Week 10: Cherbourg [Durand]

[SirBloody Idiot]

Calling Cherbourg there. Great qualifying period for the CWLanders as all four spots go to them (). Entry list as follows:

1 Bowenburg, Rob FRC 77
2 Bre, Matt CDR 95
3 Aguero, Fernando ESP 103
4 Lazzeri, Sam USA 111
5 Jones, Waylon USA 120
6 Durand, Christopher FRA 130
7 S'ua, Murphy SAM 132
8 Vuka, Ivan CRO 136
9 Banks, Randy CDR 142
10 Chasiotis, Dimitris GRE 144
11 Fosdike, Mikel FRA 149
12 van der Cleer, Cameron NED 154
13 Lebègue, David FRA 157
14 Mitchell, Mat CDR 162
15 Fernando, Rafael ESP 168
16 Lachance, Sébastien FRA 174
17 Williamson, Justin USA 178
18 Langley, Rick FRC 183
19 Renard, Bertran FRA 184
20 Mary, Christian FRA 185
21 Lubbers, Marc NED 194
22 Canadillas, Sergi ESP 196
23 Alitspritsin, Aleksander LIT 201
24 Rizzo, Orazio ITA 207
25 (Q) Wleft, Phoenix CDR
26 (Q) Stakhanov, Vladimir CDR
27 (Q) Lawley, Jason FRC
28 (Q) Rose, Pierre FRC
29 (WC) Rio, Benoît FRA
31 (WC) Sagna, Jean-Luc FRA
32 (WC) Viens, Dominic FRA

Big chance for the The Lob and Bre who are likely to be the top two seeds.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Challenger DCNS de Cherbourg
1st Round - Cherbourg (France) - Hard (indoors)

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

• Top seed Rob Bowenburg has made a winning start to the tournament in Cherbourg with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Christian Mary. Despite not thrashing his first opponent, Bowenburg looked solid in victory after last week's upset of Almen Benaglio and survived a tricky contest against the local. Mary produced a dogged display, but could not get the best of Bowenburg who, after a scratchy start, made the most of his five break points to break three times. The talented doubles player came up to the net regularly to trouble the West CWLander, but was beaten in straight sets as Bowenburg moved into the second round.

• There he will face compatriot Randy Banks after he in turn beat fellow Westerner Pierre Rose. In an All-West CWLand clash, Banks was expected to make light work of the qualifier and looked in promising touch early as he took the first set 6-2. Rose produced a more impressive second set to at one stage have a chance at a 4-2 lead, but fell away against the aggressive Banks who secured a 6-2, 6-4 win.

• The third of the CWLanders in the top section to advance was an Easterner after Phoenix Wleft survived a three-set affair against talented Spaniard Sergi Canadillas. Despite not having the greatest results off clay, Canadillas was a tough cookie to crack for Wleft as he levelled the match at a set each with two second set breaks. But Wleft, the World No. 220, continued his consistent run of form to book a second round place with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win. He now plays World No. 123 Murphy S'ua for a quarter final place.

• Rick Langley, meanwhile, also was taken to three sets and finished strongly as he moved through to the second round. Dimitris Chasiotis, ranked seven spots higher than Langley, has slumped from No. 120 in the world back in January and continued that slide as he only produced one good set of tennis; the calm Langley disposing of him 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. Langley now plays local Sébastien Lachance in the second round after he beat fourth seed Waylon Jones 7-5, 6-4.

• In the second all-CWLand clash, Mat Mitchell upstaged Westerner Jason Lawley in straight sets. A semi finalist in Johannesburg, the World No. 145 reversed some indifferent recent form to bowl over the qualifier 6-3, 7-5. Lawley put up a solid showing in the second set, but was playing a man much better than his ranking suggested as Mitchell came to the net confidently to close out a straight sets win. He'll be tested in the next round by World No. 101 Fernando Aguero after the Spaniard eased past Mikel Fosdike 6-3, 6-4.

• In his return to the tour, Vladimir Stakhanov failed to take advantage of an early lead as he was beaten in three by Cameron van der Cleer. After spending much of the past season in local pennants tennis in Nixonstown, Stakhanov looked a greater force than he did a year ago as he took the first set 6-3. But up 4-3 in the second, Stakhanov netted two rally backhands to give up break points and watched as van der Cleer claimed three games on the trot. That sent the match to a third, and the Dutchman got the jump to secure a 4-0 lead. Stakhanov gave himself a chance at 3-4, but could not pick up a victory and was bundled out 6-3, 4-6, 3-6.

• Finally, second seed Matt Bre had some early troubles, but took ten of the last fourteen games to beat British veteran Roger Warren. The 33-year old held a 4-3 lead in the first set, but failed to take advantage of five break point opportunities. Bre, meanwhile, took his chances to take the set 7-5 and set about breaking early in the second. He held onto that lead with assured serving and low risk-taking; advancing to the second round 7-5, 6-3.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Waylon Jones;
  
  Sam Lazzeri.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Split Cherbourg out into separate "Week 10" thread, mate?

