Men's Tennis 2016-2017

[agibson]

Ah, here are the live stats

http://itfprocircuit.tennis-live-scores.com/scoreboard.aspx?na=usa

Schorsch vs. Silverman is just past the 2h mark. 5-7 4-3 with Jeffrey serving.

I think his doubles match immediately follows, on the same court. I wonder how long of a break you get. The schedule can't help things. 88 degrees in Champaign today, with some clouds.

Jeffrey breaks Silverman's serve (if I'm saying that correctly) to win 6-3. So, it's 5-7 6-3. I believe we're now on a toilet break - apparently that's a thing. Looking over the stats, apart from just the score, it looks like the momentum definitely shifted in the second game. Keep it up!

Jeffrey breaks a service, is up 3-1, and 30-0 in that 5th game. And the match is... retired? Apparently that's a thing. Is it likely that Silverman was sick or injured? Or does a player sometimes more or less resign, if that outcome seems inevitable.

[Looks like Silverman resigned to go play doubles. He won his doubles quarterfinal. Not sure if that was mandated by the schedule, or he was just saving energy, or what.]

Either way, Schorsch gets the win. On to the Quarterfinals, for the second week in a row. But, first, doubles with Charlie. Whatever happened in the last of singles, I imagine Jeffrey appreciates whatever energy he can save.

[vu72]

He is up a break in the third.  His opponent is ranked 931.

[vu72]

Jeffrey wins.

[agibson]

Greif, seemingly some kind of hot shot junior, lost earlier. So Jeffrey's next singles match is Ezekiel Clark, just 19 himself. Looks like he'll be a sophomore at Illinois next year. Ranked 1279. So, I guess there's some kind of sense in which these matches should continue to get easier. But, I guess that's not how it usually works in single elimination tournaments!

Looks like Clark was playing #5 or #6 for the #25 ranked Illini last year as they won two matches in the NCAA tournament.

For these Futures tournaments (sort of 3rd tier pro tennis?) it apparently takes a couple of weeks for ranking points to get processed. But, as well as Jeffrey's done this week and last, I wonder if it'll start to open some doors for him. Or if that takes a few more tournaments. Looks like it's on to Decatur next week.

[agibson]

Now the third seeded doubles pair retires after losing their first set in a tiebreaker. Is it just the heat? Kirchheimer, who Schorsch played doubles with last week, advances to the doubles semi-finals. Of the 4 seeds, only #2 survives, way over on the other side of the bracket - Jeffrey and Charlie can't see them until the finals.

And now the doubles are underway. So Jeffrey got about 90 minutes off. Can't be easy. Must be nice to be young.

[valpotx]

For those that may have been worried about the quality of our recruits going down in a move to The Summit League, check this out:

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mtennis/news/2017-18/17484/crusaders-announce-additions-of-kenyatte-carvajal/#.WXkLy4QrKpo

We have something very special with this program.

[agibson]

And now the doubles are underway. So Jeffrey got about 90 minutes off. Can't be easy. Must be nice to be young.

The Valpo alums got broken once in the first set, losing 3-6. They went down all the way to 0-3 in the second and have clawed back as far as 3-5, getting a break of there own in there. But, it's just about over now. Maybe youth only goes so far.

Still, good tournament for the pair, first pro win! At least first of the type that gets you ranked. And obviously Schorsch is very much alive in the singles.

[agibson]

[tweet]890329174090670080[/tweet]

Learning as I go here. Apparently "no advantage" tennis means that you don't need to win a game by two? It's 40-40, next point wins. And maybe this is now standard for pros? But probably not for NCAA?

[agibson]

Jeffrey's rolling this morning.

Several aces already, and broke the UIUC frosh's serve once already. Up 3-1 in the first set. I did notice a score of "AD-40"; maybe the no-advantage is only for doubles?

Wow. And Jeffrey just won 4 of 5 points while _receiving_ to go up 4-1 (OK - one was a double fault, and the one he lost was an ace). Momentum's probably a finicky thing, but Schorsch seems to be on fire.

Just to keep things interesting, Clark broke Jeffrey to bring it to 4-2, then 4-3. And Jeffrey double faulted twice in the last game (including on set point), but did eventually take the eight point game and the first set, 6-4.

Man, even if the server has a considerable statistical advantage, it can look dicey in a particular game. Jeffrey breaks Clark to start the second set. Then survives a marathon 14 point game (an ace mixed in for good measure), with two break point opportunities for Clark, to go up 2-0.

