Week 9 - ATP Challenger 125 - Bengaluru, India (hard)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

RE: Week 9 - ATP Challenger 125 - Bengaluru, India (hard)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Davydenko said he didn't believe in practice weeks (coz he didn't get paid)

He said he'd practice on the tennis court, in an actual event, where he could earn some money

Might not be money for Billy - or it might be - but some guys just like to keep playing and playing

Madadman · Grand Slam Champion

Anyone else watching and worked out whats happening with Billy? Seems to be holding his ear?

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
SF: (3) Brandon Holt (USA) WR 144 (= CH) vs (LL) Billy Harris WR 110
Holt, of course, beat Billy in three sets in the quarter-final in Pune last week, when he was seeded sixth & Billy the N° 1.

Holt does it in straight sets this time:

SF: (3) Brandon Holt (USA) WR 144 defeated (LL) Billy Harris WR 110 by 6-2 7-6(4) hmm

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Oh well, Billy gave it his all this week. India done and dusted. A 13-5 record including qualies this week. Id give him a B for the month on that basis. Not bad, tried hard, some positives but possibly hoped for a little more?

9vicman · Satellite level

A very good opportunity for Billy to crack the Top 100 and just came up a little short. Gonna be tough now, with the clay court season and then all those grass court points to defend.

I remember our discussions around how important it would be for Liam to crack the Top 100 and the general consensus was that it would be a pretty significant milestone at the end of the career. And he did, but then got injured so quickly that he didn't have the chance to take advantage of it. So kind of bitter quite rather than the crowning glory.

I don't think Billy has the natural talent that Liam has, so to break through to the Top 100 in a three-year spell would be an incredible achievement. And yet away from grass, he has struggled against higher ranked players so it doesn't feel as much on his racket.

indiana · Tennis legend

Billy though retains the previously discussed pre grass court rankings window with now only 24 points ( two 12s ) as counters due off in the rankings update period of 10/03 to 26/05 inclusive. And prior to the French Open he could play some Asian hard court Challengers rather than clay court tournaments if he wanted to.

He is showing in live rankings as going to be WR 107 or WR 108 on 558 points on Monday with the WR 100 on 605 points.

Take off these 24 points and replace these with 2 ( or just 1 ! ) scores over these 12 weeks totalling 71 points ( extremely doable I suggest ) and hey he'd be on 605 points.

He could also make up that current 47 points shortfall from more than 2 scores, say 3 scores totalling 79 points replacing a total of 32 points from the two 12s plus his bottom remaining counter of 8 points. Of course the 605 points for WR 100 will shift about a bit but it will no doubt remain in that ballpark.

But the point is that to my mind he has a great chance of making the top 100 before we get to last year's big grass court points. He could have managed it in India but he has got closer and it is a much bigger window than that.

( which, without wanting to be taken to task again, is why I rightly or wrongly would prefer that he didn't slog away week after week. Though as has also been said, maybe he just likes to keep playing ).

-- Edited by indiana on Sunday 2nd of March 2025 10:20:37 AM

Madadman · Grand Slam Champion

indiana wrote:
Madadman wrote:
miriam abc wrote:
So maybe he'll skip IW and fly out for Miami.
He is down for the ATP CH 175 in Dominican Republic during the 2nd week of Indian Wells. So might play that and then Miami.
Probably finish off here, play IW, play that Dominican Republic Challenger, and play Miami

Ha would be very Billy. I'd imagine he would play IW now. Needs to head towards America. May as well get there in time to get the $7000 guaranteed for losing in 1st round Qualies in IW. See it as a free hit due to the last minute arrival.

Madadman · Grand Slam Champion

Madadman wrote:
Anyone else watching and worked out whats happening with Billy? Seems to be holding his ear?

If anyone else was interested a mosquito in his ear apparently.

https://x.com/damiankust/status/1895830959129575890?s=46