Week 11: Rabat [Pellegrini], Sarajevo [Gross]

[SirBloody Idiot]

Morocco Tennis Tour II - Rabat (Rabat, MAR)
Clay (Red)

ATP Ranking Points
W: 90
F: 55
SF: 33
QF: 17
R16: 8
R32: 0
Q: +5
Q8: 0
Q16: 0

Entry deadline: February 22, II
Seeding: March 1, II

1 Navarro, José PER 93
2 Ortiz, Johan COL 96
3 De Kinsele, Michael ITA 101
4 Bertolotto, Miguel ARG 109
5 Pushkov, Yevgeny RUS 113
6 Prodi, Massimo ITA 119
7 Berianidze, Gocha GEO 124
8 Durand, Christopher FRA 125
9 Vuka, Ivan CRO 136
10 Scalforo, Pablo ITA 144
11 Velten, Thomas NED 147
12 Aleksejev, Taavi EST 150
13 Pelayo, Felipe MEX 153
14 Wetzel, Sipko NED 162
15 Pellegrini, Marco ITA 165
16 Gómez, Domingo Gutiérrez PUR 166
17 Rojas, Alex CHL 174
18 Lachance, Sébastien FRA 176
19 Renard, Bertran FRA 182
20 Crespo, Guilermo ARG 188
21 Molina, Miguel ECU 190
22 Räihä, Matti FIN 194
23 Canadillas, Sergi ESP 196
24 Bhutia, Ritwik IND 201
25 (Q) Lawley, Jason FRC
26 (Q) Wleft, Phoenix CDR
27 (Q) De Koning, Nick NED
28 (Q) Tessier, Joseph FRA
29 (WC) Allali, Omar MAR
30 (WC) Gloub, Driss MAR
31 (WC) Kessab, Ahmed MAR
32 (WC) Zeroual, Nabil MAR

BH Telecom Indoors II (Sarajevo, BIH)
Hard (Indoors)

ATP Ranking Points
W: 80
F: 48
SF: 29
QF: 15
R16: 6
R32: 0
Q: +3
Q8: 0
Q16: 0

Entry deadline: February 22, II
Seeding: March 1, II

1 Maurer, Bogdan ROU 91
2 Juraev, Anvar UZB 106
3 Murray, Adam AUS 107
4 Dinov, Gjorgji MKD 110
5 Heug, Gunther GER 118
6 Veno, Akihiko JPN 127
7 S'ua, Murphy SAM 131
8 Jones, David AUS 137
9 Banks, Randy FRC 140
10 Moss, Sebastian GBR 142
11 Doungtong, Adul THA 145
12 Georgilas, Takis CYP 152
13 van der Cleer, Cameron NED 154
14 Thompson, Harry AUS 167
15 Gross, Jiri CZE 168
16 Langley, Rick FRC 170
17 Russell, Andy GBR 173
18 Volkoff, Evgeny RUS 179
19 Whitehouse, Scott GBR 180
20 Arsov, Branko MKD 186
21 Olsen, Kim Roger NOR 191
22 Paquette, Michel CAN 195
23 Bak, Piotr POL 200
24 Alitspritsin, Aleksander LIT 202
25 Kulic, Novica SRB 204
26 (Q) Stakhanov, Vladimir CDR
27 (Q) Ivic, Srdjan SRB
28 (Q) Annemans, Paul BEL
29 (Q) Luitjens, Michael RSA
30 (WC) Loughman, Jack FRC
31 (WC)
32 (WC)

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Morocco Tennis Tour - Rabat
1st Round - Rabat, Morocco - Clay (outdoors)

Men's singles (Seeds - Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Seeds - Draw)

• In a fantastic start to his tournament in Rabat, West CWLand qualifier Jason Lawley has upset Chile's Alex Rojas in straight sets to advance to the round of 16. Only playing on clay as he was unable to get a qualifying wildcard into Sarajevo, Lawley clearly benefitted from his recent match practice as he matched the natural clay courter with some consistent shot making. Although at times lacking real penetration, Lawley's patience paid off in the first set as he fought off three set points to seal the tiebreaker 9-7. With both players struggling to hold serve consistently, it was a matter of who would be broken less in the second. The answer was Lawley as he nervously served out the match 7-6(7), 7-5 to move to a big second round clash with local wildcard Omar Allali. Allali benefitted from an unfit Massimo Prodi as he advanced 6-4, 6-2 in an upset.

