Week 18 (Challengers): Tunis (+) [Aksu]; Rhodes [Emsis]

[SirBloody Idiot]

Tunis Open
Tunis, Tunisia
April 26-May 2, II
Clay - $125,000+H

Singles
Seeds: (cut: Guilermo Crespo - 187)
1. Scotland Rivers
2. Alex Peters
3. Heinz Hainisch
4. Maarten Berg
5. José Navarro
6. Aksu Emrem
7. Henrikk Henrikkson
8. Emelio Cobos

Rivers, S vs. Arroyo, P
van der Cleer, C vs. Bergmann, O
Velten, T vs. Menon, F
Räihä, M vs. Navarro, J
Hainisch, H vs. De Koning, N
Natale, J vs. Pelayo, F
Amaral, L vs. Gonzà, C
Fernando, R vs. Henrikkson, H
Aksu, E vs. Dinov, G
Hau, L-a vs. Gómez, DG
Aleksejev, T vs. Wleft, P
Canadillas, S vs. Berg, M
Cobos, E vs. Allali, O
Zakov, Y vs. Crespo, G
Cordiero, V vs. Yahia, S
Varas, R vs. Peters, A

Scotland Rivers is the top seed in the Tretorn Serie+ clay court Challenger in Tunisia this week, and stands a good chance of taking home the silverware. He's the top ranked player present, and has the chance to work his way into form against solid but not really threatening clay courters. Navarro is a threat come quarterfinals time, but he's drawn Hainisch (in poor form) and Henrikkson (unproven on clay) in his half which is great for him.

Should he make the final (as he would hope to do), the real threats are the likes of Aksu Emrem, Maarten Berg, Yordan Zakov and Alex Peters.

Prediction: Peters def. Rivers

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Ixian Grand Aegean Tennis Cup 2010
Rhodes, Greece
April 26-May 2, II
Hard - €30,000+H ($35,000+H)

Singles
Seeds: (cut: Bertran Renard - 180)
1. Oliver Engel
2. Atthaphol Sae-ul
3. Petr Brozik
4. Ivars Emsis
5. Ninteh Doh
6. Miguel Bertolotto
7. Haiku Morkel
8. Vaclav Zeman

Engel, O vs. Bosnar, R
Doungtong, A vs. Lawley, J
Narang, I vs. Lachance, S
Renard, B vs. Zeman, V
Brožik, P vs. Sagna, J-L
Vuka, I vs. Helgostam, A
Ulemek, N vs. Migiakis, N
Berthier, J-J vs. Doh, N
Morkel, H vs. Langley, R
Veno, A vs. Tu, H
Puder, O vs. Pangalos, P
Vučemilović, S vs. Emsis, I
Bertolotto, M vs. Tadić, A
Timko, M vs. Chasiotis, D
Deane, M vs. Petropoulos, A
Clipton-Marshall, J vs. Sae-ul, A

Five CWLanders - though none of them seeded - in a star-studded 30K Challenger in Rhodes as the clay strugglers turn out. Rick Langley is perhaps the best chance to go deep - he's in good form, has a winnable clash with seventh seed Haiku Morkel and a possibility that fourth seed Emsis might crash out before the quarters.

In the same half, youngsters Marcuss Deane and Julian Clipton-Marshall are smarting from tougher draws as second seed Sae-ul poses a real threat to both of them early on. Poor Clipton-Marshall has him first round, while Deane should meet hm second round provided he beats his unranked Greek opponent.

In the top half, special exempt Jason Lawley is coming off a West CWLand F1 title last week and would hope to beat Adul Doungtong. Engel or Bosnar, though, is a different story. After making the semis in the US last week, Ishan Narang will be confident of making an impact though Václav Zeman is a true threat.

Prediction: Brozik def. Sae-ul

 

[Jarquis]

Is going to be difficult to improve on my performance last time out then :/
Hoping the week off will stand me in good stead though.

 

[Cevno]

Hoping to win this Tournament after the Semi's last time.

 

[Paid The Umpire]

Like the look of my draw.

Hope to get in deep.

 

[Jarquis]

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Three through in Greece
DRS Hughes | Neutrality

THREE CWLanders are through to the second round of the Ixian Grand Aegean Tennis Cup in Rhodes as they aim for higher glory in Greece.

Among them, Marcuss Deane and Jason Lawley put on the most convincing performances but the biggest shock was a three-set exit for Tallahassee semi finalist Ishan Narang.

Narang started well against French opponent Sebastien Lachance on Tuesday, but faded after feeling the toll of a tough return to the PTA circuit. Despite having the chance to serve for the match in the second set, the East CWLander faltered when he needed to produce good tennis and eventually fell 7-6(3), 5-7, 2-6.

