Week 23 - ATP Challenger 125 - Surbiton, Great Britain (grass) - singles

Tanaqui · Club Coach

Week 23 - ATP Challenger 125 - Surbiton, Great Britain (grass) - singles

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Tanaqui wrote:
Shame Billy lost, but he's had a great week. I think this is the furthest he's been at this level?

He lost in the final of a challenger in Spain last March, to Grenier of France - but close!

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 8th of June 2024 07:13:13 PM

Doonan · Intermediate Club Player

Yes, but dont think that was a 125. I think this is his best performance at this level of challenger tournament.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Doonan wrote:
Yes, but dont think that was a 125. I think this is his best performance at this level of challenger tournament.

Ok, yeah- I thought this level meant challenger generally. But, yeah, at 125 Im sure thats correct.

Doonan · Intermediate Club Player

I quite agree to be honest. But I guess there are separate levels at challenger level for a reason and 125s attract a slightly better field. But youre right, not his best challenger performance!

Jan · Hall of fame

Ah, I had to go out just after the moment when Billy slipped over. Glad to see he was able to carry on and finish the match even if he did lose. A good week for him!

Tanaqui · Club Coach

JonH comes home wrote:
Doonan wrote:
Yes, but dont think that was a 125. I think this is his best performance at this level of challenger tournament.
Ok, yeah- I thought this level meant challenger generally. But, yeah, at 125 Im sure thats correct.

Oops, yes, I did mean best performance in this particular level of challenger, not just challengers in general. (The final he lost in Spain was a 75, so in my mind, this is a step higher, even though he didn't make the final here.)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Lloyd Harris won the title , two tight sets. Well done to him. But also backs up the fact that Billy did really well.

So what do we think the situation is re Lloyd Harris and a wild card for Wimbledon? Hes ranked outside the main draw so could get one - what will they do?

9vicman · Satellite level

JonH comes home wrote:
Lloyd Harris won the title , two tight sets. Well done to him. But also backs up the fact that Billy did really well.

So what do we think the situation is re Lloyd Harris and a wild card for Wimbledon? Hes ranked outside the main draw so could get one - what will they do?

I know Wimbledon has given wild cards to grass court challenger winners in the past, but it has always felt like it was in the absence of a more obvious choice. Personally not a fan of challenger events acting as a de facto wild card play-off.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Lloyd Harris won the title , two tight sets. Well done to him. But also backs up the fact that Billy did really well.

So what do we think the situation is re Lloyd Harris and a wild card for Wimbledon? Hes ranked outside the main draw so could get one - what will they do?
I know Wimbledon has given wild cards to grass court challenger winners in the past, but it has always felt like it was in the absence of a more obvious choice. Personally not a fan of challenger events acting as a de facto wild card play-off.

Certainly for a few years it was a thing. I can remember going to the Ilkley final when Dominic Koepfer beat Dennis Novak. The talk all week had been the title winner would get a wildcard and at the presentation ceremony , Andrew Jarrett rang Koepfers mobile and gave him the good news; it was quite public and quite exciting for koepfer at the time; so at that point in 2019c it was definitely a thing.

but last year, Mirjam Björklund didnt get one when she won the womens event and then went out in q1 of Wimbledon.

so I think its been a thing at some time, certainly not a thing now but maybe, as you say. something that will get considered.

9vicman · Satellite level

JonH comes home wrote:
9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Lloyd Harris won the title , two tight sets. Well done to him. But also backs up the fact that Billy did really well.

So what do we think the situation is re Lloyd Harris and a wild card for Wimbledon? Hes ranked outside the main draw so could get one - what will they do?
I know Wimbledon has given wild cards to grass court challenger winners in the past, but it has always felt like it was in the absence of a more obvious choice. Personally not a fan of challenger events acting as a de facto wild card play-off.
Certainly for a few years it was a thing. I can remember going to the Ilkley final when Dominic Koepfer beat Dennis Novak. The talk all week had been the title winner would get a wildcard and at the presentation ceremony , Andrew Jarrett rang Koepfers mobile and gave him the good news; it was quite public and quite exciting for koepfer at the time; so at that point in 2019c it was definitely a thing.

but last year, Mirjam Björklund didnt get one when she won the womens event and then went out in q1 of Wimbledon.

so I think its been a thing at some time, certainly not a thing now but maybe, as you say. something that will get considered.

Actually you're right. Wimbledon has for the last four years: 2019 (Ilkley winner Kopefer), 2021 (Nottingham winner Bolt), 2022 (Ilkley winner Bergs), 2023 (Ilkley runner-up Offner). It's never been that overt, but perhaps always a chance unless worthier candidates.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
9vicman wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Lloyd Harris won the title , two tight sets. Well done to him. But also backs up the fact that Billy did really well.

So what do we think the situation is re Lloyd Harris and a wild card for Wimbledon? Hes ranked outside the main draw so could get one - what will they do?
I know Wimbledon has given wild cards to grass court challenger winners in the past, but it has always felt like it was in the absence of a more obvious choice. Personally not a fan of challenger events acting as a de facto wild card play-off.
Certainly for a few years it was a thing. I can remember going to the Ilkley final when Dominic Koepfer beat Dennis Novak. The talk all week had been the title winner would get a wildcard and at the presentation ceremony , Andrew Jarrett rang Koepfers mobile and gave him the good news; it was quite public and quite exciting for koepfer at the time; so at that point in 2019c it was definitely a thing.

but last year, Mirjam Björklund didnt get one when she won the womens event and then went out in q1 of Wimbledon.

so I think its been a thing at some time, certainly not a thing now but maybe, as you say. something that will get considered.

Actually you're right. Wimbledon has for the last four years: 2019 (Ilkley winner Kopefer), 2021 (Nottingham winner Bolt), 2022 (Ilkley winner Bergs), 2023 (Ilkley runner-up Offner). It's never been that overt, but perhaps always a chance unless worthier candidates.

Its gets them in the conversation!

for Ofner, his final last year took him up to something like 60 in the rankings on the back of other results since the initial entry list. So I think his ranking at the point of consideration plus getting to a grass final (Kubler was already in as a DA) worked together.