Week 7 - Challenger ($75,000) - Morelos, Mexico (hard) - doubles

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

Week 7 - Challenger ($75,000) - Morelos, Mexico (hard) - doubles

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Well spotted, Beefy, & bravo, Darren & Ruben:

R1: (3) Ruben Gonzales (PHI) & Darren Walsh CR 446 (227+219) defeated Sergio Galdós & Dennis Novikov (PER/USA) CR 486 (193+293) by 4-6 6-3 [10-6]

*****

QF: (3) Ruben Gonzales (PHI) & Darren Walsh CR 446 (227+218) vs (WC) Tigre Hank & Alejandro Moreno (MEX/MEX) CR 1204 (1317+887)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QF: (3) Ruben Gonzales (PHI) & Darren Walsh CR 446 (227+218) defeated (WC) Tigre Hank & Alejandro Moreno (MEX/MEX) CR 1204 (1317+887) by 6-4 6-7(6) [10-8]

The boys teetered on the brink several times in the MTB.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

SF: Iñigo Cervantes & Jordi Samper (ESP/ESP) CR 580 (307+273) vs (3) Ruben Gonzales (PHI) & Darren Walsh CR 446 (227+218)

The boys' opponents put out the top seeds in three earlier...

wolf · Tennis legend

Dazza Walsh makes his first challenger final. And from what I've seen from this week and in Dallas himself and Ruben are playing very well. Just so solid, keeping the ball in play from the back of the court and picking it so well at the net.

SF: (3) Ruben Gonzales (PHI) & Darren Walsh CR 446 (227+218) beat Iñigo Cervantes & Jordi Samper (ESP/ESP) CR 580 (307+273) 6-3 6-7(2) [10-6]

Final: (3) Ruben Gonzales (PHI) & Darren Walsh CR 446 (227+218) v Emilo Gomez & Roberto Maytin (ECU/VEN) CR 515 (392+123)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

The boys more than justify their seeding. That said, they are the only seeds left in the draw... The title is theirs to lose - in theory: Gómez & Maytín saw off the fourth seeds in the QF...

Was all set to post the result earlier, then dozed off...

Spectator · All-time great

Well done to Messrs Walsh and Gonzales.

Robin · Lower Club Player

Well done, Darren is making steady progress up the rankings.

spud · Challenger qualifying

Didn't realise how high Darren's ranking had climbed... really has made good progress last year/start of this year. Potential Wimbledon WC if he can settle with a partner/make top 150 by then? And if he does, would like to see what the speed gun says with his serve!

Fingers crossed for him in the final!

paulisi · Tennis legend

I've only seen Darren Play once. He's a big fellow, but he didn't seem to use all that power he seemed he could generate. I only saw it occasionally.

indiana · Tennis legend

Good stuff.

'Just' reaching the final here should take Darren into the top 200 for the first time and, with nothing due to come off before May, opportunuty to push further up the rankings in the coming months.

Since we have 9 in the top 200 at the moment, he will be in our top 10 doublers, if not getting close to no 7, after our 'big 6' in ranking terms.

Good quiet progress.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

And he's done it! First Challenger final, first title! biggrin

Final: (3) Ruben Gonzales (PHI) & Darren Walsh CR 446 (227+218) defeated Emilio Gómez & Roberto Maytín (ECU/VEN) CR 515 (392+123) by 4-6 6-3 [12-10]

s in an hour & 8 minutes! 100 precious ranking points in the bag & $2,430 apiece in the kitty!

Shhh · Challenger level

Well done Darren, great news for him.

indiana · Tennis legend

Super !

Challenger title and flying well inside that top 200.

spud · Challenger qualifying

Well done to Darren, seems to be a guy that has wanted it for a long time... nice to see the rewards!