Week 19: Belgrade, Estoril, Munich, Ramat HaSharon

[Marcuss]

inb4SFchoke

[SirBloody Idiot]

Israel Open II
PTA Challenger Tour - Monday (1st Round) - Ramat HaSharon, Israel - Hard

• Teenage star Marcuss Deane was too good for his lowly Canadian opponent Michel Paquette overnight Israel time with a 6-1, 6-3 victory. The heavily-bandaged West CWLander has apparently struggled with a thigh injury as of late, but showed no signs of weakness as he tore past the World No. 208 in breezy fashion. On one of the outer courts of the Israel Tennis Centre, Deane's powerful serve and aggressive volleying served him well as the defensive Paquette failed to create enough chances. Deane's win sets up a second round clash with 25-year old Croatian Stipo Vučemilović who who produced an upset of sorts with a 7-5, 7-6(6) win over the out-of-form seventh seed Ross Onwye.

• There was no luck for Campsfield champion Roy Daniels as the World No. 144 was comprehensively beaten by Swedish fourth seed Henrikk Henrikkson. To Daniels' credit, he fought back from 0-4 down in the first set to lose it 3-6, but made too many errors and hit too few winners to oust the solid Swede who advanced to the second round 6-3, 6-3.

• Seeded players out: Waylon Jones; Eric Henson; Ross Onwye.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

inb4SFchoke

Good chance of QFchoke tbh.

[Marcuss]

Originally Posted by SirBloody Idiot

Good chance of QFchoke tbh.

Variety ftw.

[Cevno]

Dorogan can GAGF.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Serbia Open II
PTA Tour 250 - 1st Round - Belgrade, Serbia - Clay (Red)

• Red hot West CWLander Heath Davis has made a winning start to his Serbia Open campaign with a 6-3, 6-1 win over French lucky loser Christian Mary. Davis made the quarter finals in Rome last week, and goes from strength-to-strength on the red clay as he trounced the late replacement for Dane Kasper Buur in just over an hour. After a tight start, Davis roared into action as he punished the Frenchman with his big forehand to secure a second round berth in quick time. He plays Luxembourg's Oliver Engel who picked up a rare clay win; 6-1, 6-4 over Hungarian qualifier Imre Medgyessy.

• Elsewhere, unseeded Russian teen Boris Denisov returned to action with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Chilean veteran Jefferson Quezada to advance to a showdown with Jojo Mustard while eighth seed Tom Vollan was beaten in three by Nilikar Midid of Croatia.

• Seeded players out: Tom Vollan.

Man, Vimes said Estoril was bad but this draw is pretty on clay. Would be pretty disappointing for Heef if he doesn't make the semis at least.

[Mister Wright]

Well done Heath!

[SirBloody Idiot]

Estoril Open II
PTA Tour 250 - 1st Round - Estoril, Portugal - Clay (Red)

• Qualifier Ishan Narang has continued what will no doubt be a magnificent week for the young lad regardless of future results as he outgunned World No. 100 Roman Dorogan in three sets. The erratic Easterner bowed out first round last week in a Greek Challenger, but was dealt a winnable first round clash here in Portugal on clay for the first time this season. After three victories in qualifying, Narang was riding high as he took two service breaks in the opening three games as the Ukrainian No. 3 struggled to stay in the match. But after taking the first set 6-2, things took a turn for the worse as Dorogan stepped up to some rather lacklustre serving from the "usually" solid serving of the Indian-born player. After dropping the second set to one, Narang needed to find his feet fast and got lucky as Dorogan put a forehand wide to give him the early break. It turned out to be a game-changing moment as young Narang grew in confidence and secured a quarter final place with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-2 win. He now plays fourth seed Kim Vollan; a player who has yet to back up great Grand Slam results at these smaller tournaments.

• Another comeback kid was West CWLand's Brett Read, and he had half the trouble of Narang as he proved his class with a 6-1, 6-3 thrashing of Belgium's Mark Harmel. The veteran Belgian has been in diabolical form as of late, and year off or not Read is clearly a superior player on all surfaces. Despite a rough exit last week in Rome, Read is a steady player with good enough groundstrokes to get him past opposition of this quality. After struggling to find his feet over the past few weeks, Read will face a real litmus test on the red clay against Spanish sixth seed Ion Andueza. Andueza, fresh off a 6-3, 6-1 opening round triumph, will be hoping to put a new twist on a thoroughly disappointing clay court season with a good showing in Portugal.

• It wasn't all smooth sailing for the Westerners, though, as qualifier Rick Langley bowed out in straight sets to Romanian Bogdan Maurer. Having smashed little-known local Joaquim Santos one and love in the qualifying round on Sunday, Langley was disappointing against Maurer who was just back from injury. The tall and powerful Romanian showed that Langley has some way to go as he kept him well behind the baseline and denied the Westerner many chances to pass him with his long reach and great defensive play. Langley, meanwhile, struggled to get a read on the first serve of Maurer who found the sweet spot from the southern end and never really looked troubled on serve. The 3-6, 2-6 loss is a setback for Langley, but he will be grateful for qualifying points that will at the very least push him just a touch closer to the top hundred. He currently sits at No. 118.

• Second seed Sven Oxenstierna learned of his second round opponent as local wildcard Luis Amaral beat out compatriot Helder Lópes in three sets. It gets easier for him as possible quarter final opponent Yves Parmentier the eighth seed was beaten easily by Aldo Marín of Paraguay.

• Seeded players out: Yves Parmentier.