In the same quarter, youngster Jason Lawley made the most of his special exempt entry to stun Thailand's Adul Doungtong in straight sets. Lawley, who missed qualification due to his 7-5, 6-0 final victory over Martin Hauri in Clowich on Sunday, arrived with a bang in Greece as he beat the World No. 159 6-3, 6-4. His positive result sets up a second round clash with Australia's Rod Bosnar after the veteran upset top seed Oliver Engel 3-6, 6-3, 6-0.

In the bottom half, teenager Marcuss Deane made the most of a soft start to his week with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Greek wildcard Alexis Petropoulos. Deane had little trouble beating the unranked local as he barely got out of first gear in a comprehensive display from the Australian Open junior champion. He won't play compatriot Julian Clipton-Marshall, though, after JCM was beaten 0-6, 4-6 by second seed Atthaphol Sae-ul who was too polished for the inexperienced Westerner.

Finally, the best of the results came from Rick Langley who continues to make the most of his brilliant run of form with a come-from-behind win over seventh seed Haiku Morkel. After dropping a tight first set in a tiebreaker, Langley got the best of the immobile Norwegian veteran to dominate the next two sets en route to a 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-0 win. After taming the SA Tennis Open semi finalist, Langley now faces Chinese Taipei's Tu Haifeng who beat Akihiko Veno 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 6-2.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Rivers bursts into second round
Ernie Black | Neutrality

SCOTLAND Rivers has survived a tight first round clash with Colombia's Paul Arroyo to move into the second round of the Tunis Open in Tunisia.

The top seed in one of the biggest tournaments off the main PTA tour, Rivers had a difficult time dispatching the Colombian clay grinder in a tense second set.

After dominating the proceedings early to take the first set six games to two, Rivers faced a resolute returning effort from Arroyo who came from a break down twice to force the set to a tiebreaker.

But after leading 3-2, Arroyo failed to maintain his control over the West CWLander who showed his class with some great angled forehands to pick up a 6-2, 7-6(5) win.

Rivers now plays Dutchman Cameron van der Cleer after he defeated German qualifier Oliver Bergmann 6-0, 6-4.

 

[Cevno]

Ah well !!!!


Gone down in the first round. Damn!!

 

[Jarquis]

Now for the crunch clash then, seemed in good rhythm in my Round 1 game and have plenty left in the tank. Will need to go hard now.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Deane claims big upset as Langley comes back from the dead
DRS Hughes | Neutrality

TEENAGE tennis prodigy Marcuss Deane secured a spot in the quarter finals of the Ixian Grand Aegean Tennis Cup in Greece after a straight sets victory over former World No. 20 Atthaphol Sae-ul.

A rank outsider, Deane was calm and composed as he beat the Thai second seed 6-4, 7-6(2) in a complete performance from the youngest member of the world's top two hundred.

Despite a comprehensive win over a local qualifier in the first round, Deane was given little chance to beat the 22-year old Sae-ul who had trounced his compatriot in the first round. But the 17-year old showed why his physical work over the season break has paid off so much as his serve-and-volley style proved too much for Sae-ul who struggled to consistently return the tall British-born youngster.

With three serve-and-volley winners in the second set tiebreaker, Deane advances to a quarter final clash with highly rated 21-year old Mario Timko after his 6-1, 7-5 win over Adem Tadić of Croatia.

Elsewhere, Rick Langley recovered from a dismal second set to beat Chinese Taipei's Tu Haifeng to set up a quarter final showdown with fourth seed Ivars Emsis. In twenty-seven minutes, Langley essentially handed the set to Tu on a platter as he hit just one winner and eleven unforced errors as the World No. 114 took the set 6-0.

Langley, though, lifted in the deciding set as he regained the accuracy that deserted him in the second set and broke serve twice to secure a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 win. His opponent, the giant Latvian Emsis, secured his passage with a 6-1, 6-4 win over local wildcard Petros Pangalos.

Finally, unseeded 19-year old Jason Lawley beat a man fifteen years his elder as he ousted 34-year old Australian Rod Bosnar in three sets. Bosnar had already defeated the top seed in the first round and was cruising at 6-4, 3-3.

Lawley made sure that Bosnar would have to work for a quarter final place, and in the process actually defeated the Aussie as he came from 3-5 down in the third set and 2-4 down in the tiebreaker to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5).

He meets Frenchman Sebastien Lachance in the quarters following his 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 upset of eighth seeded Czech player Václav Zeman.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Top seed survives scare before running into form
Ernie Black | Neutrality

TOP-SEEDED West CWLander Scotland Rivers survived a fright to advance to the quarter finals with a three-set win over the Netherlands' Cameron van der Cleer.