Live stats at
http://itfprocircuit.tennis-live-scores.com/scoreboard.aspx?na=usa

[Brandon]

Apparently "no advantage" tennis means that you don't need to win a game by two? It's 40-40, next point wins. And maybe this is now standard for pros? But probably not for NCAA?

Correct that it means you don't need to win a game by two. But no-ad scoring is the standard for NCAA now. This was the second year for no-ad scoring in college tennis, meaning when a game reaches deuce (40-40), the next point wins the game.

[agibson]

Apparently "no advantage" tennis means that you don't need to win a game by two? It's 40-40, next point wins. And maybe this is now standard for pros? But probably not for NCAA?

Correct that it means you don't need to win a game by two. But no-ad scoring is the standard for NCAA now. This was the second year for no-ad scoring in college tennis, meaning when a game reaches deuce (40-40), the next point wins the game.

Thanks. Is it doubles only? Jeffrey clearly seems to be playing "traditional/advantage" scoring in singles this morning. Hence the 14 point game just now.

[agibson]

Man, even if the server has a considerable statistical advantage, it can look dicey in a particular game. Jeffrey breaks Clark to start the second set. Then survives a marathon 14 point game (an ace mixed in for good measure), with two break point opportunities for Clark, to go up 2-0.

Live stats at
http://itfprocircuit.tennis-live-scores.com/scoreboard.aspx?na=usa

A certain Deiton Baughman knocked out the Italian 5 seed this morning already, and would be Jeffrey's opponent in the semi-finals. Currently world 1046, but was as high as 341 a couple of years ago and is still only 21. It might be a rematch with 4th seed Nevolo (Jeffrey's 1-1 against him in the last month or so) in the final, knock on wood.

First things first, Clark has clawed back into this, breaking Jeffrey to bring it to 2-2. A marathon. Something like 20 points this time, with Clark coming through on his fourth or fifth break point opportunity of the game.

Bit of a roller coaster here this morning (what do I know? maybe tennis is usually like this). Looked like Jeffrey took the back half of a double break point opportunity to go back in control at 4-3. (He'll presumably be the happier so far, in terms of opportunities taken: 4/7 converted against Clark's 3/13). But then Jeffrey gives up what looked like four points in a row to have his own serve broken 50-15. Looks like Clark's headed for 5-4, and the set maybe headed for a tiebreaker.

Jeffrey beats Clark's serve three points in a row for the break, to go up 6-5. Jeffrey's second serve is an ace, but Clark earns a break point opportunity. And converts it (4/15 on the day?). To the set tiebreaker, 6-6. Don't quite remember how this works. One extra-long game, or something. With the serve switching a lot, maybe. Looks like it's first to seven points, need to win by two. With mostly two serves in a row, maybe from a restricted (doubles style?) position. Schorsch up 5-4, currently serving, but I'm not sure if it's his first or second.

And Jeffrey wins the tiebreaker game 9-7, taking the match 6-4 7-6(7).

Looks like this Baughman guy has some experience.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deiton_Baughman

Played a doubles match in the main draw at the US Open in 2015.

Skipped his NCAA eligibility, I guess, but seems to serve as a volunteer assistant at USC.

On to the semi-finals!

[agibson]

Ah, here are the live stats

http://itfprocircuit.tennis-live-scores.com/scoreboard.aspx?na=usa

Rough going early for Jeffrey. Lost the first set 6-3, now down 2-0 in the second. Maybe Baughman will grow distracted by his doubles Final later today and let our guy back into this.

6-3 6-4 loss, with two broken serves enough for Schorsch's opponent.

Still, looks like a fantastic tournament to me. A trip to the semi-finals! A doubles win! Some cash, and some ATP points. I'll be very curious to see what his ranking does over the next couple of weeks, as these successes are incorporated, and whether that might improve his entry prospects at upcoming tournaments.

I'll admit to being a little curious how they deal with overlapping tournaments. Next up on the local "circuit" is in Decatur. With qualifying starting tomorrow - on-site (down the road in Decatur) registration for that is this afternoon. As I read the cards, Scorsch and Baughman are _both_ likely to want to play qualifying in that tournament. I guess Schorsch still will (unless he gets into the main draw directly... withdrawals from higher ranked players? discretionary wild cards?). Will Baughman get some special treatment (wild card?) or does he have to choose between today's doubles final and tomorrow's singles final, and playing in next week's tournament? I guess he'd choose the finals, but it would seem a shame to miss a week.

[agibson]

So, I'm not sure about Decatur.