[SirBloody Idiot]

BMW Open II
PTA Tour 250 - 1st Round - Munich, Germany - Clay (Red)

• Fresh off a quarter final run in Rome, Rob Bowenburg has come through a tough first round clash with Pörtschach champion Toby Brookes relatively unscathed after a come-from-behind win in Munich. Bowenburg was down a set and a break at 1-3 in the second set, but in a dramatic reversal took the second set in a tiebreaker 7-3. Brookes hasn't had many victories this clay season and looked desperate to oust the West CWLander, but in a dramatic final set he came from a break down twice before falling short in a second tiebreaker. Bowenburg, having failed to serve out the match once, was dynamic as his power proved too much for the Aussie as he secured a 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) win. He now meets Brazilian qualifier after third seed Diego Hurtado dropped out in his return from injury 6-4, 1-6, 6-7(6).

• A quarter final clash with partner Jarkko Maxum could be on the cards after the ninth seed got the better of CWLand rival Scotland Rivers. The end of the clay swing cannot come soon enough for Rivers as he slumped to another loss to extinguish the last of the momentum he created in a dramatic post-Australian Open charge. In a competitive first set, Rivers had a number of chances on Maxum's serve but failed to secure any of them as Maxum claimed the set 6-4. He managed a break of serve in the second but that was it as a clinical Maxum made the most of his post-draw move with a 6-4, 6-1 win. He plays Austrian Heinz Hainisch who won his match 6-2, 6-2 against Switzerland's Pascal Schmidt.

• Finally, Spas Delev is the only CWLander in the bottom half and had no troubles in his win over Argentina's Miguel Bertolotto. Delev was in damaging form as he put some hurt on the World No. 97 in a 6-2, 6-2 win. His form has been questionable since a fine American hard court swing, but against a lower ranked opponent like the steady Bertolotto that trademark forehand was on display in a great win. A tougher test awaits him with fourth seed Antonio Bachunelli surviving a tight match with a French qualifier.

• Touted as a real French Open contender, top seed Illya Altman's losing streak extended to three in a bizzare loss to Spain's Fernando Aguero. The Ukrainian has been under an injury cloud with a knee complaint, and many were surprised to see him take a wildcard into the draw this week. After claiming the first set, Altman looked concerned by his right knee and was bizzarely beaten 6-4, 3-6, 1-6 in an awful display. The confusing loss was compounded by an announcement on his Twitter that he has pulled out of next week's Madrid Masters.

• Seeded players out: Illya Altman; Björn Donaldson; Diego Hurtado; János Varga.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Well, I can't complain about that result. I must be in the form of my career at the moment. Still, will have to ward of complacency as a good run here would be very helpful.

How many weeks off is the French Open now?

Good to see some other quality wins from the CWLand contingent too.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Also, lol@Altman.

[morgieb]

Haha a win, gun.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Israel Open II
PTA Challenger Tour - 2nd Round - Ramat HaSharon, Israel - Hard

• Marcuss Deane will have a chance to avenge his Rhodes loss to top seed Ivars Emsis, but he must improve after a poor start against Croatia's Stipo Vučemilović. Deane fancied his chances against the World No. 168 but was pantsed in the first set as Vučemilović shot to an early lead with some assertive play to take the set 6-1. Deane was on the brink at 3-5, and was ready to pack his bags as Vučemilović surged to 40-15 to bring up two match points. But after he bottled the first with a double fault, Vučemilović left it to Deane to save the second as he threw a gutsy forehand winner in to stay alive. Deane ended up taking the set in a tight tiebreaker, and that was enough to cripple the Croat who had seemingly missed his chance and wasn't going to get another as Deane stepped on the gas to escape with a 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-0 win. Emsis won their last encounted 6-4, 6-4 and hasn't lost a set this week. He's the favourite this week having claimed the Rhodes title in impressive style.

• Seeded players out: Henrikk Henrikkson.

[Marcuss]

Nice to see I've got it in me to do things the hard way. Facing two match points is never ideal but it shows I've got bottle at least I guess.
Pumped for the next round though, up against the first seed, seeking revenge etc.
Hopefully the underdog can get up

[SirBloody Idiot]

Serbia Open II
PTA Tour 250 - 2nd Round - Belgrade, Serbia - Clay (Red)

• Third seed Jojo Mustard has survived a tough first up test in Belgrade as he was taken to three by highly touted Russian youngster Boris Denisov. The eighteen-year old possesses great weapons on both wings, and showed his mettle as he charged back from the brink of defeat to string three games together to take the second set 7-5. Mustard, who had started so well, needed to refocus between sets and a quick bathroom break no doubt helped things. () Surviving two break points early, Mustard used the slice well and began to control rallies as he secured a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 win thanks to a backhand error from Denisov. He now meets unseeded Croat Ivan Češljar in the quarters following his 6-2, 6-3 win over sixth seed Tal Cohen.

• Fifth seed Heath Davis had a far easier time of it in his second round match as he beat the enigmatic Oliver Engel of Luxembourg 6-2, 6-0. Engel is sort of a Davis-lite with a big serve and questionable court movement, but the ever-improving Davis who looks to have shed some pounds played thoroughly dominant tennis en route to his straight sets win. His inexplicable clay form will be put to the test on Friday against fourth seeded American Morgan Carter who started his week with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Polish qualifier Tomasz Chrzanowski.

• Seventh seed Jason Bradley may have survived a tough clash with qualifier Jochen Sas on Monday, but he was embarrassed by wildcard Srđan Ivić who advanced to his first PTA quarter final with a three-set win.

• Seeded players out: Jason Bradley; Tal Cohen.