Week 30 - ATP 250 - Atlanta, GA, USA (hard)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

RE: Week 30 - ATP 250 - Atlanta, GA, USA (hard)

Doonan · Intermediate Club Player

And he wins 6-4 in the final set

DF · Tennis legend

Phew! indeed. Well done Billy !

wolf · Tennis legend

L28: Aslan Karatsev (***) WR 109 (CH 14 in 22) vs (Q) Billy Harris WR 116

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Now that's an excellent win. Quite a few times when Billy was fighting for the Top 500 a few years ago, I saw him get to MP in R2 or QF and then lose to an opponent who went on to win the tournament. I always knew he had it in him to go higher.

To keep his composure today and win having let 4 MPs slip by in the 2nd set is indicative of Billy's new mental strength which has been the biggest factor in his recent rise in the rankings, IMO.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
L28: Aslan Karatsev (***) WR 109 (CH 14 in 22) vs (Q) Billy Harris WR 116

Not the best qualifier spot, but not the worst either.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
Now that's an excellent win. Quite a few times when Billy was fighting for the Top 500 a few years ago, I saw him get to MP in R2 or QF and then lose to an opponent who went on to win the tournament. I always knew he had it in him to go higher.

To keep his composure today and win having let 4 MPs slip by in the 2nd set is indicative of Billy's new mental strength which has been the biggest factor in his recent rise in the rankings, IMO.

I didn't watch the match but I found your synposis interesting - yes, Billy in previous years definitely looked a little 'fragile' (as do many players, to be fair). Often on the wrong end of close matches, or even ones that seemed well within his grasp. And, yes, from the bits I've seen this year, he seems a different player in that regard - I wonder if anything specific changed? Or just age? Or maybe it was never quite like that in the first place?

Tanaqui · Club Coach

Well done, Billy!

It's not surprising he's having tight matches against opponents who have a similar ranking, but it's great that he's increasingly able to get through these.

Especially in light of Bob's observation (as a long-term follower of Billy) about him going close but not winning against opponents who then went deep in the tournament in the past, so the ability to now close out those matches is one of the keys to his rise. Thanks for that, Bob. The insight is much appreciated.

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Who would have thought even less than a year ago that Billy would be a regular on the ATP circuit and closing in on the top 100?

Its great to see.

I wonder though, as hes getting to bigger events if he really needs to play week in, week out?

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Ive never paid any attention but what is Billys coaching situation? Does he even have a coach? Or is there any recent change in coach that might play into some of this up turn in results over the past 12/24 months?

I wonder also if Covid and the impact on professional sports people it had helped in terms of giving Billy time to plan, consider, train and come out of it in better shape to take advantage might have helped?

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Ive never paid any attention but what is Billys coaching situation? Does he even have a coach? Or is there any recent change in coach that might play into some of this up turn in results over the past 12/24 months?

I wonder also if Covid and the impact on professional sports people it had helped in terms of giving Billy time to plan, consider, train and come out of it in better shape to take advantage might have helped?

I know that during the GB grass court season he was working with Beechy but I have no idea if that is going to continue.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Billy at 106 in the live rankings this morning. Would be a tough ask to get 'there' this week as he would have to make the SF, but as long as he can keep creeping up, it should happen over the next few weeks. Let's hope so, anyway.

Jan · Hall of fame

Great to see Billy doing well!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Ive never paid any attention but what is Billys coaching situation? Does he even have a coach? Or is there any recent change in coach that might play into some of this up turn in results over the past 12/24 months?

I wonder also if Covid and the impact on professional sports people it had helped in terms of giving Billy time to plan, consider, train and come out of it in better shape to take advantage might have helped?
I know that during the GB grass court season he was working with Beechy but I have no idea if that is going to continue.

Whenever he was interviewed at Eastbourne or Wimbledon, he seemed to imply that his dad was his main coach in respnse to any questions.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Ive actually emailed Jeff Sackmann at tennis Abstract to see if Jeff might think of doing any insights into Billy's rise - it may be he doesnt have any as Billy's stats until 12 months ago are largely at ITF level and I am not sure he tracks those. But he often provides some interesting insights into what stats are saying about the way someone is playing, their tactics that the stats imply, and how they have changed over time. What is leading to the change, not what change has happened.

But I dont think he will have anything or run anything for us, so probably a forelorn hope