CricketWeb Tennis - Season I

[SirBloody Idiot]

Clowich Masters
Saturday - Clowich Masters - Clowich (CWLand)

Men's Singles (Seeds - Finals - Section 1 - Section 2 - Section 3 - Section 4)
Men's Doubles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)

• Where at the French Open Sven Oxenstierna became the first CWLander to compete in a Grand Slam final, in Clowich he's become the first CWLander to compete in a Masters Series final after an upset win over Serbia's Radivoj Daneu. The world No. 3 managed to take a set off the local favourite, but found himself overawed by the hostile crowd and a pumped up Ox who outplayed him for much of the match. With the scores level at a set each, Oxenstierna reversed the momentum the Serb had produced in the second to break service in the fourth game with a brilliant half volley on the backhand side to send the ball spinning out of Daneu's reach. Serving at 3-5, Daneu was unable to make one last charge as Oxenstierna produced one of the bigger wins of his season 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to remain in the hunt for that illusive title.
• He will face rampant Czech giant Radek Špidlá in the final who had little trouble in accounting for dynamic Colombian Diego Hurtado. The awesome forehand of the unseeded South American did little to trouble Špidlá who regained the world's No. 3 position (and CW Open seeding) with a 6-3, 6-4 win. Špidlá and Oxenstierna have had less than cordial relations in the past, and will ensure that this Sunday's final will be a spiteful affair in front of a hot crowd.

• Seeded players out: Radivoj Daneu.

• The match tiebreaker blues struck once again for sixth seeds Heath Davis and Jojo Mustard as they were outclassed by second seeds Hayden and Ross Onwye. In front of a home crowd, Davis and Mustard came back beautifully in the second set from a break down to level the match at a set each; the sixths seeds looking good money to join Oxenstierna in a Masters Series final. With an ATP level record of 1-2 (and 1-2 at May's World Team Cup), Davis and Mustard quickly lost any momentum they may have banked as the Moroccans shot out to a 6-1 lead. A brief fightback was not enough to stop the Onwye Brothers from advancing to a fourth career doubles final 6-4, 4-6, 10-6.
• They will face Andrej Konc and Evgeniy Maximov who have become the match tiebreaker kings in recent times after yet another come-from-behind win. After dropping the first set to Ion Andueza and Sanchez Emelio, the Slovak-Belarusian pair played almost flawless tennis as they raced through the second set and match tiebreaker to advance to a second straight final 3-6, 6-0, 10-4.

• Seeded players out: Ion Andueza/Sanchez Emelio; Heath Davis/Jojo Mustard.

San Marino Cepu Open
Semi Finals - San Marino (Republic of San Marino)

Men's Singles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's Doubles (Doubles)

• A hard fought semifinal has ended in victory for sixth seed Jarkko Maxum as he stopped the good run of Frenchman Jean-Christophe Genghini. With a win at this tournament all but guaranteeing him a spot in the world's top sixty (a dramatic rise from No. 92 just a month ago), Maxum was pushed harder than he has been all week with Genghini matching him in a baseline shoot out. But Maxum moved forward at the right times to break the Genghini service to take the opening set, before the third seed struck back in the second to level the match at a set each. It went to a decider, and Maxum's fifth break of service came in the eleventh game to allow him to serve out the match 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 to advance to his second Challenger final. He plays fourth seed Heinz Hainisch who won his semifinal against Kasper Buur 7-6(4), 6-3.

• Seeded players out: Jean-Christophe Genghini.

• Suryakant Singh and Oliver Engel could not join Maxum in a Sunday final as they fell in three to top seeds Marzio Claverini and Flávio Augusto Martins. The Brazilian pair played some of their least convincing tennis of the week, but were able to walk away with a 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 win. They face Boris Denisov and Bogdan Maurer in the final following their crushing win over Carlo Andsoldi and Francesco Vecchio.

• Seeded players out: None.

Sunday Schedule

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[SirBloody Idiot]

Confident Špidlá unflustered by Clowich support

In what is fast becoming one of tennis' most bitter rivalries, world No. 3 Radek Špidlá has again held nothing back in his appraisal of CWLand's Sven Oxenstierna ahead of this Sunday's final of the Clowich Masters. The two-time Grand Slam finalist dismissed suggestions he struggles in big matches, instead noting that the attention should be on Oxenstierna who is yet to win a tournament title.

"I don't think there is much pressure on me," Špidlá said in a telephone interview following his 6-3, 6-4 win over Colombia's Diego Hurtado in the semifinals. "I have won titles before against very good players, so I'm not too nervous going into this match."

After losing two Grand Slam finals this season, Špidlá suggested that the heartbreaking losses had only made him stronger as a player: "I don't think I played too well in those matches, so it really is incentive for me to continue to improve as a player. He also has lost those type of matches, and he's going to really be wanting to win more titles than he has. Sometimes a home crowd is not so good when you get nervous in these times, so I don't mind about them."

