Bogota 250

[TennisFanatic7]

The second iteration of the 250 event in Colombia. They have managed to get Gasquet, who is probably pretty desperate for a cheap title after his mediocre year to date if we're being honest, but beyond that the field isn't much better than a Challenger, with 8 of the top 90 players in the world turning up.

Seeds:
1. Gasquet
2. Karlovic (defending champion)
3. Pospisil
4. Stepanek
5. Falla
6. Gonzalez
7. Ebden
8. Estrella Burgos

Karlovic came here ranked outside the top 100 last year, won the title and has since climbed back towards the top 30 in his twilight years. He's got a decent shot at repeating here after a good week in Newport. Stepanek looks a good bet too, along with Gasquet, who should really be seeing this as a bit of a gimme if he's anywhere near top form.

Pospisil is another guy who needs a deep run having barely won a match since the Australian Open. He could do with getting some points on the board too else his ranking is going to plummet. 485 of his 1135 ranking points ride on the Vancouver Challenger and Canadian Masters 1000 events coming up in a couple of weeks. Take those points off and he drops from 35ish to 80ish.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Popsicle has some momentum due to his Wimbledon Doubles championship win.
Despite a weak field, I don't expect Gasquet to win this one either.

 

[isabelle]

Strange to see Richie there, I guess they gave him a lot of money !!

 

[tented]

Today's results:

Polansky defeats Barrientos -- 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
(3) Pospisil defeats Kuznetsov -- 7-5, 7-5
Ward defeats (7) Ebden -- 6-4, 3-0
(8) Estrella Burgos defeats Londero -- 7-5, 6-3
Wang defeats Przysiezny -- 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3

I'm happy to see Pospisil doing well.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

James Ward beats a seeded player in a main tour match

 

[isabelle]

Gasquet is in quarter

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Despite a weak field, I don't expect Gasquet to win this one either.

Good call GSM.

Gasquet falls to an unknown player in quarterfinals. Even in a weak tournament,
he is not able to win. Remember, Gasquet is the original Baby Federer. I think he
is now in a free fall.

 

[isabelle]

Poor Richie, he's so far away from his best level, a pity to see that

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Gasquet played to his maximum level last year, made it to London and couldn't win a match. You can see why a guy would be struggling to motivate himself when he's at his peak, had a year free of serious injury or issues with his form and all he can manage is a single slam semi final and to make it to the year end championships only to be his group's whipping boy.

I like Gasquet, but I think we've seen what he's got and it's nothing more than solid top 10 play. There are many much more interesting young players around at the moment.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Meanwhile, Tomic may just have got his arse into gear. Pospisil hasn't been in great form for a long time but for Tomic as a wildcarder to beat the third seed and reach the semi finals will be a booster for him. He's forecast to climb back into the top 100 too.

 

[herios]

Dr Ivo in the final again. He defeated Radek in 3 sets.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Tomic is into the final with a third set tie break win over Estrella Burgos. A good response to slipping out of the top 100. I doubt his ability to go one better and beat Karlovic tomorrow but I hope he does.

 

[TsarMatt]

Lol, Nard Dog is trolling me.

Good for him.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Tomic won the first set in TB. Karlovic won the second 6-3. Right now Karlovic is
serving to send the 3rd set to a tie breaker.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Tomic wins the match by winning the TB in the third set.

Now Karlovic has lost two successive finals to Australians, one old and
one young.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Welcome back Bernard? Seems to have gotten the kick up the arse he needed with the ranking hit and that sponsorship deal that got cancelled.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

wow..looks like tomic has got his arse into gear.

 

[herios]

wow..looks like tomic has got his arse into gear.

Although in a mediocre field, it is still a win, so good for him

 

[TsarMatt]

Great stuff, Bernard!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Unfortunatley, this win comes a week late for Tommy. Had this happened last week,
he would have got a main draw entry into USO. Now he has to either get a wc or
qualify.