steven wrote:

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ultimateshedman wrote:

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I was hoping that Alex would go abroad sooner, the 15Ks in Britain have such tough fields now. When you compare them to the fields of the GB 4 satellite last year, there's such a difference. Players ranked in the 1000s were making the quarters last year, while with the 15Ks this autumn, the cuts are around 420 !

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That's a good point, actually. I assume putting the GB Futures up from 10Ks to 15Ks was supposed to let the Brits play in home Futures with more points on offer, but I think that rather than the Brits getting more points, it's actually resulted in stronger overseas players being attracted to the tournaments.

It does seem crazy that in this week's GB Future, there was only one British player ranked high enough to get into the main draw directly. That's partly because it's a 15K and not a 10K, partly because a lot of the Brits in the top 400 are going for Challengers and Challenger qualifying at the moment (good if it means they're getting more ambitious, bad if it's because they don't see themselves doing well in GB Futures!) and partly because of the 35% drop in Brits in the top 500 (once Matt Smith drops out at the end of this week) since just over a year ago, definitely a bad thing!

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Putting the futures up from 10K to 15K has had mixed benefits. For players like Jamie Baker, Alan Mackin, Richard Bloomfield etc who are good enough to consistently reach semis and finals in tournaments with fields of this strength; it's beneficial as there are more points and prize money on offer and so enables them to move up the rankings quicker. Even when close to the top 200 like Bloomfield, your ranking takes a nice boost when you win a 15K.

However, it's been detrimental for the lower ranked players like Bamford, Hutchins, Rushby, Slabinsky etc. The 15Ks have slowed their progress as they've had so many tough draws. Whereas with the 10Ks, the cut would often extend down to about 700, now it's about 400 at times with 4 or 5 top 300 players and players like Tsonga and Huta-Galung who are good enough to do well in challengers are competing.

With Slabba, I don't think the pressure of having 20 pts to defend has had anything to do with his results, same I think for lots of players. Instead it's just been tough draws, even yesterday; his opponent was a really big server who's game was ideally suited to fast indoor acrylic while Alex's game is more suited to outdoor hard.

Players who had been taking part in 15K futures - Bloomfield, Baker, Goodall, Lee, Auckland and Muzzler senior have all made big ranking leaps this year and the way to continue their progress is to move up to the challenger/ATP circuit. Guys like Jonny Marray and Lee Childs believe that it's best to play challengers and compete for more points and dosh rather than get bogged down in futures.



-- Edited by ultimateshedman at 09:47, 2006-11-15

ultimateshedman wrote:

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Putting the futures up from 10K to 15K has had mixed benefits. For players like Jamie Baker, Alan Mackin, Richard Bloomfield etc who are good enough to consistently reach semis and finals in tournaments with fields of this strength; it's beneficial as there are more points and prize money on offer and so enables them to move up the rankings quicker. Even when close to the top 200 like Bloomfield, your ranking takes a nice boost when you win a 15K.

However, it's been detrimental for the lower ranked players like Bamford, Hutchins, Rushby, Slabinsky etc. The 15Ks have slowed their progress as they've had so many tough draws. Whereas with the 10Ks, the cut would often extend down to about 700, now it's about 400 at times with 4 or 5 top 300 players and players like Tsonga and Huta-Galung who are good enough to do well in challengers are competing.


-- Edited by ultimateshedman at 09:47, 2006-11-15

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I agree.

In my view the LTA are interested in supporting players who might win a few rounds at wimbledon, and in that regard, the move to 15K's has as you have said been beneficial, it has rather cut off some of those who arent quite good enough, but eventually however you structure events you've got to win tennis matches, and the problem for our guys between 400-700 is they dont win enough of them to get up the rankings.

Rushby has played it quite cute, when there's been a weak draw he's took advantage and reached 1 Final and 2 semi's, Slabba hasnt, and that's sadly why he's falling.

I'm in favour of the change tho' maybe they could keep a couple of 10K's to help some of the lesser players get a foot on the ladder.

johnnylad wrote:

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Men’s 2nd rd:

Ervin Eleskovic (Swe) bt Daniel Danilovic (Swe) 6-0 6-1

Bastian Knittel (Ger) bt Michael Ryderstedt (Swe) 7-5 6-3

Luca Gregorc (Slo) bt Ludwig Pellerin (Fra) 6-4 7-6 (7-5)

Alan Mackin (Gbr) bt Tom Rushby (Gbr) 4-6 6-3 6-2

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Rushby can be a dangerous player on his day, beat Bloomfield earlier this autumn so Macca has done well to avoid a potential banana skin.

Gregorc next up in the quarters. The American-based Slovenian is ranked 442 and made the semis of Redbridge last week. His other 2006 highlights have been, qualifying for ATP Bejing and winning a round before losing to Davydenko, winning a futures in Venezuala and qualifying for the Atlanta challenger and making the quarters. Daniel Cox and Robert Searle have come close to taking his scalp recently , hopefully Mackin can avenge them.

It's a tricky match but one Mackin should win given some of the players he's beaten indoors this autumn: Haehnel, Zverev, Mutis, Petzschner, Prpic, Vacek, Lacko etc.

However, for some reason, Mackin always seems to produce his best in challengers and ATPs rather than futures.

Drew wrote:

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Alan has to keep winning.....

Alan Mackin (Gbr) bt Tom Rushby (Gbr) 4-6 6-3 6-2

How he managed to drop the first set ....cmon Mackin keep un interested through to Saturday !

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Rushby is very much a player, when he's on he's very good, when he's off he's pretty bad, there's no real middle ground. He varies a lot from match to match and even from set to set. He recently won a match 6-1, 1-6, 6-0 and lost another 6-7, 6-1, 6-7.

He has the talent to be ranked a lot higher but when things start to go wrong in matches he gets a bit down on himself and that costs him. He's beaten Bloomfield 6-7, 6-3, 6-1 and Marray 6-3, 6-4 [indoors] this year.

Third on court 1 today......

Luca Gregorc (Slo) v Alan Mackin (Gbr)

All Hail King Mac !!!

Update please Drew

Niall wrote:

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Bastian Knittel (Ger) bt Ralph Grambow (Ger) 0-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-1

Alan Mackin (Gbr) bt Luca Gregorc (Slo) 6-2 6-2

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Alan Mackin (Gbr) bt Luca Gregorc (Slo) 6-2 6-2

Knew he would do it !!!!