CricketWeb Tennis - Season I

[SirBloody Idiot]

Ordina Open
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Grass
International Series
Sgl: 32

WHAT'S ON OFFER -
R32: 0 pts / € 3,470
R16: 15 pts / € 5,850
QF: 40 pts / € 9,200
SF: 75 pts / € 17,450
F: 120 pts / € 31,000
W: 175 pts / € 59,100

WHO IS THERE -
The Ordina Open gets under way next week in tremendous style with world number three Radivoj Daneu heading a star-studded field! Daneu is a two-time ATP Masters Series champion, and will be joined by the likes of world number six Juan Moreno and highly rated Frenchman Patrick Pascaul.

AEGON International
Eastbourne, Great Britain
Grass
International Series
Sgl: 32

WHAT'S ON OFFER -
R32: 0 pts / £3,470
R16: 15 pts / £5,850
QF: 40 pts / £9,200
SF: 75 pts / £17,450
F: 120 pts / £31,000
W: 175 pts / £59,100

WHO IS THERE -
The AEGON International boasts a stellar field of talent this season with world number eight József Boros the top ranked player set to compete. In just his second tournament back, former top ten player Zhijun Sun will continue his rehabilitation by also competing in Eastbourne. Swiss sensation Almen Benaglio and Germany's Becker Haas round out what will be a very competitive tournament made up of some of the world's best!

Boodles Challenge
Buckinghamshire, Great Britain
Grass
Exhibition Tournament
Sgl: 8

WHO IS THERE -
The most hotly anticipated week of the social tennis calendar gets underway this week, and an all-star cast will be at the Stoke Park Club to celebrate the first ever Boodles Challenge! Eight of the best players in the world will be given a guaranteed three competitive matches in the days leading up to Wimbledon! In addition to local hero Henry Charles, Morgan Carter and Kim Vollan will make special appearances. Plus, in just his second appearance since a torn calf in April, former world number 2 Rick Henson will get some much needed match practice in.

FIXTURES -
Eight-man tournament including Henry Charles, Rick Henson, Morgan Carter, Kim Vollan, Paolo Mandonna and Oliver Engel!
An exhibition match between world number five Radek Špidla and young Englishman Jordan Mutch!
A showdown between French Open doubles champions Hugh James and Ralph Robinson, and British number ones Matthew Charnock and Liam Bailey!

---

Guys who went QFs and beyond in this past week can consider a break (and consider it hard ). Also extending an invitation on behalf of the Boodles Challenge to Jojo Mustard, Heath Davis and Rob Bowenburg for one of you to compete. I don't mind who; sort it out amongst yourselves. No ranking points on offer, but a real chance to get some games under your belt (Bowenburg...?).

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

By resting if you went past QF's, do you mean doubles as well? If so, I guess I'll rest up. If not, send me to England.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Finals Preview

AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS - FINAL
(1) Jason Hall USA vs. (2) Radek Špidla CZE.(Last Meeting: Australian Open, F, J. Hall def. R. Špidla, 3-6 6-1 7-5 6-4, Hall 1 Špidla 0) I don't think any one is really surprised that Hall has made it to the final, just the way he's played on the way there hasn't been pretty. He was caught napping against Ivars Emsis back in the third round, and very nearly paid for it if it weren't for the fact Emsis doesn't have a weapon to fall back on when his service fails him. He got better, yes, but it wasn't the Hall we saw dominate on the hard surface earlier this season. Maybe his pretty ordinary season on clay really hurt him? Meanwhile, Špidla has looked untouchable this week and has left the bookies scrambling as the bets fly in for the Czech monster. When his service is on, he's unstoppable, and he showed that against Davis Kennedy - a pretty solid player in his own right - in the quarters. If Hall is to win this match, he's got to get back his mojo otherwise he's just cannon fodder for a white-hot player keen to get his revenge after the Australian Open final. I think Hall has shown enough this season to suggest he can get that mojo back... but only just. PREDICTION: Hall in three.