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Probably not a bad idea, cheers.

 

[Number 11]

Happy that I could put up a fight against Mitchell.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Challenger DCNS de Cherbourg
2nd Round - Cherbourg (France) - Hard (indoors)

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

• Top seed Rob Bowenburg has a good look in at a first final of the year after he blitzed younger compatriot Randy Banks in straight sets in the second round. After a tight first round match, Bowenburg was on song right from the go as he stunned Banks with a smash-and-grab first set. The unseeded CWLander earned just nine first set points as Bowenburg looked a class above; taking it 6-0 in just twenty-six minutes. Banks needed to show something in the second set to make his journey to France a success, and was in obvious trouble early as Bowenburg took a 2-0 lead. He finally got on the board in the third game, though, but was not able to make any inroads on the Bowenburg serve. The top seed coasted towards victory by holding every service game in the match to move to the quarter finals 6-0, 6-4.

• He'll play Murphy S'ua after the seventh seed picked up a comfortable victory over an unimpressive Phoenix Wleft. Wleft has produced good results in his debut season, but never really troubles the Samoan as he was plagued by serving difficulties and backhand errors. S'ua smacked eight aces and never looked back as he surged to a 6-2, 6-3 win.

• For the second time this week, West CWLander Rick Langley was successful in three sets in the longest match of the tournament thus far in a 7-6(2), 6-7(1), 6-4 win over Sébastien Lachance. Lachance was coming off an impressive straight sets win over Waylon Jones in the first round, but did not have it all his way against the very resiliant World No. 170. Langley, who claimed his first Challenger title back in January in Salinas, scrapped and scrapped hard in a two-and-a-half hour nailbiter. Despite failing to serve out the match at 5-3 in the second, he had a second opportunity in the third at 5-4. There he was too good for the determined local to secure the massive win. He now plays another Frenchman in the quarter finals - David Lebègue - for a potential semi final matchup with Bowenburg.

• Mat Mitchell will be disappointed with his missed chances as he was ousted in straight sets by third seed Fernando Aguero. The World No. 101 was made to fight back from two second set points to claim three games on the trot to secure a 6-4, 7-5 win and a quarter final place. Whilst Mitchell failed to win a set, he was right in the contest throughout the match and will rue his missed opportunities.

• Finally, second seed Matt Bre took three sets but eventually dispatched Lithuania's Aleksander Alitspritsin. Despite blowing four match points in the second set tiebreaker, Bre recovered to blitz Alitspritsin in the third as he surged to a 5-0 lead. He again had two match points, and used both of them to finally advance to a quarter final matchup with Cameron van der Cleer 6-2, 6-7(7), 6-0.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Ivan Vuka.

• West CWLand pairing Randy Banks & Rick Langley were able to prevail in a tight first round doubles match as they beat Faisal Al-Quireshi & Sam Lazzeri 7-5, 4-6, [10-5]. The West CWLanders stormed back from a 1-4 first set deficit to secure it 7-5, but could not seal the match in the second set. It took the match tiebreaker which has sometimes been a pot luck for them to move to the second round against raging tournament favourites Mikel Fosdike & Christian Mary.

• There was no such luck for Matt Bre & Mat Mitchell as they were trounced by Ozren Dimitrijević & Tobias Grote.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Doug Plunkett &
  
  Anthony Weatherby;
  
  Denis Prevost &
  
  Jean Tiquet.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Challenger DCNS de Cherbourg
Quarter Finals - Cherbourg (France) - Hard (indoors)

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

• Top seeded West CWLander Rob Bowenburg is through to his first semi final at any level since Trnava last September as he coasted past Samoa's Murphy S'ua in straight sets. In his most complete performance of the week, Bowenburg let loose with eleven aces as he smashed the seventh seed 6-2, 6-3 in just over an hour. S'ua had a similarly easy second round victory against Phoenix Wleft, but against a man who is comfortably the most accomplished in the draw he had distinct difficulties. Bowenburg, whose serving has been top quality all week, had no trouble causing S'ua all sorts of difficulties in the placid conditions as he continued his good run of form on the indoor courts of Europe; moving into the semis in straight sets.

• He will be tested by local hope David Lebègue who finally walked away with a straight sets victory - this time against Rick Langley. The World No. 155 had struggled for three set wins in his first two matches, but got the better of the unseeded West CWLander who never found his rhythm against the home crowd and a clinical Lebègue. Langley made too many errors on his forehand side and gave Lebègue seven break point opportunities of which he converted three. Langley, meanwhile, secured just one of five in a disappointing display as Lebègue moved through to the round of four 6-3, 6-3 despite a performance that was not altogether convincing.

• Finally, Matt Bre produced the most convincing Friday performance as he raced into the semi finals on the back of a 6-1, 6-0 annihilation of Holland's Cameron van der Cleer. Bre had not found his best touch this week until the third set of his second round clash against Aleksander Alitspritsin, but needed just fifty-one minutes to dish out a breadstick and a bagel to a completely helpless van der Cleer. Losing just one of his last nineteen games, Bre looks a big favourite to beat local Christopher Durand who earned a semi final place with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Fernando Aguero the third seed. Durand has already claimed a singles title on the clay of Iquique this season (to go with doubles titles in the same event and Meknes), and will be a stern test for the in form East CWLander.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Fernando Aguero;
  
  Murphy S'ua.