• Fellow qualifier Phoenix Wleft also won his first round clash, and did it more convincingly as he dispatched Finland's Matti Räihä in straight sets. Wleft has looked increasingly confident on the clay and continued his great form on the Moroccan tour that saw him make the semi finals of the outdoor clay event in Meknes just over a fortnight ago. Räihä offered little resistence as the East CWLander overpowered him with some heavy ground strokes to secure a comprehensive 6-2, 6-2 win.

• In the big upset of the day, Mexico's Felipe Pelayo knocked out top seed and world top hundred player José Navarro 7-6(8), 6-3. Navarro joins Massimo Prodi and Yevgeny Pushkov as a top half seed to exit in their first match.

• Seeded players out:
  
  José Navarro;
  
  Massimo Prodi;
  
  Yevgeny Pushkov.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Sarajevo Challenger II
First Round - Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina
Singles

• It was a gruelling first round encounter in Bosnia for Rick Langley as he took on Canadian journeyman Michel Paquette. Langley looked lacklustre early on; seemingly struggling to shake off the jet-lag from the flight from his home in CWLand to Bosnia. Pacquette surged into a 4 - 0 lead before Langley could even hold his serve and a late fightback was not enough to save the set. Langley's fighting spirit came to the fore as despite Paquette taking an early break in the second to lead 3 - 0, Langley won 6 games in a row to take the match to a decider. The third was a long winded and error filled affair which was taken by Langley in a tie break 3 - 6, 6 - 3, 7 - 6 (7 - 3). Langley faces 4th seed Gunther Heug in the 2nd round and will clearly need to make vast improvements to beat Heug who stormed through the 2nd and 3rd sets, winning 3 - 6, 6 - 0, 6 - 1 against Nikola Kulic in his 1st round encounter.
• Randy Banks did it tough, but took a highly satisfying victory over 3rd seed Adam Murray on number one court. Banks placed some aggressive tennis throughout the match; seizing the initiative at the net with impunity. Murray struggled to counter the unexpected Banks game and despite taking a close 2nd set, only earned 3 break points in the whole match and only converted one. A delighted Banks progressing 6 - 2, 4 - 6, 6 - 4
• Comeback kid, EastCWLander Vladimir Stakhanov played a sensational match against local qualifier Milenko Music. Stakhanov dominated from start to finish - moving to a 4 - 0 lead in the first set before Music took a point! The first set was an inevitable bagel, and with the local crowd becoming restless, Music finally gained two games in the second. Stakhanov proceeding 6 - 0, 6 - 2.
• Wildcard Jake Loughman had his chances but ultimately failed against 7th seed Akihiko Veno. Loughman showed short spells of fine form - mostly in a rampant display in the 2nd set when he took two breaks in a row. However, these spells of glorious strokeplay were not enough against the canny Japanese. Veno sparked into life at critical times - most notably in the final set tie breaker. Veno progressing 6 - 3, 2 - 6, 7 - 6 (7 - 2)

• Seeded players out:Anvar Juraev (2, UZB), Adam Murray (3, AUS), Georgi Dinov (5, MAC)

Doubles

• CWLand's only pairing in the doubles - Rick Langley & Randy Banks were dumped out in a close straight-sets encounter against Romanian duo Radu Ghita & Bogdan Maurer. The CWLanders took the early lead with some impressive interplay and some tenacity at the net from Banks. However, Maurer - the first seed in the singles draw - found his range quickly and broke back. The CWLanders squandered 3 set points at 5 - 4 up, and the Romanians took the tie break - 7 - 6 (7 - 4), 6 - 4.

