So still waiting for some Saturday results, hopefully late tonight or early tomorrow. Trae gave a good breakdown on his match.
Someone posted Blumberg's win over Forrest which was impressive, 2nd and 3rd set were not that close.
No big upsets so far so should be some good matches going on the rest of the weekend.
Post what you know...
4.0 Singles Update. Semi Finals are set, and they are as follows:
ReplyDeleteTop Half: Tuyen Nguyen vs. Jason Turnpen
Bottom Half: Ismael Dutchover vs. Adam Blumberg
No big surprises in the singles draws that I have seen. Blumberg over Feuille is a bit of a surprise but I haven't seen either of them play. Top seed in 4.5 doubles went out in the first round and two-time major zone champions Brouer and Robinson are out. They can't win 'em all. Should be some good matches tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWell there is a little boo-hooing in my cheerios this morning as I saw many of my picks go down in flames.
ReplyDeleteThe worst would be my 4.0 predictions as I only have 1 in the semis and none of my finalists left. First, congratulations to Tuyen and Ismael for making yet another MZ semi. Tuyen has done much better in 4.0 than 3.5 and while I will agree that Tuyen has brought his game up it has to say something about the 4.0 tournament play this year. I mean three of the semifinalists were 3.5 last year. You don't see that kind of domination in 4.5 from the 4.0 'ringer' bumpups. In 4.0 doubles I do still have both my finalists left after the 5.0 team went out a round earlier than I even predicted although the scores (5,6) say that was a very good match.
In 4.5 singles I do still have both my finalists left and should have listened to Patton when he told me how good Viktorin was (by the way Dustin I'm in Fort Worth if you read this and want to hit). I have never seen Sticker but he's putting the hurt on some people so it should be interesting. In 4.5 doubles the three I picked are still in it and I wish I could be there to watch the semi between Patton and Ed.
Overall my predictions weren't too embarrassing but I still want to know what the heck is up with 4.0 tournament tennis.
i agree Jason the 4.0 scene is rather strange this year. If Eddie Hill wouldn't have gotten hurt I am sure he would be in the top 5 or 10 in points as well which would be yet another 2007 3.5 top player just go straight to the top at the next level.
ReplyDeletethe entry counts look solid but the level has evened out and for me it makes me want to go and and play a tourney because at least I know there isn't 10 guys in the draw that could crush me like last season at 4.0.
Freeman, no 4.0 singles for you? I think you could probably do well.
Perhaps this proves that the worst sandbagging is at the 3.5 level, since the guys doing well now in 4.0 were playing 3.5 last season. Although with so many 4.0 teams in Dallas, many of the 4.0 players probably aren't playing tournaments. If you took the #1 singles player from each 4.0 team and put them in this tournament, I bet the results would be much different.
ReplyDeleteI think these tournaments are foolish to schedule on the same weekend as team tennis.
Looks like a one two punch in the 4.0 finals. Tuyen Nguyen vs Ismael Dutchover. Maybe these 3.5 move-ups aren't getting enough credit. After all, Blumberg went down 2 and 1. And Turpen has like a 23-3 record at 4.0 over the last year.
ReplyDeleteSeems like some of those "back in the woods players" came out at this tournament. A number seeded players got beat by unknown players in all levels, with probably a number of them playing a lower level than they really should been, but "I don't play tournaments so I will just play down" approach.
ReplyDeleteViktorin and Sticker in the 4.5 finals. Don't know the results of the final yet. I've never seen either player but I would have to go with Brett since he's currently playing for a college. How do you spell controversy anyway?
ReplyDeleteSticker won 5 and 3 over Dustin.
ReplyDeleteMany props to my doubles partner, Leonard Hutchison, for making it thru to the 4.0 Consolation Final. He had a league match today and told me that he would sacrifice the final if there was a conflict with his league match! Helluva team player in my book!
ReplyDeleteWe made it thru to the 4.0 Doubles quarters but underestimated our opponents based on watching the last few games of one of their matches. Little did we know that Bell/ Tierney have been playing together for years and have a pretty strong doubles record to back it up. The broke my first 2 service games, which I hadn't had broken in 4 previous doubles sets, and controlled the net like a backboard. 1st set score 6-1 --- OUCH!!! 2nd set we fought with everything we had and stayed on serve until 4-4 then they turned it on and we couldn't hold them off. 2nd set score - 6-4.
This was my 2nd major Zone tourney and this one was not run anywhere as smoothly as Waco but there were a lot of good matches and a few new names to watch out for in Men's 4.0 this summer. It's going to be one helluva ride thru to the Cotton Bowl!
Trae Bowman
It was a good run but couldn't handle the young guy in the final. He can really hit the ball and I was toast after dropping the first set.