Rivers was staring down the barrel of a disappointing defeat against the 22-year old after he went a set and a double break down. At 0-4 in the second set, Rivers abandoned his surprisingly defensive style to hit his way out of trouble and did so successfully.

Taking the second set to a tiebreaker, Rivers crushed the resolve of the World No. 152 by catching the line on three successive points to secure the breaker 7-3.

That gave him all the confidence to charge through the Dutchman in the third set to love as he avoided a physically taxing clay court encounter to win in an hour and fifty minutes 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-0.

He must improve on his performance in the quarters as he plays clay court veteran José Navarro of Peru. The fifth seed came from a set down to beat former Roland Garros finalist Thomas Velten 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3.

 

[Jarquis]

That's a massive win!
Always nice to win as the underdog, hopefully it'll provide a bit of momentum too. Another tough match up next.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Deane to meet Emsis; Lawley to face Vuka
DRS Hughes | Neutrality

TWO of West CWLand's top prospects will compete in Saturday's semi finals in Rhodes, Greece after picking up hard fought quarter final wins.

Teenager Marcuss Deane and talented youngster Jason Lawley both won their respective matches, but the in form Rick Langley could not join them in the winner's circle.

Deane engaged in a tight tussle with Slovakian Mario Timko, but ultimately his cool head prevailed in a tense third set as he advanced 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-4. His ability to play well beyond his years continues to serve him well as he solidifies his reputation as one of the top rated young players.

He will now meets fourth seed Ivars Emsis after the Latvian proved too good for Langley. The 27-year old Langley rarely put a foot wrong, but suffered from the only real issue that players encounter against the tallest man on tour as he struggled to create opportunities on the Emsis serve.

Emsis wasn't broken all match as he advanced 6-4, 6-4 despite being bested in most rallies.

19-year old Jason Lawley was taken to three sets for the second match in a row, and in the longest match of the tournament prevailed over Sebastien Lachance of France.

In a tumultuous encounter, both players struggled to hold serve at key times but Lawley was immense in the deciding tiebreaker as he bagelled the Frenchman.

He now meets unseeded Croat Ivan Vuka who beat his second consecutive seed with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Ninteh Doh.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Rivers runs dry in Tunisia
Ernie Black | Neutrality

WEST CWLand's Scotland Rivers' indifferent form was finally punished in Tunis as he was beaten in straight sets by Peruvian fifth seed José Navarro.

The top seed had not really impressed in either of his two matches this week, and was bullied by the 27-year old South American who essentially bored Rivers into submission.

The World No. 54 made too many errors on both wings in an attempt to end points early, but was unable to recover from big deficits in both sets. Navarro needed two match points to secure a 6-2, 6-4 win with a backhand winner.

 

[Jarquis]

Tough 3 setter there, nice to get through obviously. Thorough work out before the Semis to make sure everything's running as it should.
Am pumped.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Lawley eats breakfast for two; Deane beaten
DRS Hughes | Neutrality

AFTER strong weeks in Greece, neither West CWLand youngsters Marcuss Deane and Jason Lawley were able to advance to the final after straight sets semi final defeats.

Lawley had endured some tough clashes, but his Croatian opponent Ivan Vuka was far too good in a positive display as he wiped the court with the World No. 214. Lawley had strung eight matches in a row, but was delivered a harsh reality check by the unseeded Croat who was too good and too consistent in his 6-1, 6-1 win.

Deane, meanwhile, put up a bigger fight with a 4-6, 4-6 loss to Latvian giant Ivars Emsis. It was Deane's biggest test of the week against a proper big server but he hardly disgraced himself in a match with just two service breaks.

Ultimately, the veteran Latvian had too much power for his in form opponent to extend his run of straight sets wins to four.

Tunis Open
Tunis, Tunisia
​

MEN: Semifinals: 3-Heinz Hainisch (AUT) bt 5-José Navarro (PER) 7-5 6-4. 6-Aksu Emrem (TUR) bt Valter Cordiero (POR) 6-3 6-4.

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Tunis Open
Tunis, Tunisia
​

MEN: Final: 6-Aksu Emrem (TUR) bt 3-Heinz Hainisch (AUT) 6-3 6-2.
​

Ixian Grand Aegean Tennis Cup
Rhodes, Greece
​

MEN: Final: 4-Ivars Emsis (LAT) bt Ivan Vuka (CRO) 7-6(5) 7-6(4).
​

 

[Jarquis]

Elusive win is elusive
Didn't disgrace myself though, onwards and upwards.

 

[roseboy64]

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