It seems that both Charlie and Jeffrey are high enough up the Singles acceptance list, as of Thursday, that they should have gotten into the Qualifying. But neither of them seem to be playing today. Could they have decided to take the week off? Found a tournament with better $$, if no points, opportunities? Or maybe one or both snuck into the main draw, singles or doubles, somehow? Seems unlikely, unless maybe the doubles?

Turns out there was a Wildcard event in Decatur Thursday, awarding a main draw spot to the winner, and qualifying spots to the 2nd and 3rd place players. Charlie _did_ play in that, and won a couple of matches, falling in the quarterfinals to the eventual #3.

From some Champaign reporting on the tournament that's finishing, it seems that finalists _don't_ necessarily get any consideration in overlapping tournaments that are beginning

http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/tennis/2017-07-29/vukic-still-standing-tall-jsm-futures.html

His win on Friday means Vukic will miss out on a USTA Challenger tournament in Lexington, Ky., where he was supposed to play qualifying matches today before his superb run on the courts he's well-acquainted with from his time at Illinois.

But I guess Jeffrey should have finished up in Champaign early enough to get over to Decatur for check-in, if he wanted to.

I guess we'll see who's playing in a few days.

[agibson]

So, I'm not sure about Decatur.

It seems that both Charlie and Jeffrey are high enough up the Singles acceptance list, as of Thursday, that they should have gotten into the Qualifying. But neither of them seem to be playing today. Could they have decided to take the week off? Found a tournament with better $$, if no points, opportunities? Or maybe one or both snuck into the main draw, singles or doubles, somehow? Seems unlikely, unless maybe the doubles?

Looks like J did get a wild card for Decatur, so he should be playing tomorrow, probably against one of the qualifiers. Hopefully soon he'll have the tour points together such that he doesn't need wildcards! (He seems be to ranked 1371 worldwide this week; not quite good enough for a spot in the main draw. Maybe next week, when hopefully they'll fold in his run into the semi-finals. But, I'm not sure what the first tournament would be where those became effective.)

VU sources indicate he was playing a Pro-Am this weekend.

[bbtds]

But I guess Jeffrey should have finished up in Champaign early enough to get over to Decatur for check-in, if he wanted to.

I guess we'll see who's playing in a few days.

Should only be an hour or less from Fairview Park in Decatur to the U of I tennis courts in Champaign.

[agibson]

J's up in doubles, a WC into the main draw, partnering Kirchheimer from UIUC again, later today in Decatur. They're playing the #2 seed, which includes Silverman. That's the guy who resigned his singles match with J last week in favor of his doubles match later in the day (after J got out to a big lead). He went on to... at least the finals?... in doubles last week.

Live Stats are again at
http://itfprocircuit.tennis-live-scores.com/scoreboard.aspx?na=usa

Some of the main draw singles is going today, but looks like J won't play singles until tomorrow.

[vu72]

Looks like Charlie is playing Jack Murray at 3 today.

[agibson]

Looks like Charlie is playing Jack Murray at 3 today.

Even better, he was scheduled to play _with_ Jack Murray! Partnering him in doubles. I hadn't thought to look for his name. He and Murray got a doubles wildcard, same as J and Kirchheimer.

Was the weather bad in central Illinois today? Looks like chaos on the courts. Like a lot of matches (including Charlie's) doubles never started. J and Kirchheimer took the first set 7-5 and then the match got suspended 1-1 in the second. (Maybe J didn't mind the postponement - looks like a wild one. They were up 4 - nothing! And only held on for the win 7-5, getting broken twice along the way.)

A definite downside, J plays singles in the second match of the day, and has to come back to play the rest of his suspended doubles match in the 4th match of the day. Same for his partner, Kirchheimer. And thankfully also both of his opponents. Playing about the same time as Charlie, but hopefully J wins quickly and can watch his teammate finish.

Looks like Charlie's partner Murray has a pedigree. All-American in doubles (same honor J and Charlie earned) after his junior year. Just graduated from UNC, playing #5 singles... on the national runner-up team.

J's opponent tomorrow, Dusty Boyer, is a 2016 Nebraska grad. Three time all-Big Ten. Is ranked a bit higher than J, having most recently picked up three wins... in Zimbabwe. But he's been a pro a year longer than J.

[agibson]

Looking ahead a little bit... J's currently got 3 ranking points posted (based on his first run to the quarterfinals), good for a tie for 1371 in the world.

Next Monday or so, when his run to the semifinal registers, he should have 11 points total. Good for somewhere around #1000 in the world. Maybe that's enough to get him straight into the main draw of some Futures tournaments, but not others? He could use one more run to at least the quarters, or a few more wins scattered across individual tournaments, to start getting some automatic entries.

