Week 35 - Challenger (€46,600+H) - Rafa Nadal Open, Manacor, Mallorca (hard)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

RE: Week 35 - Challenger (€46,600+H) - Rafa Nadal Open, Manacor, Mallorca (hard)

flamingowings · All-time great

Andy will be on shortly - after bad weather earlier on and Stakko being taken into a third set before a RET (his opponent rolled his ankle, I assume he retired)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

livestream.com/ATP/events/8796655

SuperT · Futures level

Much better quality picture tonight. Enjoying watching this - so far.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

SuperT wrote:
Much better quality picture tonight. Enjoying watching this - so far.

Almost 5,500 people watching online. Bet they don't often get that on a live stream for an R2 Challenger match.

Gombos giving Andy a really good workout too. Andy at 3-2* with one break each so far.

flamingowings · All-time great

Andy 6-3

flamingowings · All-time great

Andy broken 4-4

flamingowings · All-time great

Andy serving for it

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L32: (WC) Andy Murray WR 328 defeated (3) Norbert Gombos (SVK) WR 115 by 3 & 4 in an hour & 43 minutes smile

*****

L16: Matteo Viola (ITA) WR 240 (CH = 118 in March 2013 - he's the same age as Andy, 32) vs (WC) Andy Murray WR 328

I think I can guess whom Viola would rather have faced. wink

Jan · Hall of fame

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

That was such fun to watch. Classic Andy forehand cross court on the run in that final game. This kid's got talent.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Good stuff , top players in challengers is like an fa cup tie, premier league v lower division, entertaining.

With his 3 performances to date, I think we can say andy is at least playing top 100 level at this early stage

Vandenburg · Futures level

Stircrazy wrote:
L32: (WC) Andy Murray WR 328 defeated (3) Norbert Gombos (SVK) WR 115 by 3 & 4 in an hour & 43 minutes
*****
L16: Matteo Viola (ITA) WR 240 (CH = 118 in March 2013 - he's the same age as Andy, 32) vs (WC) Andy Murray WR 328
I think I can guess whom Viola would rather have faced.

People are over-hyping this result too much, when top players are not firing on all fronts (some attributes are) and they drop down to challengers, those attributes that are firing well,really make a difference.

I remember Stanimal and Nishikori dropping down to challengers and thinking same

Murray's returns today, against the serve were top notch, mugbos, had probably never faced something like that in his life, and was like rabbit in the lights.

Even at ATP 250 level, there will be a huge difference, and the players will be able to cope with Murray more.

Andy is 75-150 player right now.

christ · Futures level

He beat the WR115 comfortably while (apparently) taking long stretches of the match to practise. I think it is safe to say that he is playing at at least top 100 level.

indiana · Tennis legend

I don't see the overhype ( certainly not here ) or that folk are saying anything hugely diffferent from you, Vandy.

Be it looking like top 100 level, 75 to 150 or whatever, it's great to see him back. These past 3 singles matches ( Masters, 250 and challenger ) seem to have been encouraging and seemingly of a fairly consistent level. But a long way to go.