Špidlá had previously goaded Oxenstierna's ability to win the big matches, which prompted a scathing rebuke from the CWLand No. 1 following his loss to Špidlá in Miami. Oxenstierna labelled his loss in the Australian Open final to Jason Hall "predictable and emphatic", but Špidlá laughed off suggestions the comments fuelled his desire to beat Oxenstierna tomorrow.

"If you need things like that to make you want to win a title, then you aren't playing the sport for the right reasons," he said. "[Oxenstierna] likes to try to throw you off your game with this stuff, but I think it is just a bit of fun. I'm feeling good and playing good, so we'll see how it goes tomorrow."

Previous Meetings:

1. ATP Masters Series Miami (I) - Hard - Q - Špidlá, Radek - 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-2
2. Australian Open (I) - Hard - R16 - Špidlá, Radek - 6-0, 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-2

 

[Mister Wright]

For goodness sake! Those tiebreak sets are killers - hate them, especially considering our hard work in getting back into the match in the 2nd set.

Btw, SBI what is the criteria for Doubles teams/players making the Master Series final?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

For goodness sake! Those tiebreak sets are killers - hate them, especially considering our hard work in getting back into the match in the 2nd set.

Agree with Mustard here. Its a joke that the 3rd set in doubles isn't a ****ing set? What sort of lazy ****s do they think we are that we can't manage a proper 3rd?

Should be like Wimbledon for Men's Doubles. Five sets all the way.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

CWLander Nicolás Almagro Randy Smeltz

I loled.

Mind, there's a Colombian in the semi on hardcourt. Surely something wrong.

Nice to be back on some good form. Been a good day, aced exam and now this

Agree with Mustard here. Its a joke that the 3rd set in doubles isn't a ****ing set? What sort of lazy ****s do they think we are that we can't manage a proper 3rd?

No one wants to watch doubles iirc. They just want to get it over with.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Come on Špidlá!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Oxenstierna aims to lift on returns
"I have to compete on serve," says CWLander

The surprising resurgence in form of Sven Oxenstierna hasn't impressed local bookies, who have the Hannover native as a 2/1 outsider, but has ensured the local crowd is incensed before the clash with Czech serve-champion Radek Špidlá. "I have to lift my whole game to beat him - particularly the returns, if I can get a break up I should be able to get into his mind," Oxenstierna admitted in yesterday's press conference.

Oxenstierna noted that the 0-2 record with Špidlá is important, as the surface is similar, but also claimed that he had made "major strides" since losing in Miami in March. "Back then I was happy to win a couple of matches and then take the cheque and the ranking points. I suppose that's how I got the reputation as a choker; still, a final of a top tournament is a greater achievement than winning in a field with three top-twenty players."

Oxenstierna also said the Czech surely deserved the label more. "Playing a kid who's barely been on grass in his life, in the final of the Championships, you possess the biggest serve in the game, and you lose in straight sets. That final was perhaps the most spineless performance I've seen in a Slam all year."

He was unsure whether there were any lessons to be learned from that match, however, because Špidlá's game had improved. "I can't rely on him to choke again, as amusing as it'd be," the Ox claimed. "Hall had a decent plan against him in Toronto, though - that's the only time he's really looked beatable since Wimbledon."

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

For goodness sake! Those tiebreak sets are killers - hate them, especially considering our hard work in getting back into the match in the 2nd set.

Btw, SBI what is the criteria for Doubles teams/players making the Master Series final?

Goes on Race. Top eight through.

CW Open qualifying draw announced

CWLand analysis:

Stakhanov: An easier section than it might have been for the Russian product who starts with a match he should win against Pátricio Sanchez in the first round. Sam Lazzeri in the second round remains his biggest challenge, and could be where he falters.

Banks: Should win against fellow CWLander Mahboob in the first round, but has a horror draw. Vilkke/Brozik is winnable, but Emsis in the third round might be a step too far for Banks. Will find himself playing Challengers throughout the Open.

Briggs: In contrast, Briggs has a much easier draw with Mikel Fosdike a liability on hard, and Jeremy Natale a journeyman at best. Qualifying as a wildcard might be a stretch, but it is in no way a harder section than Banks'.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Caresh, what a star.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Pickford draw released

 

[cricketboy29]

Right...well this is getting a tad old now. Bah, humbug.Thats the third tournament, that I've faltered in, around the quarter/semi stage. Hoping for some improvements down the line.

 

[Simon]

Previous Meetings:

1. ATP Masters Series Miami (I) - Hard - Q - Špidlá, Radek - 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-2
2. Australian Open (I) - Hard - R16 - Špidlá, Radek - 6-0, 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-2

Thats awesome SBI. Love the work you are putting into this.

Am hoping the Ox loses tbh.

 

[ripper868]

Right...well this is getting a tad old now. Bah, humbug.Thats the third tournament, that I've faltered in, around the quarter/semi stage. Hoping for some improvements down the line.