• Seeded players out: Norman & Tol (3, BEL/NED)

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Lawley going rabid in rabat

 

[Indipper]

Stakhanov gutted to have given up points to musical fellow.

 

[Number 11]

Lawley going rabid in rabat

Oh yeah!

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Morocco Tennis Tour - Rabat
2nd Round - Rabat, Morocco - Clay (outdoors)

Men's singles (Seeds - Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Seeds - Draw)

• Phoenix Wleft will be given the huge task this Friday of defeating a former French Open finalist after he set up a quarter final showdown with second seed Johan Ortiz following a big win over eighth seed Gocha Berianidze. Wleft was very impressive in the first round, but came up against stronger opposition in the form of the World No. 128. In a stong opening set, Wleft continued to look very strong on the red clay with his powerful ground strokes a source of great consternation for the Georgian. After dropping the first 2-6, Berianidze started better in the second as he at one stage held a 3-2 lead. But he could not maintain it, and his weak second serve was taken advantage of again by Wleft who surged into the quarters 6-2, 6-4. He faces Ortiz who came from a set down to beat fellow veteran Thomas Velten 5-7, 7-5, 6-3. Ortiz has at times seemed just one tournament away from returning to his best, but has been the victim of a number of shock upsets when coming in as a raging favourite.

• Wleft will not be joined in the quarter finals by West CWLand's Jason Lawley after he was beaten in three sets by Moroccan wildcard Omar Allali. Allali was in fine touch in the first round, but struggled early as Lawley took the fight to him with an early break. But a passing shot against the serve earned Allali the break back, and he went on to snare the first set 6-4. The tight tussle continued in the second, though, and in a fifty minute set it was the Westerner who sent the match to a deciding third and final set with a 7-5 scoreline. But he could not maintain that pressure, and in front of a modest crowd Allali moved to the quarters 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

• The biggest match on Friday will no doubt be a showdown between fourth seed Miguel Bertolotto and seventh seed Christopher Durand. Bertolotto has dropped just four games this week, but has his biggest task yet against Cherbourg champion Durand who was immense on Wednesday with a 6-0, 6-0 shut out of qualifier Joseph Tessier.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Gocha Berianidze;
  
  Michael De Kinsele.

• Three of the seeded doubles teams were bounced out in the first round, the biggest shock being top seeds Julio Rodriguez & Diego Rodriquez. The Argentines were overwhelming favourites, but were mercilessly flogged by Sunil Colaco & Gurpreet Rao 2-6, 1-6.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Johan Engström &
  
  Erik Viksten;
  
  Julio Rodriguez &
  
  Diego Rodriquez;
  
  Tomas Ryce &
  
  Jochen Sas.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Sarajevo Challenger II
Second Round - Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina
Singles

• Rick Langley had an outstanding but hard fought win over 4th seed Gunther Heug on Centre Court. The match was played at a high intensity and with great skill from both players throughout. With first service percentages both in the high-70s, break opportunities were few and far between. Langley earned 2 break points in the first set, but squandered them both. The first set went to a tie break which went the full distance before Langley's first serve finally deserted him and he netted with the pressure on the 2nd service. However, having missed the opportunities in the 1st set, Langley refused to let the chances go begging in the 2nd. Heug earned 3 break points, but let them all go by whilst Langley only earned a single opportunity - but this time took it was a bruising forehand down the line. The third set offered more opportunities - with both players taking a single hard earned break of serve. With Langley sitting at 5 - 4 up in the decider, Heug seemingly fell to pieces - giving double faults at 15 - 15 and again at 30 - 40 to hand Langley the match. A disappointing end to a classic encounter 6 - 7 (6 - 8), 6 - 3, 6 - 4.
• After a brilliant win in round one, Randy Banks came unstuck against Jiri Gross of Croatia. Banks continued his form from the 1st round by surging to a 4 - 0 lead. However, a bit of a slip reaching for a strong backhand punch from Gross overstretched Banks' hamstring and required the attention of the trainer. He was able to resume fairly swiftly, but his standard of play slipped noticeably - seemingly restricting the power of his serve to some extent. It was no surprise with his lead that Banks held on to the first set, but couldn't keep the standard up and a single break of serve for Gross in the 2nd and 3rd was enough to dump Banks out 4 - 6, 6 - 4, 6 - 3
• A resurgent Vladimir Stakhanov enjoyed a great comeback over 7th seed Akihiro Veno. After losing the 1st set without having an opportunity for a break, Stakhanov played a more aggressive and successful style of play with the pressure off. Veno struggled to adapt and lost his serve twice in a 6 - 2 turnaround. However, the 3rd set was mainly played from the baseline with Stakhanov unable to control the match as he had in the 2nd set. The match eventually went to a tie break that Stakhanov snatched. 3 - 6, 6 - 2, 7 - 6 [8 - 6]. Stakhanov plays Dutchmen Cameron van der Cleer in the 3rd round.

