Week 46 : Champaign Challanger, USA

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Week 46 : Champaign Challanger, USA

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

Jamie won his second round 3&3.

I think you're right, whoever said it earlier, Jamie could do with the three matches worth of practise at the moment, as well as the extra points he'll get if he qualifies. Not sure who's up next.

Drew · Nov 12, 2006

Good win for Jamie.........his final QR opponent could well be the 5th see King but he is down a set but fighting back.

steven · Tennis legend

King went out in the end.

QR3: (q1) Jamie Baker WR 311 v Tim Smyczek (USA) WR 572

Jamie is 2nd on Court 1 on Monday at about 17.30 GMT and Richard is 4th on Court 2 not before 21.00 GMT.

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Good to see Jamie getting a couple of wins, even if they are in qualifying...

Hopefully thats got his pecker up and he'll qualify and win a couple of rounds.

Should beat Smyzcek.

I would fancy Bloomers against Sa!

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Jamie and Brendan Evans made the main draw of doubles by rights this week

They faces wildcards Kelly Jones (USA) and Wesley Whitehouse (RSA)

Hopefully they can target Jones and come out on top!

Sheddie · administrator

Superb couple of wins for Jamie, that should give him some confidence even though the opponents were ranked a lot lower. I would have preferred to see him facing King in rd3 [as Jamie hammered him earlier this summer 0 and 4]. However, Smyczek will do, he's ranked a lot lower so Jamie should win.

Preview: 18 year old Smyczek reached no 14 in the juniors and is currently ranked 572 in the seniors. In futures this year, he won a title on clay in the States and also made 2 semis and 3 quarters. He's yet to qualify for a challenger but earlier this year he got a wildcard into the Yuba City challenger and won a round before losing to Phillip King. Smyczek got revenge over King in Champaign yesterday, beating him in a final set tiebreak in the 2nd qualifying round.

Sheddie · administrator

Jamie is cruising so far against Smyczek, he leads 5-0 in the 1st set

Great start

Michael · Pro player

Jamie won 6-0 4-6 6-3.

DeadRubber · Social player

Great result for the fabulous Baker boy!
Fingers crossed that he can win a main draw match to.

Good luck Jamie.

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Michael wrote:

Jamie won 6-0 4-6 6-3.

Yes!

Finally some good news for Jamie Baker!!!!

RobC · All-time great

Not such good news for Bloomers

He's a set and two breaks down: 3-6 0-4* To Andre Sa

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Sa is one of them that's never going to become a top player but hangs around between 100 and 200 stopping people with potential

RobC · All-time great

Richard had a shocker: he lost 3 & 1 in the end

.....Jamie, it's down to you young man!

Sheddie · administrator

Michael wrote:

Jamie won 6-0 4-6 6-3.

Superb win for Jamie, looks like Smyczek upped his level in set 2 and came back strongly but great to see that it didn't faze Jamie and he hung on in the 3rd. Congratulations to him on qualifying for a challenger, should hopefully be a great boost for his confidence and hopefully it'll spur him on to a couple of wins in the main draw. Guaranteed 4 points for this tournament now which is handy given that his 8 points from the GB 4 satellite last year, drop off next Monday. If he wins a round in the main draw, he'll defend all his points.

Welcome to this site Deadrubber

I'm surprised that Richard lost so easily indoors, I thought it'd be a lot closer than that. However, I think that a lot of people completely underestimated Sa. He's 29 now but has been as high as 55 in the world and was a top 100 player for a long time. He also reached no 46 in the doubles and is still in the top 100, ranked 76. In 2002 he reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals, taking a set off Henman. This year, he's made 2 challenger finals and a string of semis and quarters.