Just so you know mate, Maxum languiseh around the 160 mark for about 8 tournaments before getting a second round appearance on the board, can't just walk in and be good

Stoked to be playing my second final in a row, worlds top 60 would be huge.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Oooh. Could be a Davis/Mustard meeting in the 3rd round at Pickford. The crowd could be in for more buddy/buddy in-jokey on-court spam than at a Corrin/Sledger meet up.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Clowich Masters
Sunday - Clowich Masters - Clowich (CWLand)

Men's Singles (Seeds - Finals - Section 1 - Section 2 - Section 3 - Section 4)
Men's Doubles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)

• World No. 3 Radek Špidlá has extended his record to 3-0 against No. 6 Sven Oxenstierna in a hotly contested final of the Clowich Masters. The Czech giant was forced to come from a set down to beat the local favourite who at one stage was serving for the championship in the third set. Špidlá's serve has been an imposing weapon right throughout this season, but the determined Oxenstierna neutralised it in the first set with some well-placed returns and aggression against the second service. The tactic paid off as The Ox found the break in the fifth game of the opening set as Špidlá found the net with a forehand at his knees. Dropping the first 4-6, Špidlá came out more determined in the second and cut down on the unforced errors to refuse Oxenstierna any break point opportunities on his service. Again the pressure mounted, and Oxenstierna dropped service in the tenth and final game to bring the Czech seed back to even keel. In a tight third set, Oxenstierna looked on the verge of producing the biggest win of his career as he earned a break of service to move to a 5-4 lead and to serve for the match. But after three deuces, Špidlá managed to force Oxenstierna into making a mistake as a forehand went just wide to bring the scores back to 5-5. From there, The Ox was done as Špidlá held to love and quickly brought up two match points on the local player's service. He took just one as Oxenstierna served up a double fault to give Špidlá his third career title and some real momentum heading into the CW Open in a week's time.

• Seeded players out: Sven Oxenstierna.

• It was two finals in two weeks for Andrej Konc and Evgeniy Maximov, but they could not produce a favourable result as Hayden and Ross Onwye secured a 6-2, 7-5 win. The second seeds picked up their second career titles in confident style as they controlled the match at the baseline and the net as the Slovak-Belarusian pair failed to recapture any of the flair of their previous matches. In one hour and ten minutes, the Moroccan brothers moved in sight of the top of the ATP Race, and Hayden Onwye to the top of the individual rankings with a straight sets win.

• Seeded players out: None.

San Marino Cepu Open
Final - San Marino (Republic of San Marino)

Men's Singles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's Doubles (Doubles)

• CWLand's Jarkko Maxum was unable to extend his Challenger winning tally to two after falling in straight sets to fourth seed Heinz Hainisch. The Samarkand champion had been forced to compete in a lengthy semifinal on Saturday, and it was plainly obvious from the start which player was freshest. Hainisch broke service in the fourth game of the opening set and clung on to take it 6-3, before again shooting ahead in the second as Maxum sent a wild backhand well deep to hand the Austrian the break. Whilst he managed to break back in the fourth game, Hainisch didn't give an inch and finally pulled ahead again in the eleventh as he found the mark with a forehand winner that just took the line. Hainisch went on to serve out a 6-3, 7-5 victory to move to No. 57 in the world, whilst Maxum's 45 points leaves him content at No. 68. In the doubles, Boris Denisov and Bogdan Maurer proved too good for top seeds Marzio Claverini and Flávio Augusto Martins 6-4, 5-7, 11-9.

• Seeded players out: Jarkko Maxum.
• Seeded players out: Marzio Claverini/Flávio Augusto Martins.

​

 

[NUFAN]

Yes my first title! Special mention to both Hayden and Ross Onwye in assisting in the win.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Rankings - 24 August, I

ATP Singles Rankings - Top 50

ATP Singles Rankings - CWLand Only

ATP Doubles Rankings (Individual) - Top 40

ATP Doubles Rankings (Race)

Had made a mistake by giving 15 of Davis/Mustard's points from LA to Boytchuk/Kennedy. That's been rectified.

 

[Simon]

Awesome, up to 18th. Equal career high ranking.

 

[ripper868]

Spewing to have lost the final, resting this week before the open will see me in good stead for both the singles and the doubles with Bowenburg. Stoked to be World number 68, an improvemen tof about 100 places from 6 months or so back.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Surface Rankings

Rankings by Surface

Hard

Hall and Špidlá are the men to beat on the surface, whilst Oxenstierna has done very well to be in the top ten with just six tournaments. Blanco down at 26 isn't too surprising considering he was pretty average at the start of the year, and has missed Clowich. Moreno too has been mud outside of the clay season (though puzzlingly succeeded on grass).

Clay

Blanco faaaar and away at the top of the list which, after seeing his hard court rankings, basically sums up why he was No. 1. Oxenstierna shows his consistency in the top ten of both hard and clay, whilst Boros has bullied the lesser clay tournaments (hence he's got the least prize money out of the top ten). Špidlá has done pretty well to be No. 3 overall after being so dire on clay.

Grass

Obviously means very little, as there have been so few grass tournaments. No surprise to see the four Wimbledon semifinalists make up the top four.