• After his singles disappointment earlier in the day, Rick Langley had no better result in the doubles draw as he and Randy Banks were ousted by raging favourites Mikel Fosdike & Christian Mary. The top seeded French duo continued their fine warm up for Indian Wells next week with a dominant start against the West CWLanders as they took the first set 6-2. The second set was a more cagey affair, but it was the local pairing that took advantage of a miscommunication at the net between the unseeded duo to secure the break and the match 6-2, 7-5.

• Seeded players out: None.

I'll get the draw pictures up at some stage before the final.

 

[Agent TBY]

Aw shucks.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Challenger DCNS de Cherbourg
Semi Finals - Cherbourg (France) - Hard (indoors)

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

• Rob Bowenburg is through to the first final of his career after he continued his solid run of form with a 6-4, 7-5 win over David Lebègue in the Cherbourg semi finals. Bowenburg hadn't dropped a set all week coming into the match, but it looked like it might change early as he fell behind a double break at 0-3. Nevertheless, after a slow start in front of a hostile crowd Bowenburg found his feet and took six of the next seven games to steal the first set from Lebègue; securing the set with an overhead smash that just took the line in the back corner of the court. The World No. 155 collected himself after the horror end to the first set, and again found himself ahead a break as Bowenburg missed an open court with his backhand; taking the net and sending it wide. But it didn't stop him from staging another comeback; the local hope bowing out as Bowenburg sealed a fine straight sets win.

• In the final he'll play France's Christopher Durand after he survived a marathon against second seed Matt Bre. In one of the longest matches of the week, Durand failed to convert any of his six second set match points as Bre did all he could to scrap; saving three of them with clean forehand winners. Durand stuck with him, though, and the semi final went to a deciding tiebreaker with Bre looking the stronger player. But with a trademark one-handed backhand drifting long, he gave Durand three break points. He took the second with an ace and moved to his second final of the year 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-6(4).

• Seeded players out:
  
  Matt Bre.

• Durand continued his purple patch at Challenger level in the doubles as he and Sébastien Lachance advanced to their third final with a 6-3, 6-4 semi final win. Standing between them and back-to-back title wins are top seeds Mikel Fosdike & Christian Mary who survived a tight semi final against Shaun Poole & Björn Tol to win 7-5, 7-5.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Shaun Poole &
  
  Björn Tol.

 

[ripper868]

Maxum in Bar Brawl following Sledge

Recently retired from the Singles circuit, Jarko Maxum has been involved in an altercation at the Cherbourg Challenger event. Following Rob Bowenburgs Sensational Semi-Final win, Maxum took it upon himself to celebrate on the Lob's behalf. Downing several litres of mead and a couple of english backpackers in the process.

Maxum took exception to the comments of some of the Cherbourg locals that Bowenburg didn't deserve his victory over Frenchman David Lebègue and promptly corrected them with a calm yet poignant powerpoint presentation outlining exactly how Bowenburg had triumphed. This use of technology confused the French who decided to set upon Maxum, citing Joan of Arc as their inspiration. A melee followed and only finished 18 minutes later when Cherbourg officials intervened. Maxum is unapologetic for the incident claiming it never happened as he can't remember it. Maxum was also quick to point out that the local tail was a bit 'uppity' and French speaking.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Challenger DCNS de Cherbourg
Finals Day - Cherbourg (France) - Hard (indoors)

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

• Local Christopher Durand has claimed his second title of the season as he upset top seeded West CWLander Rob Bowenburg in three sets to claim the Cherbourg crown. After a long battle on Sunday, Durand needed a strong start to counter his increased time on court and got it as he surged ahead to a 5-2 lead. But trailing by a break, the top seed showed his poise as he fought back exceptionally; stringing five games together to secure the first set 7-5. Yet to drop a set this week, Bowenburg looked the favourite after his great fightback but again found himself behind the eight ball as Durand continued to return very well. With a single break of service in the fourth game he set up a 3-1 lead and this time held onto it as he ensured the final would head to a deciding set. Bowenburg had his chance at 15-40 in the second game of the third set, but failed to convert either break point as Durand held on for dear life. His scrapping paid off in the fifth and ninth games as he secured a crippling double break to set up his second Challenger win of the year 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Rob Bowenburg.

• There was no double glory for Durand in the doubles as he and Sébastien Lachance were trounced by overwhelming favourites Mikel Fosdike & Christian Mary 0-6, 3-6.

• Seeded players out: None.

 

[NUFAN]

FFS, so close but yet so far.
Nice to make a final, but really I should have won it. Cheers to Maxum for the awesome support.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

FFS, so close but yet so far.
Nice to make a final, but really I should have won it. Cheers to Maxum for the awesome support.

You'll be happy to know you leap up the rankings to No. 70...

... from No. 71.