Week 9 - ATP Challenger 100 - Lille, France (indoor hard)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

RE: Week 9 - ATP Challenger 100 - Lille, France (indoor hard)

wolf · Tennis legend

SF: Christian Harrison (USA) & Marcus Willis CR 282 (139+143) defeated Antoine Escoffier (FRA) & Joshua Paris CR 455 (264+191) by 6-2 6-2

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Well done Marcus +, I think that was the expected result.

I wonder if Marcus is reaching the stage where a more sustained partnership in Challenger level events is necessary (as opposed to hopping around partners) to try and drive upwards? Maybe Christian is a longer term option?

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Well done Marcus +, I think that was the expected result.

I wonder if Marcus is reaching the stage where a more sustained partnership in Challenger level events is necessary (as opposed to hopping around partners) to try and drive upwards? Maybe Christian is a longer term option?

Yes, I was wondering about Christian as a longer term partner. They do seem to have gelled well together, and both have been pushing up their individual doubles rankings, Marcus now live ranked 133 and Christian now live ranked 129.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Well done Marcus +, I think that was the expected result.

I wonder if Marcus is reaching the stage where a more sustained partnership in Challenger level events is necessary (as opposed to hopping around partners) to try and drive upwards? Maybe Christian is a longer term option?
Yes, I was wondering about Christian as a longer term partner. They do seem to have gelled well together, and both have been pushing up their individual doubles rankings, Marcus now live ranked 133 and Christian now live ranked 129.

Marcus + might well be a Wimbledon wild card option which, in turn, may be attractive to Christian as he wouldn't get in otherwise (at the moment), and maybe some of the other grass events might also provide opportunities for them.

indiana · Tennis legend

... well as long as the LTA / Wimbledon don't get awkward and say Marcus can have a WC just if he plays with a fellow Brit.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
... well as long as the LTA / Wimbledon don't get awkward and say Marcus can have a WC just if he plays with a fellow Brit.

I hate when they do that; leave them with their selected partners, IMO. Realise if it is a one off that might be debatable, but if they have someone they have been playing regularly with, let them play!

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
indiana wrote:
... well as long as the LTA / Wimbledon don't get awkward and say Marcus can have a WC just if he plays with a fellow Brit.
I hate when they do that; leave them with their selected partners, IMO. Realise if it is a one off that might be debatable, but if they have someone they have been playing regularly with, let them play!

Indeed. I recall the hoops Lloyd & Harri had to go through to get a WC for Queen's in 2022. A then regular partnership on the rise, who went on to reach the final.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
SF: Christian Harrison (USA) & Marcus Willis CR 282 (139+143) defeated Antoine Escoffier (FRA) & Joshua Paris CR 455 (264+191) by 6-2 6-2

Final: Titouan Droguet & Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA/FRA) CR 1890 (511+1379) vs Christian Harrison (USA) & Marcus Willis CR 282 (139+143)

The French pair beat the fourth seeds, Liutarevich & Manafov, in straight sets (7-6(4) 6-3) in their semi...

wolf · Tennis legend

First set Billy 6-4.

Blue_Belle · Strong Club Player

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
indiana wrote:
... well as long as the LTA / Wimbledon don't get awkward and say Marcus can have a WC just if he plays with a fellow Brit.
I hate when they do that; leave them with their selected partners, IMO. Realise if it is a one off that might be debatable, but if they have someone they have been playing regularly with, let them play!
Indeed. I recall the hoops Lloyd & Harri had to go through to get a WC for Queen's in 2022. A then regular partnership on the rise, who went on to reach the final.

Yes, I think an ATP tournament in Finland had to offer a reciprocal WC to a Brit.

indiana · Tennis legend

Still just the one break of serve in Billy's QF vs rhe top seed, Billy saving a couple of BPs in the last game.

6-4 3-2*

wolf · Tennis legend

Billy loses the 2nd set 7-5.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Blue_Belle wrote:
indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
indiana wrote:
... well as long as the LTA / Wimbledon don't get awkward and say Marcus can have a WC just if he plays with a fellow Brit.
I hate when they do that; leave them with their selected partners, IMO. Realise if it is a one off that might be debatable, but if they have someone they have been playing regularly with, let them play!
Indeed. I recall the hoops Lloyd & Harri had to go through to get a WC for Queen's in 2022. A then regular partnership on the rise, who went on to reach the final.
Yes, I think an ATP tournament in Finland had to offer a reciprocal WC to a Brit.

I think it was 2021 and Jack Draper got a wildcard into Helsinki event?

wolf · Tennis legend

Billy is 5-3 in his career against top 100 players, all in the last 12th months.

The losses have been against two top 30 players and Jack Draper who was 90 odd at the time.