• Seeded players out: Bogdan Maurer (1, ROM), Gunther Heug (4, GER), Akihiro Vero (7, JAP)

Doubles

• The victors of the Banks/Langley CWLand pairing - Radu Ghita & Bogdan Maurer had an enjoyable, if exhausting win over the first seeds Roel Hervelle & Jerzy Kosecki. The first two sets were shared 6 - 3 before heading into a nail biting tie breaker which was set at 8 - 8 before a decisive ace from Maurer; the Romanians progressing 3 - 6, 6 - 3, [10 - 8]

• Seeded players out: Hervelle & Kosecki (1, BEL/POL)

[/QUOTE]

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Morocco Tennis Tour - Rabat
Quarter Finals - Rabat, Morocco - Clay (outdoors)

Men's singles (Seeds - Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Seeds - Draw)

• Qualifier Phoenix Wleft is set to enter the world's top 200 for the very first time after yesterday stunning World No. 96 Johan Ortiz in three sets. The second seed was a big favourite to take out the World No. 212 and started strongly as he struck an early blow to lead 4-1. Wleft fought back well in some entertaining exchanges between two contrasting styles; Wleft's power sometimes falling short of the deftness and skill of Ortiz. Nevertheless, after dropping the first set 4-6 he began to strike big blows against Ortiz's serve. Lacking real power on his serve and in particular his second serve, Ortiz fell behind a double break and despite showing brief moments of brilliance (such as a volley from his feet to pass Wleft at the net) found himself in real trouble at 0-4 in the third. Wleft faltered on serve to allow Ortiz back in, but he regained his steel next time to set up what was ultimately an unassailable lead and a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win. He plays Cherbourg champion Christopher Durand who came from a set down to smash in form Argentine Miguel Bertolotto 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Miguel Bertolotto;
  
  Johan Ortiz.

• All seeded teams are out of the doubles draw in Rabat with second seeds Grigor Khugaev & Alexey Korsakov giving up a set-to-love lead to fall to Massimo Prodi & Pablo Scalforo 6-4, 3-6, [8-10].

• Seeded players out:
  
  Grigory Khugaev &
  
  Alexey Korsakov.

 

[Agent TBY]

Epic.

 

[Paid The Umpire]

Good to see a big win for Langley.

Also good win for Wleft.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Sarajevo Challenger II
Third Round - Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina
Singles

• Rick Langley turned around a faultless outing against Gunther Heug to be dumped out in straight sets by 8th seed David Jones in a disappointing, error strewn performance. Langley couldn't believe his own performance as he replaced his racquet at the first break; which made no noticeable improvements in his game. Dumped out 6 - 2, 6 - 3.
• East CWLand will still be in the draw as Vladimir Stakhanov took a draining win against Dutchman Cameron van der Cleer. The first set was characterised by long rallies from the baseline which didn't really play to the strengths of either player. This led to a large number of break opportunities, of which two were taken by each player. The tie break was nip & tuck, but Stakhanov punched the air in delight as an ace at 6 - 6 earned him a set point before a van der Cleer unforced error saw the ball in the net from close range. The 2nd set followed a similar pattern to the first; neither player seemingly willing to attack and preferring to wait for their opponent to make an error. Stakhanov took an early break, but was immediately broken back. At 4 - 3 to the good, van der Cleer took a 2nd break to which Stakhanov couldn't reply. The 3rd offered more of the same, neither player willing or able to change their gameplan - this time Stakhanov was the player to earn a 2nd break of serve and progress to a shock semi final 7 - 6 [8 - 6], 3 - 6, 6 - 4
• Jiri Gross came back from a 1 set deficit to smash Samoan Murphy S'ua's chances of glory in Sarajevo. S'ua took the first 7 - 5, before Gross blitzed S'ua with a massive 2nd set performance with a rampant performance that stole a bagel. A shellshocked S'ua went 3 - 0 down in the decider before staging his own mini-comeback to level the match. With the momentum with S'ua, it was a surprise that Gross stole a break at 5 - 5 and then served out the match to book a surprise semi with Vladimir Stakhanov

