Week 7 - ATP 250 - Delray Beach, USA (outdoor hard)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Week 7 - ATP 250 - Delray Beach, USA (outdoor hard)

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Shout out for Liam, two weeks running hes qualified for ATP Tour events. The trajectory towards top 100 is there!

Especially pleasing if he gets there because I just didn't see this coming a year or two ago. So impressed with the quality and consistency of his results since the start of last year.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Excellent form again from Liam. If his target is Top 100, which I am sure is one of his goals this year, he is at that difficult stage of whether to schedule ATP Main Tour events, or whether to stick to Challengers.

The Main Tour events will probably earn him more cash as long as he keeps doing well, but a couple of challenger titles could well see him crack the 100 barrier. He has had two excellent weeks so far in the USA, but has 80 challenger points dropping off this week and so will likely go backwards in the rankings unless he can get past Mannarino and beyond. That is going to be tough.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

I didn't see this coming either! But I am really pleased for him. His $6k (hopefully more!) for losing in the first round here is the same as he won for winning the Biel challenger in Switzerland last September.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

stevemcqueen wrote:
I didn't see this coming either! But I am really pleased for him. His $6k (hopefully more!) for losing in the first round here is the same as he won for winning the Biel challenger in Switzerland last September.

Which is what makes his scheduling decisions even harder. He will get more money this way and enjoy playing in bigger tournaments with all the hospitality trimmings etc, but getting big points to crack that Top 100 barrier will be more difficult.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Bob in Spain wrote:
stevemcqueen wrote:
I didn't see this coming either! But I am really pleased for him. His $6k (hopefully more!) for losing in the first round here is the same as he won for winning the Biel challenger in Switzerland last September.
Which is what makes his scheduling decisions even harder. He will get more money this way and enjoy playing in bigger tournaments with all the hospitality trimmings etc, but getting big points to crack that Top 100 barrier will be more difficult.

And a bit like Jack D, it feels like the next month or is a big push on hard courts for Liam, presumably he will continue with the ATP route through Acapulco, IW and Miami qualies and see where he gets to.

Not sure if he would play clay qualies etc so maybe back to Challenger circuit in April/May until the FO, and then onto the grass and Wimbledon where he would no doubt get straight into the main draws of the Queens/Eastbourne events with wildcards and Wimbledon through a WC or maybe directly if his ranking rises?

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

Somebody mentioned that Liam has a load of points coming off in the next weeks. I've just checked and yes, he has 160 points coming off in the next month. He is going to have to win a load of matches to stay where he is.

emmsie69 · Top national player

stevemcqueen wrote:
Somebody mentioned that Liam has a load of points coming off in the next weeks. I've just checked and yes, he has 160 points coming off in the next month. He is going to have to win a load of matches to stay where he is.

Looks like the players around him have the same problem so may not make too big an impact on his ranking

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Yes I had a look as well, I make it hes probably only about 5-10 places maximum net loss due to the fact that there are plenty of other players also losing points. Andy is actually in the same boat hes likely to go from 87 to mid 90s if he doesnt win any matches. Both of them will likely make up the ground in the lead up to Wimbledon when a lot of the players ranked 60-120 have double points from the clay season coming off. It will be very interesting watching the rankings equalise. The race rankings give a better picture of where everyone is at, granted we are only 2 months in.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Liam is in action today around 4. Liam is 1-2 career in matches with Mannarino and did win in Russia back in 2017. So he has some hope in this one.

Mannarino in 3 is my best guess, hope Im wrong .

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Liam had Break points at the start but Mannarino served well at the key time

Now a break down.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Liam is down two breaks now, 5-2, with Mannarino serving for the set.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

A wee tank here and concentrate on the 2nd set.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

and that didnt work out too well, Liam goes down 2 and 3.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Liam is 92 in live race though as he moves on to Mexico