Week 4 and 5 Challengers: Iquique [Durand]; Heilbronn [Bre]; Carson [W. Jones]

[Matteh]

No problem from me about playing in both as i thought Heilbronn was a week 4 anyway

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Iquique Challenger 1
First Round - Singles - Iquique

In a low key tournament, due to the clash with the Australian open, only two CWLanders - Phoenix Wleft from the Eastern Block and Jake Loughman from the West would take to the courts.

• Phoenix Wleft endured a tough victory over Canadian Tony Nikolic in the first round. It was the young CWLander that took to the courts with more vim, as he dominated Nikolic in the first. Wleft kept up the intensity in the 2nd, and continually threatened the Nikolic serve. However, against the run of play, Nikolic upped his game and gained an unexpected break of serve. Wleft looked aghast when a shot that looked as if it was sailing out, dropped in. The third set was tougher, Wleft took an early break but then lost it immediately. The momentum was with Nikolic, so it was a surprise when his next service game fell to pieces. Not managing a single first serve, Nikolic only managed to get a single 2nd serve in, and lost the game to love. From there, the result was never in doubt. Wleft progressing 6 - 2, 4 - 6, 6 - 3
• Jake Loughman's first outing in the main draw ended in disappointment. He had plenty of chances to take the match against Serbia's Srdjan Ivic, but was unable to take any of the 3 break opportunities he earned in the first or the two break opportunities in the 3rd. He was at his most fluent in the 2nd set where he took two breaks from Ivic. Loughman out of the tournament 6 - 3, 2 - 6, 6 - 4.
• In the most bizarre match of the day, 12th seed Alex Rojas dominated unfancied German Peter Seel 6 - 1 in the first set, before completely losing his game. In an amazing turnaround of fortunes, Seel dispatched Rojas to love in the 2nd, before the third turned out to be an evenly matched affair. Each of the three sets in stark contrast to the others. The German advanced 1 - 6, 6 - 0, 6 - 4.

Seeded players out: Alex Rojas (12, CHI), Miguel Molina (14, ECU)

 

[Agent TBY]

Nice result there.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Iquique Challenger 1
Second Round - Singles - Iquique

• Qualifier Phoenix Wleft took part in an absolute cracker against 13th seed Cameron van der Cleer. In a match relegated to one of the outside courts, the spectators that turned up were treated to an epic battle in a match that lasted over 3 hours. Over 100 positions separated the two players in the rankings prior to this match, and in a war of attrition, the first set went to the favoured Dutchman. The 6 - 3 result in the first set belies what was a incredible first set. Wleft stole a break to love after the warm ups, and then lost three games in a row. Wleft then took another break, before again failing to hold his serve. At 4 - 2 down, Wleft broke van der Cleer for a third time before losing his serve again. van der Cleer then successfully served out the set. From a set where both players had struggled to hold their serve, the second didn't see a single break. The best opportunity was in van der Cleer's 4th service game, where Wleft raced out to a 15 - 40 lead, before two aces from van der Cleer took it to deuce. Wleft had 3 more opportunities to win the game with advantages, but failed to capitalise. The tie break hinged on a disputed line call at 4 - 4. A Wleft forehand was ruled out, but overruled by the umpire. An angry van der Cleer lost his cool, and the set thanks to a stunning display of immaturity. The third set offered more of the same, however, in the critical game - with scores level at 5 - 5 and van der Cleer serving, Wleft earned a break point at 30 - 40 with a great passing shot and this time took the opportunity by capitalising on a poor second serve. Wleft then served out the match with no problems. He faces Argentinian number 1 seed Miguel Bertolotto who himself had a tough three setter. Wleft progresses 3 - 6, 7 - 6 (7 - 4), 7 - 5.
• Unseeded Spaniard Sergio Canadillas had a tough win over 16th seed Brendan Tito. Tito won the first set without breaking too much of a sweat, but a lack of intensity cost him in the 2nd and 3rd as Canadillas upped his game. Canadillas went 5 - 0 up in the 3rd set before suffering a big case of the yips which saw him lose three on the trot, despite earning 5 match points. At the 6th time of asking, he took his opportunity and progressed jubilantly in a 4 - 6, 7 - 5, 6 - 3 victory.

Seeded players out: Cameron van der Cleer(13, NED), Brendan Tito (16, PUR)

Iquique Challenger 1
First Round - Doubles - Iquique

• With no CWlanders in doubles action, the newspaper inches were filled with news of a dominant win by French pairing Brunet & Chateau over American 2nd seeds Burbach & Turner. The Americans had taken a very lacklustre approach to the tournament, only flying in to Iquique overnight, and not taking any time out to practise and acclimatise to local conditions. And it showed. They were blown off court in the first by the well prepared Frenchmen, and if they were overpowered in the 1st, they where annihilated in the 2nd, only winning a meagre 5 points in the whole set. 6 - 1, 6 - 0.

Seeded players out: Engstom & Viksten(1, SWE), Burbach & Turner (2, USA)

 

[NUFAN]

I'm thinking about playing at the Heilbronn Open if I have an early exit from the doubles.