ORANGE WARSAW OPEN - FINAL
(1) Illya Altman UKR (5) Randy Smeltz CWL v (8) János Varga HUN. (Last Meeting: Rome, R56, R. Smeltz def. J. Varga, 1-6 6-3 6-4, Smeltz 1 Varga 0) God help us if we are 'treated' to a borefest like we got between Smeltz and Illya Altman in the semifinals. Smeltz has done very well this tournament and has beaten some great players, but the fact is he's not going to light up any one's night. Thankfully, he's paired with someone with a little bit of zip about them in Varga, and that should create a better spectacle than a showdown with the bald eagle from Ukraine. Both men have been pretty well unstoppable this tournament; just one dropped set between them (Varga, to Tiago Matias in the quarterfinals) and certainly deserve their spots in the final after big semifinal wins. Whilst Smeltz won the war of attrition against the world number nine, Varga proved too good for the defensive Diego Hurtado in the second semifinal. For that reason alone, I think Varga has the ability to cover Smeltz's style and pull off a win. However, don't be surprised if Smeltz cramps his style enough to scrap a victory. He has a nasty tendancy to do this, and did so in their only previous meeting in Rome. PREDICTION: Varga in three.

GERRY WEBER OPEN - FINAL
(1) Daniel Páez Blanco ESP (4) Rasmus Olesen DEN vs. (6) Carlo Amato ITA Ivan Genov BUL. (First Meeting) I certainly didn't think that the likes of Ivan Genov could knock off three top ranked players, but he's proven me wrong and well done to him. Olesen was pretty awesome against Blanco who is convincing no one on grass and better hope the week off does him some good. In fact, this is probably the hardest match to pick because whilst Olesen should be too good for Genov, I would have said the same thing about Oxenstierna, Amato and Benaglio in the days past. Nevertheless, Genov has managed to get out of jail with his usual grunt and aggression despite lacking the natural talent of his opponents, so there's no reason he can't beat Olesen. Olesen is an unknown quantity this late in tournaments (being his first career final), but my Scandanavian colleagues tell me that he's a bit of a headcase and as such no one quite knows what to expect. I'll go the safe option and complete the Bulgarian fairytale. PREDICTION: Genov in two.

 

[Johnners]

Will stay in the UK thanks, and make a charge for the 3rd round in Eastbourne.

 

[Jamee999]

 

[NUFAN]

Boodles Challenge event seems tempting but I will decline the offer at this stage as the two other boys are in the UK already.

I'm off to The Netherlands.

 

[Chubb]

Eastbourne for de Wet thanks.

 

[Mister Wright]

Eastbourne for Mustard.

 

[cpr]

Have to try for Eastbourne here n all

 

[Simon]

Not playing next week, hopefully I can spend the week celebrating my first career title.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I'll go for the Boodles Challenge if that's okay. Need some more match practise after an early exit at Queens, but nothing to burden-some.

 

[Blewy]

Eastbourne for Randy Banks please

 

[ripper868]

Jarko Maxum for Eastbourne please, after being unceremoniously dumped for warsaw

 

[luffy]

Bre is going to make an apperance in The Nethelands in the hope of gaining an Qualification spot for Wimbledon.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

London; Warsaw; Halle (F/F/F) - June 8-15, I

AEGON International
Quarterfinals - London

Qualifying (Draw)
Men's Singles (Seeds - Finals - Section 1 - Section 2 - Section 3 - Section 4)
Men's Doubles (Seeds - Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)

World number five Radek Špidla has claimed his first career title after capping off a fine week in London with a come-from-behind win over former world number one Jason Hall in the final of the AEGON Championships in London. The explosive Czech player had yet to drop a set all tournament, but that changed straight away as for one of the first times this week someone got the better of his imposing serve. In the eighth game of the first set, the American capitalised on a couple of lacklustre second serves to effect the break of service before serving it out for a set to love lead. The second set saw the Czech monster regain his steel, but he still looked somewhat lost on the Hall serve. That all changed in the twelfth game of the set as the second set covered the net beautifully to put away his first break point to level the match at a set each. Heading into the decider, Špidla jumped ahead 3-1 and, despite being broken late in the set, did enough to finish the world number two off with a glorious return winner to seal a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 championship victory.