ReplyDeleteThese tournaments in the summer are too much. I had to sit in a chair for 2 hours after yesterday's match before the cramps would subside enough to walk to the car. Not sure how my body was able to make it thru the 8 am match.
Kern - i think you have my number now. I don't want to see a racquet for at least a week though :)
Congrats to Ismael for winning the Tyler major zone. I know sometimes scores don't tell the whole story, but it looked like you were in control of your game.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to give kudos to Leonard for taking that default in the consi finals and making our league match today. His presence helped secure us a spot in the QT.
I think the Ft. Worth MZ may be a little more active since league tennis should be over for most people - we shall see.
so how does a former D1 player in 07 and now current d2 player self rate as a 4.0 and not have a protest, much less not be sanctioned for lying on self-rate in order to get the 4.0 rating. This is what makes USTA tennis a joke.
ReplyDeleteWhat 4.0 player are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteIt is people like yourself who catch these things to bring them forward so they can be protested. Can't protest something you don't know about.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Ismael Dutchover for winning the 4.0 singles draw and to his under study. Pedro Ruiz for winning the 3.5 singles draw!
ReplyDeleteHP Somabut added another Major Zone title with Newman/Voss. That's three Major Zone victories in 4.0 doubles this year.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Tim and Doug
Hai Nguyen/Phy Pham finished 2nd in 4.5 doubles losing a 3rd set tiebreaker.
Congrats to Tim and Doug for winning Tyler. I'm glad someone from our team won it.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, congrats to Hai and Phy also.
ReplyDeleteHai and Phy had a great win in the semis over a very solid doubles team Luedtke and Rivera. I watched Luedtke and Rivera the day before beat an old guy young guy combo in a tight 3rd set- probably the best match I watched all tourney.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Tim and Doug. Way to keep the HP streak going! Nice place for Hai and Phy too.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Houston and Dallas are dominating 4.0 tournament play.
ReplyDeleteHey guys,
ReplyDeleteThanks alot. Appreciate the congrats from everyone!
Must say, that in the final, I was in some trouble in that 1st set with Tuyen, being down 4-1, but somehow managed to come back to win 7-5, 6-3. I was extremely lucky to get that 1st set.
Anyhow...was a nice tournament, and glad things played out as they did. Good seeing everyone, and I'm sure will see many of you guys in future major zones!
Thanks again!!
Ismael you are a freaking machine, I guess all those good things Jason said about you are true.
ReplyDeleteNice win, can you breakdown that Blumberg match as well, I am not shocked you beat him but I am shocked in the score.
Thunder,
ReplyDeleteThe way the Blumberg match went was unexpected really. After the match, I spoke with Adam, and he mentioned that tennis elbow had set in the previous night from too much tennis in such a short time. I noticed he was was grimacing after some of his serves as well, so I think his elbow might have been hurting a bit during the match.
He may have also been worn out from tournament play too. He said he had recently made a return to tennis after taking some time off from it, and his conditioning might have not been up to par yet. I think those things may have been factors in the match.
As far as the match itself goes, my lack of pace in hitting the ball might have not been what he likes. Its hard to tell tho. Early on, he tried coming to the net several times, and I was able to successfully pass him a few times or hit a shot that was not easy to get back, or maybe hit to him, and his volley would go out of bounds. I was also able to get a lot of points off of serves on the deuce side as well.
I gotta give him lots of credit though...I was up 5-0 in the 2nd set, serving at 40-15 and he fought back and broke me to stay in the match. He kept on fighting til the end.
I think the match might have been closer had we played early on in the draw, and he was fresh. He is a good player, and once he gets into tournament shape, he will be a tough opponent for anyone to beat.
Ismael
Ismael,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your win! I noticed the 4.0 team you are on is undefeated. Do you think your team will advance to sectionals?
How would you compare 3.5 (2007) to 4.0 (2008)?
I think my team has a pretty good shot in regards to advancing to Sectionals. Just depends on having the right line ups out there against the team we are playing.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your question about comparing 3.5(2007)/4.0(2008)...are you referring to league play or tournament play?
Either way, generally speaking, I will say that they are very similar in many regards in my opinion. Part of it has to do with the fact that I think my level of play keeps improving, and because of that, it feels as if the matches are equally as competitive as they were in 3.5 in 2007. I will however note, that at the 4.0 level, I dont believe I have had an extremely easy win, whereas at the 3.5 level (towards the end of last year anyway) some matches felt a bit easy towards the end of 2007. Early on in 3.5 level, I had similar scores, and several 3 set matches as I do this year at 4.0 level. I think it's just a matter of how well one adjusts to the new level, and if one raises their level of play.
One thing is for sure though...I have not had a match this year where I felt it was easy in either league play or tournament play. In all matches I've played, I feel like they could have gone either way. That would be the biggest difference in my opinion.
Ismael