 

[roseboy64]

Usa

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Iquique Challenger 1
Third Round - Singles - Iquique

• It was a bridge too far for qualifier Phoenix Wleft against top seed and world number 112 Miguel Bertolotto. Wleft headed for the airport after a straight sets loss, where he put up a pretty strong fight.. Wleft was unfortunately a bit slow out of the blocks at the start of the match, and a weak first service game gave Bertolotto an immediate break of serve. Bertolotto's serve was rarely challenged, the only break point opportunity for Wleft coming courtesy of a double fault. The 2nd set was a similar story, with Bertolotto taking the one break that he required towards the tail end of the set to progress 6 - 3, 6 - 4.
• German Peter Seel had already seen some interesting matches in the tournament to date; winning two sets to love and dismissing the 12th seed in Round 1. However, Cypriot 5th seed Takis Georgilis taught the German an absolute lesson in tennis on court number 1 today. A confident looking Seel disintegrated in 39 minutes of tennis, striking a first serve percentage of only 42% and not once threatening to take a service game. The 6 - 0, 6 - 0 hiding is sure to have dented his confidence.

Seeded players out: Massimo Prodi (2, ITA), Pablo Scalforo (3, ITA), Domingo Gutierrez Gomez (4, PUR) Carlos Gonza (7, COL), Paul Arroyo (10, ECU), Thomas Velten (11, NED)

Iquique Challenger 1
Second Round - Doubles - Iquique

• In the doubles, following another disappointing singles exit, Italian duo Massimo Prodi & Pablo Scalforo again attempted to make some progress in the doubles. Their opposition, Miguel Bertolotto & Juan-Pablo Serrano of Argentina proved to be a tough duo to come up against in the 2nd round. The first set went the full distance in a gruelling heat. The Argentines ran away with the tie breaker, thanks in no small part to a very lucky net cord in the midst of long rally. The 2nd set was also close, but the Italian pairing managed to steal a break on Serrano's serve which was undoubtably the weaker of the two Argentine serves on show. In the match tie break, in contrast to the rest of the match, all four players struggled to hold points on their serve and it was a couple of aces from an accurate Scalforo that earned the Italians a lead in the breaker that they wouldn't relinquish; progressing 7 - 6 (7 - 3), 4 - 6, [10-7]

Seeded players out: Jurgen Boniek & Adam Schroeder (3, AUT, GER)

 

[Agent TBY]

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Iquique Challenger 1
Quarter Finals - Singles - Iquique

Not gonna dwell too long on these without any CWLand competitors left in,

• Number 1 seed Miguel Bertolotto capitulated in a three set match against 6th seed Christopher Durand. Bertolotto was on form in the first, bossing the net against the Frenchman. A single break of serve was all that he required to take the first set. The two remaining sets went the other way as Durand found his range with an array of elegant passing shots. Bertolotto was unable to adapt his style and exited the tournament 3 - 6, 6 - 3, 6 - 4.
• Two Frenchmen will be in the semi-finals thanks to a thumping win by the 9th seed, Sebastian Lachance against unseeded Rodrigo Jerez. The 6 - 1, 6 - 2 victory was completed in just under an hour as Jerez was unable to find the form that had helped him despatch the 4th seed Domingo Gutierrez Gomez in the 3rd round.

Seeded players out: Miguel Bertolotto (1, ARG), Renato Varas (8, CHI), Aleksander Alitspritsin (15, LTU)

Iquique Challenger 1
Semi Finals - Doubles - Iquique

• Not meeting in the semi-finals of the singles tournament, Christophe Durand & Sebastian Lachance have a real chance of being in both the singles and doubles finals thanks to a semi-finals victory over the other French pairing of Brunet & Chateau. Their straight sets victory was a nailbiter with only one break of serve. With an indepth knowledge of each other's games, a close match was always in the offing. A cagey first set was won by Durand and Lachance in the tiebreak and the only break of the match was towards the end of the 2nd with the score at 4 - 4. They will meet 3rd seeded pairing Golub & Ryce in the final

Seeded players out: None

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Dull week in Chile, really, but some good results nevertheless for Wleft and Loughman.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Pretty exciting week for Durand and Lachance...

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Iquique Challenger 1
Semi Finals - Singles - Iquique

Not gonna dwell too long on these without any CWLand competitors left in,

• Number 6 seed Christopher Durand has made his way through to the singles final, to accompany his scheduled appearance in the doubles final thanks to an excellent straight sets win over 5th seed Takis Georgilas. Durand barely broke a sweat as his serve was on fire from the start. Tactically, Durand showed great maturity by pressing Georgilas at just the right time to take a single break in each set. Progressing 6 - 3, 6 - 4.
• His opponent will not be his doubles partner Sebastian Lachance after he was dumped out in a 3 set thriller by unseeded Spaniard Sergi Canadillas. The first set was a real war of attrition, characterised by long, brutal rallies in intense heat. This continued into the tie break went into double figures until a Lachance forehand jumped up off the net and was smashed in a decisive winner by Canadillas. In the 2nd set, a reinvigorated Lachance took the Canadillas serve apart. Canadillas' only game in the set was taken off Lachance thanks in no small part to two double faults from the Frenchman. The expectation was that the third set would be similarly easy for Lachance, but it was anything but. Canadillas rediscovered his form from the first yet, and despite a victorious Durand cheering Lachance on from the sidelines, he could not find a way through the Spaniard's serve. A late break stole it for a delighted Canadillas, progressing 7 - 6 (12 - 10), 1 - 6, 7 - 5

Seeded players out: Takis Georgilas (5, CYP), Sebastian Lachance (9, FRA)

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Iquique Challenger 1
Final - Singles - Iquique

Relegated to the small print in a supplement of the weekend section of the sports section of the CWLand Press' Junior Journalism website is a small story about the finals at Iquique.