If I'm understanding all of this correctly.

[agibson]

And J's up and moving in Decatur, taking his first game in four straight points.

Live Stats are again at
http://itfprocircuit.tennis-live-scores.com/scoreboard.aspx?na=usa

A bit of an earlier start, second match of the day, after a retirement in the first game. It looked doubles-motivated again (there was another that likely was), but the player who retired was winning! So, I guess probably an injury.

Singles now for J. Doubles for both Charlie and J, separately, later today.

Chalk so far for J, 2-2 in the first set. But, his opponent may be having trouble with his serve. Only has 7/15 first serves in, and double faulted twice in a row to give J a break point (didn't convert).

Jay takes the first set 6-2 in a business-like 32 minutes or less. Jay took four straight points, winning a break point to go up 4-2, and then broke Boyer's serve again to win 6-2. And then double faulted to start the second set, and eventually surrendering three break points - can't have everything (but J did win the game! Even if it took 14 points). J up 6-2 1-0.

J ends the game winning three points in a row, including the final break point (third of the game). 14 points again in that game. J up 6-2 2-0.

Boyer's making this interesting. Broke J to stay within 2-1, and now again to go up 5-6. J responds, breaking Boyer 6-6 and now to the tiebreaker.

J lost the tiebreaker 7-3. So, 6-2, 6-7(3). Started the last set well, breaking serve to go 1-0. But was broken twice. It's now 3-5, Boyer serving, and it's going to take something a little special for J to pull it out. Not to be. 6-2, 6-7(3), 3-6.

Still the doubles, later on this afternoon.

Kirchheimer just lost a 2h48m three set match to the #3 seed. He and J are going to be tired for the doubles, but hopefully will come out with chips on their shoulders. Only rest time now, before Charlie and J play doubles (on separate courts).

Charlie and Jack Murray were down 2-4, but in what looks like a wild first set, came back to win 7-6(4). And they're up 3-0 in the second. Looks pretty good.

J's not (re-)started his doubles yet.

[agibson]

Somehow the Forum wasn't cooperating with my "modify a post through the day to avoid triggering people's 'New' message every 20 minutes" strategy. So, that trailed off mid-stream there.

Suffice it to say that, in Decatur, Jeffrey got knocked out in the first round of the main draw singles and doubles.

Charlie won a match in the main draw doubles - his second of the year. So, Charlie's doubles ranking should be higher than Jeffrey's, when it updates (I'm not sure when that happens).

Singles rankings are slow to update, but I think I know the schedule. Jeffrey's wins from Champaign, tournament ending July 29, have just shown up in this week's rankings. So, he's up to a respectable 991. I don't know what tournament that would get applied to. This week in Edwardsville it anyway probably wouldn't _quite_ have been enough to get him into the main draw (a 980 might have done it). But, another win or two, and he may be getting direct main draw entries, without needing a wild card.

In Edwardsville Jeffrey and Charlie both played qualifying this week. Charlie won a single match. Jeffrey won two but then lost the decisive match earlier today, 6-3 5-7 1-6.

Haven't seen the doubles draw yet.

[VULB#62]

Thanks for maintaining these updates. It's not easy given that they are not front line ESPN.COM.

[agibson]

Haven't seen the doubles draw yet.

Turns out Charlie and J will each continue playing this week. Charlie partners Alfredo Perez and they got a wild card. Jeffrey partners Aron Hiltzik, and they got a direct entry into the doubles draw, presumably based on Aron's rating.

Aron seems like something of a stud - #8 seed in the main draw singles. Rising senior out of UIUC. First-Team All Big Ten. Ranked as high as #20 singles and #23 doubles (among college players, I assume? and I guess J and Charlie were ranked higher than that, doubles, at some point). Played in the NCAA singles tournament. And, if he's an amateur, maybe J would get to keep both halves of any doubles prize money?

And, OK, I guess this Alfredo Perez guy is pretty good too. Rising Junior at Florida. Cuban native. All-American singles and doubles last season. Finished the season ranked #10 singles. But still looking for his first doubles win in a pro tournament - relatively little "pro" experience so far, but he's still young. Maybe Charlie can help him out with that first doubles win.

Both Charlie and J play tomorrow afternoon.

[agibson]

J lost 6-2 6-4.
But Charlie wins 6-3 7-5, his third week in a row with a win! And with three different partners, no less. This week over an impressive opponent in Silverman. Charlie has to play the top-seeded doubles pair tomorrow.