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

wolf · Tennis legend

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

wolf · Tennis legend

FQR: (q2) Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) WR 194 vs (qWC) Harry Wendelken WR 673

FQR: (qWC) Ben Jones WR 930 vs (q9) Alex Bolt (AUS) WR 240

FQR: (q4) Omar Jasika (AUS) WR 206 vs Paul Jubb WR 308

FQR: Kyle Edmund WR 496 vs (q7) Ryan Peniston WR 215

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

QR1: (qWC) Harry Wendelken WR 673 defeated (q8) Dane Sweeny (AUS) WR 237 by 6-1 6-3

QR1: (qWC) Ben Jones WR 930 defeated (q3) Marc Polmans (AUS) WR 200 by 3-6 6-1 6-4

What two amazing results from our players biggrin biggrin biggrin

9vicman · Satellite level

Ben Jones has almost given up singles, but grass can be a bit of a leveller. Did he serve and volley at all?

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
Ben Jones has almost given up singles, but grass can be a bit of a leveller. Did he serve and volley at all?

I dont see it that way - it takes different qualities, for sure, and plays to those who may be a bit more streaky, shot makers perhaps, power - but not sure that is levelling; and in this case the opponent was an Aussie who would have been equally well versed in grass court play etc.

9vicman · Satellite level

I wonder how much grass court tennis is played in Australia these days.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
I wonder how much grass court tennis is played in Australia these days.

Probably about as much as in the UK I would guess - it really isnt a big thing here anymore, not many of our players have good experience on grass.

adz1983 · Intermediate Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
9vicman wrote:
I wonder how much grass court tennis is played in Australia these days.
Probably about as much as in the UK I would guess - it really isnt a big thing here anymore, not many of our players have good experience on grass.

An Aussie friend of mine grew up 3 hours outside of Melbourne in a small town where the tennis club had a LOT of grass courts. I think it is far more common over there. Interestingly the 3rd team at my club had a match at the weekend in Purley and played on grass!

emmsie69 · Top national player

Little fact about Purley. Boris Beckers coach was looking for a grass court for Boris to practice on but it had rained a lot so no one would allow him on their courts until he called Purley and they said yes. In the hour in-between the phonecall and him arriving 500+ people allegedly showed up

-- Edited by emmsie69 on Monday 3rd of June 2024 09:16:25 AM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

emmsie69 wrote:
Little fact about Purley. Boris Beckers coach was looking for a grass court for Boris to practice on but it had rained a lot so no one would allow him on their courts until he called Purley and they said yes. In the hour in-between the phonecall and him arriving 500+ people allegedly showed up

-- Edited by emmsie69 on Monday 3rd of June 2024 09:16:25 AM

I like that story!!

When I played in the Middlesex league, I played for the British Airways Concord Club team that had a sports ground for staff near the airport, in Hayes. We had, from memory, 4 hard courts and 4 grass courts. I am sure the grass has gone now - this was early 90's. But we were the only club then with grass courts and other teams used to love coming over to play at our courts. But the cost of upkeep was too much and I am pretty certain there will be very few courts in that league now - I am not sure where Purley is, is that Middlesex - maybe there are one or two clubs still playing grass in Middlesex at least, then?

When I played (before then) in Derbyshire League, I dont recall any grass courts and the club I played at had artificial grass, which I hate. Prior to that, in the late 70's and 80's we had some Yorkshire League matches on grass but almost all had gone. Clubs like Horsforth, Huddersfield, Chapel Allerton all had some grass but I think have all gone now; Scarborough was another one. I am pretty sure it is almost certainly just Ilkley that is left as a grass court bastion now in Yorkshire

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Monday 3rd of June 2024 09:28:56 AM

9vicman · Satellite level

JonH comes home wrote:
9vicman wrote:
I wonder how much grass court tennis is played in Australia these days.
Probably about as much as in the UK I would guess - it really isnt a big thing here anymore, not many of our players have good experience on grass.

That's a fair point. Long gone are the days when three of four Slams were played on grass, the National Junior Champs were held on grass etc.

All that said, I don't believe that Ben Jones would beat Marc Polmans on any other surface.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

FQR: Kyle Edmund WR 496 beat (q7) Ryan Peniston WR 215 7-5 6-3

A little surprised about this result as Ryan is very adept on the grass. But possibly Kyle's best win during his various attempts at recent comebacks.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Really good win for Kyle, I am sure he will be happy about that.

twentytoone · Intermediate Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
Really good win for Kyle, I am sure he will be happy about that.

id have been surprised if Ryan won this was his third match since feb

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

twentytoone wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Really good win for Kyle, I am sure he will be happy about that.
id have been surprised if Ryan won this was his third match since feb

Agree, it was always a tough one for both - whoever won, it would have been positive for them, I think