• Number 6 seed Christopher Durand won his first Challenger title with a tough victory against outsider Sergi Canadillas. A single break in the first set was just enough for Durand to take it out. The 2nd set went all the way to a tie break, with the tenacious Canadillas struggling throughout to hold serve. With the breaker poised at 6 - 6, Canadillas lost a long rally and then saw Durand send down an unreturnable serve for the Frenchman to take the title. 6 - 3, 7 - 6 (8 - 6). Canadillas can leave Iquique with his head held high after a great tournament for the unseeded player.

Seeded players out: None

Iquique Challenger 1
Final - Doubles - Iquique

• After being the favourite in the singles final, the pairing of Singles Champion Christophe Durand and Sebastian Lachance faced the 3rd seeds Davor Golub & Tomas Ryce. Durand, now a veteran on the Centre Court at Iquique was on fire from the start, showing little fatigue from his earlier singles final. An aggressive Durand ruthlessly attacked the seeds' serve and took the first set out in just under 25 minutes. The second set was a tougher proposition as the seeds took an early break from the Durand serve. Not to be outdone, however, the French pairing broke straight back and just as the set looked to be heading to a tie breaker, some great baseline play from the hitherto quiet Lachance took a second break from the seeds. Serving for the set, Durand enjoyed the perfect service game to lift his second piece of silverware for the day. 6 - 1, 7 - 5

Seeded players out: Golub & Ryce (CRO/CZE, 3)

What a great week for Durand.

 

[Paid The Umpire]

Is there still tourney here?

If so Carson.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Heilbronn Challenger

• Unranked CWLander Jack Loughman has booked a place in the main draw of the Tretorn Serie+ Challenger in Heilbronn with a straight sets victory over world No. 374 Nick De Koning. Loughman already produced an impressive upset against Spanish second seed Jaime Barral in the first round of qualifying (6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3)), and then backed it up against wildcard Markus Werner in distinctly impressive style 6-2, 6-3. De Koning had made the most of a handy draw, but could not make any inroads against Loughman who earned more ranking points and a spot in a lucrative Challenger 6-3, 7-5. He slots into a first round clash with wildcard entrant Mario Beyer in a draw including the likes of Alex Peters, Ivars Emsis, Gunther Heug and Matt Bre.

Carson Challenger

• Pierre Rose has backed up earning ranking points in the Australian Open qualifiers by advancing to the main draw in Carson. After good showing against lowly ranked opponents in the first two rounds, the qualifying round gave him a tough test against top seed Tino Boytchuk who missed out on direct entry by one spot. The Canadian started strongly by taking the first set 6-4, but was worn down by the dogged Rose who showed just what representing West CWLand means to him in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 result. It doesn't get any easier, though, as he starts in the main draw against fourth seeded world No. 136 Jimmy Holland.
• Joining Rose in the main draw is Jason Lawley following his hard fought win over Japanese third seed Tamakuchi Haradsun. The Japanese player worked hard in the second set to take it in a tiebreaker, but threw away an early lead in the third as Lawley scrapped to a 6-1, 6-7(3), 7-5 upset. In contrast to Rose, Lawley has a gentle start against Great Britain's 21-year old Jordan Mutch. The draw boasts a stellar cast of American players who comprise the top six seeds. Randy Banks is seeded seven to break the run.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Is there still tourney here?

If so Carson.

Oh, and sorry mate I had already simmed the draw and sent it through to Heath before I saw this. Will mean you can still enter Joberg quallies (I think that's where you wanted to go).

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Will be getting round to Carson & Heilbronn tomorrow, so watch this space!

 

[NUFAN]

Just out of interest am I playing in Heilbronn?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Just out of interest am I playing in Heilbronn?

I don't think so, but Carson/Heilbronn clash with the 2nd week of the Australian Open. I think you made Week 2 in the doubles, yes?

I am a bit behind due to having had a busy week, hence Aus Open week 2 is 'ahead' of Carson/Heilbronn at the moment.

 

[NUFAN]

I don't think so, but Carson/Heilbronn clash with the 2nd week of the Australian Open. I think you made Week 2 in the doubles, yes?

I am a bit behind due to having had a busy week, hence Aus Open week 2 is 'ahead' of Carson/Heilbronn at the moment.

Okay, no worries at all. Yeah got knocked out in the doubles quarter finals.

Looking forward to Zagreb!