings. smile

JonH · All-time great

Agreed CD, and Dan was actually smiling through most of the tie break and was also very relaxed at the awards ceremony. No bitterness at all. Seemed he and Albot like each other as well from the things that were said, and Dan also liked his coach (is that Magnus Tideman?).

As an aside, note to tournie winners - Rafa nadal did no one any favours by pretending to bite every trophy he wins, there is no reason for all other winners to follow his lead and do the same. It looks silly and is unoriginal!!!