• Seeded players out: Jason Hall.

In the men's doubles final, seventh seeds Jefferson Drake and Martti Korpinen also claimed their first doubles titles with a straight sets victory over top seeds Hayden and Ross Onwye. In an entertaining lead up to the singles final, Drake and Korpinen combined brilliantly against the world number two combination to break service in the second game of the match. Korpinen's work at the net has been a revalation of sorts this week as he continued to counteract the Onwye attempts at passing shots with some seriously good reflexes and precision. After dropping the first set 3-6, the Onwye Brothers lifted the pace in the second as they managed to skip out to a 2-0 lead after breaking the Korpinen service. But just as quickly as they took a lead, the CWLand pair pulled them back as the workhorse Drake struck a blow right down the line to bring the set back on service. In a see-sawing affair in the second set, it was the CWLanders who broke the service of Hayden Onwye's service to take an ultimately match-winning break. Serving out the match without incident, the AEGON Champions will no doubt head into the Wimbledon doubles as one of the favourites to emerge as victors.

• Seeded players out: Hayden Onwye / Ross Onwye.

Orange Warsaw Open
Quarterfinals - Warsaw

Qualifying (Draw)
Men's Singles (Seeds - Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)

In Warsaw, Randy Smeltz completed a great weekend for CWLand as he smashed eighth seed János Varga in straight sets to capture the Orange Warsaw Open. The fifth seed bounced back from a disappointing French Open with a solid week in Poland - a week which culminated in a victory over top seed Illya Altman, and then a final win over the Hungarian number three. In a tight first set, Smeltz proved his guts to bounce back from a 0-3 early deficit in resounding fashion. Whilst Varga stuck with the 28-year old deep into the set, he was ultimately caught short as his aggressive play allowed Smeltz an avenue to a plethora of winners. But whilst Varga showed some initiative in the opening set as he attacked the defensively-minded Smeltz, he produced some horrible tennis in the second set as the world number 27 ran away with the championship. The 7-5, 6-0 victory was seen as somewhat of a let down to the crowd as they were robbed of the opportunity to see some of the exciting tennis Varga has produced this week, but Smeltz's almost flawless performance this week gives him great hope of pushing for a top twenty spot in the coming months.

• Seeded players out: János Varga.

Gerry Weber Open
Quarterfinals - Halle

Qualifying (Draw)
Men's Singles (Seeds - Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)

To complete the full house of maiden championship wins, Denmark's Rasmus Olesen ended the impressive run of Bulgarian Ivan Genov in the final of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle. On the back of a victory over the world number one in the semifinals, Olesen came into the match bursting with confidence as he served out the opening game to love. Whilst Genov made Olesen work hard for his points, he struggled against the versatility of the Dane who controlled the match from the baseline and the net. Taking the first set 6-3, Olesen was met with a more determined Genov whose smart serving helped him to a 4-3 lead in the second. But the fourth seed managed to get the all-important break of service, before holding his own to secure a 6-3, 6-4 victory in impressive style.

• Seeded players out: Rasmus Olesen.

Bowenburg seems to have developed a nasty habit of losing to guys who go on to win tournaments.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

smeltzin

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Drake/Korpinen setting the standard in CWLand doubles it seems. A good win against my good mates the Onwye Brothers. An excellent round of tournaments for the Motherland.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Yesssssssssssssssssssssssss.

 

[David]

Awesome win!

So Good!

 

[Indipper]

Smeltz is good man. Stakhanov goes to drugland.