• Seeded players out: Murphy S'ua (6, SAM)

Doubles

• Double disappointment for Murphy Su'a as his pairing with Zimbawean champion Mulenga was dumped out in the semis by Radu Ghita & Bogdan Maurer. A closely fought match was won by the Romanians in an easy tie break. 4 - 6, 6 - 4, [10 - 3]

• Seeded players out: Hoffman & Rabin (4, HOL/ISR)

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Huuuuge win by the Stak.

 

[Indipper]

Will be Prague Spring all over again for gross Czech.

 

[Paid The Umpire]

Ouch, some harsh words there.

Dumped out in straight sets... how crap.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Ouch, some harsh words there.

Dumped out in straight sets... how crap.

Decent ranking points mind. Quarter finals ain't too shabby - beating the 4th seed on the way. I suspect the gruelling nature of that win hit you for your Quarter Final match up.

 

[Number 11]

Dissapointed to drop out, but I seem to be improving every week.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Morocco Tennis Tour - Rabat
Semi Finals - Rabat, Morocco - Clay (outdoors)

Men's singles (Seeds - Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Seeds - Draw)

• Sixth seed Christopher Durand is through to his second final in as many weeks after a 6-3, 6-1, mauling of East CWLand qualifier Phoenix Wleft. With both men having every reason to feel lethargic after a hectic recent schedule, Durand plainly intended to finish his match quickly en route to a second finals berth. Whilst Wleft started strongly, he was unable to maintain the pace as Durand was able to cooly slot home his two first set break points. That gave him the ascendancy and, serving first in the second, he ran through the Easterner to move to his third final of the year in straight sets.

• He will play Italy's Marco Pellegrini following his 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 win over Felipe Pelayo.

• Seeded players out: None.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Sarajevo Challenger II
Semi Finals - Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina
Singles

• David Jones, the only remaining seed in the draw, made it through in straight sets against British player Sebastian Moss. A single break of serve in each set was enough for Jones, who barely broke out of first gear against an error prone Moss. 6 - 3, 7 - 5
• He will face Croat Jiri Gross. Whether he was fired up by Vladimir Stakhanov's pre-match gaffe, where he called Gross a "Czech", we're not sure, but he gave the East CWLand qualifier a stern lesson in tennis. Stakhanov was blown of court in just shy of an hour and was never in the match. 6 - 1, 6 - 3. On this form, he may well be considered a favourite for the final with Jones (ranked 137) only a mere 27 spots above Gross on the ranking ladder. Despite the exit, the semi-final appearance having only just come back to the tour should be a good boost for the East CWLand national.

• Seeded players out: None

Doubles

• Radu Ghita & Bogdan Maurer smashed 2nd seeds Gunther Heug & Mannfred Mann in another disappointing match on the penultimate day in Sarajevo. The German duo had no answer for an energetic, if somewhat unconventional game from the Romanian pairing. 6 - 2, 6 - 0.

• Seeded players out: Gunther Heug & Mannfred Mann (2, GER)

 

[Indipper]

Gross Croat should not have registered as Czech if not one. Stakhanov's heart bleeds desolate tears of ineptitute. But return will come soon! Now, partying will commence with vintage mouthwash bought from prize money!