British Tour 2020

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

British Tour 2020

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Out of interest, who is generally regarded as more talented, ali or jonny gray? I see Jonny is a few hundred places higher, but in my mind I'd always thought of Ali as the stronger, but I dont really know...

I have never seen Jonny play so wouldn't know, but the rankings difference is irrelevant at the moment given the college commitments.

I'll defer to CD's better judgement on that one.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

The other thing I thought of today. Wimbledon wild cards would have received 50k each this year, approx. 8 of them is 400k. Across both events and doubles, best part of 1m?

The winners here get 900 quid. As they had insurance, surprised the wimbledon and lta authorities couldnt have put more money into these events or maybe even granted 10k each to the men and women who perhaps fell into the top 25 category, excepting the andy and jo Konta of the world of course.

Maybe I'm being unfair.

the addict · Tennis legend

Jon, they have actually doubled the total prize money for all of this series, and first round losers get money as well. The top prizes are up by 50% from the normal tour. The mens here is a tier 1, not a Premier, so 900 not 2250 to the winner.

But I agree they could have done more to help the players, although I seem to recall that grants were availsble to some of them.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
Jon, they have actually doubled the total prize money for all of this series, and first round losers get money as well. The top prizes are up by 50% from the normal tour. The mens here is a tier 1, not a Premier, so 900 not 2250 to the winner.

But I agree they could have done more to help the players, although I seem to recall that grants were availsble to some of them.

Hi TA, I was aware, you're correct, theyd increased the money. But of course, theyd all be on the circuit now in normal years earning anyway, so I just felt ( realised) how much potential cash was sloshing around that perhaps hadnt been paid out...

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

SFs have started.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Comfortable first set to Arthur Fery 6-2

Tell me CD. Is he one of the younger players you have waxed lyrical about on here before. I seem to remember something.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
Comfortable first set to Arthur Fery 6-2

Tell me CD. Is he one of the younger players you have waxed lyrical about on here before. I seem to remember something.

Not quite. Slightly strange history...

Arthur was one that I followed a lot and became a little fave because, a couple of years ago, he was pretty much unranked in juniors, and unknown, but - for me - had an interesting profile because his mother is a French ex-pro (got to be about WTA 200) and his dad is French, and the owner and president of the football club of FC Lorient. And has a lot of money, and was investing quite heavily in his son. (Despite both being French, I think he grew up here, and there's never been any question of him playing for France, dad set up/runs an investment firm in London, I think).

So, based on that and a couple of rumours on the grapevine, I was pretty sure he was a lot, lot better than his general profile gave him credit for. Which turned out to be true.

But when I saw him play, live, the first thing you noticed was how small he was for his age, which is always a slight concern. His tennis was very solid, though, very nice technique, a very committed player on the court.... but he wasn't one that excited you in the same way that George Loff did (although often the 'flashy' players don't do as well as the more solid ones like Arthur).

He's down to go to Stanford next year so obviously is quite smart too - and most certainly has a well-financed and well-oiled team behind him.

So, yes, I very much root for him (I take full credit for having 'discovered' him, of course smile ) but he wouldn't be in the 'way lyrical' group.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Saturday 4th of July 2020 01:34:21 PM

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Thanks CD. If his dad owns FC Lorient, he is about to become 5m pounds richer. Leeds have their goalkeeper, Illan Meslier, on loan and will buy him at the end of the season. Why is it that my Leeds connections keep popping up everywhere.

Back to tennis though.

Luke now 7-3 up in the MTB.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Fery fights back from 4-8 down in the MTB to take it 12-10.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Shame about that for Luke :(

He had it in the bag really, at 8-4.

And match point....

But maybe it's just good warm up - this is only a Tier 1 for the men, isn't it? So the Premier one is the big money one, next week, no?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Not such a great afternoon, Bob, but overall, a pretty good day :)

Billy looked a little rattled in that match.

So the final is Ali G v Arthur.

the addict · Tennis legend

Results roundup
QF:- Billy Harris def Lloyd Glasspool 6-4 6-3
QF:- Alastair Gray def Mark Whitehouse 6-4 5-7 10-6

QF:- Arthur Fery def Jonathan Gray 6-2 6-1
QF:- Luke Johnson def Alexander Jhun 6-3 7-5

SF:- Alastair Gray def Billy Harris 6-1 6-2
SF:- Arthur Fery def Luke Johnson 6-2 1-6 12-10

F:- Alastair Gray vs Arthur Fery

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Good level first set (which Arthur won in a TB)

Enjoy watching him rushing the net, and using the front half of the court so well - I think he played a lot of those 'Camembert' tennis zone games as a kid !

It's not always effective but he sees the areas well and is very proactive.

Ali, of course, also enjoys a net game, and mixes it up well, with his single-handed backhand and some great angles.

Hope the second set has more of the same....

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Another nice set of tennis from both.

But Arthur comes out on top, 6-4 in the second.