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Aidan McHugh, Australian Open 2018
Aidan McHugh, Australian Open 2018 | (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Tennis | Challenger & ITF Round-Up | Ben Jones, Aidan McHugh & Andrew Watson all hit quarter-finals in ITF events.

Glenys Furness
Tennis

By Glenys Furness

  • Ben Jones made quarter-final in Cancun
  • Andrew Watson & Aidan McHugh made quarter-final in Portugal.

CANCUN, MEXICO – Ben Jones made the quarter-final of the ITF event in Cancun. Unseeded Jones was stopped by the third seed.

 

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Brit of the Week

Ben Jones entered the ITF event in Cancun Mexico. In the first round the Brit was drawn against the seventh seed Grey Hamilton. The American started well and managed to break the serve of the Jones. The Brit could not break back and found himself a set down. The second set saw the Brit fight back, getting the break on Hamilton and levelling the match. The final set went to a tiebreak and it was Jones that edged it to go through to the next round 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5).

The second round saw Jones against another American, this time Joshua Ortlip. Although this match was a straight sets victory, the Brit had to fight hard in both sets. The American stayed toe to toe with Jones forcing the breakers. Ortlip couldn’t find a way through and Jones moved into the quarter-final 7-6(3), 7-6(5).

In the quarter-final the Brit was up against the third seed Nick Chappell. The American proved too strong for Jones breaking in both sets. No matter what Jones tried, he was unable to get back into the match and it was Chappell who progressed to the next round in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.

 

Honourable Mentions

Aidan McHugh & Andrew Watson both entered the ITF event in Portugal. McHugh was the sixth seed and Watson was seeded fifth. In the first round McHugh drew another Brit George Davies. The first set was close as neither player gave an inch, a tiebreak followed. Once in the breaker McHugh took control. Dominating both the breaker and the second set the sixth seed moved into the second round 7-6(1), 6-3.

The second round saw McHugh face Spaniard Antonio Muniz Hidalgo. The Brit was in firm control throughout the match, holding serve without much trouble. McHugh broke the serve of Muniz Hidalgo in both sets and was soon through to the quarter-finals in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

In the quarter-final McHugh was against the top seed Tiago Cação. The Portuguese player didn’t have everything his own way. The Brit forced a tiebreak in the first set which the top seed edged. McHugh managed to break serve in the second and force a deciding set. In the final set Cação secured the vital break and knocked out the Brit, bringing the run to an end 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5.

Andrew Watson faced Pavel Shumeiko in the first round. With the Brit going well in the first set, more or less breaking at will the Ukrainian retired. Watson moved into the second round 4-1 RET. The second round saw Watson up against Luis Faria. The Portuguese player was on form in the first set. Staying with Watson to force a tiebreak, the Brit was able to dominate the breaker losing only one point. The second set saw Watson break the serve of Faria and move into the quarter-final in straight sets 7-6(1), 6-4.

The quarter-final saw the fifth seed facing third seed Fred Gil. The Portuguese outplayed the Brit, breaking only once in the first set, however in the second everything seemed to go the way of Gil. The third seed completely dominated and moved into the semi-final 6-4, 6-1.

 

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Challenger & ITF Round Up

Jack Gibbens was defeated by Gerardo López Villaseñor in the first round in Cancun 6-4, 6-3.

Isaac Stoute was defeated by Justin Roberts in the first round in Cancun 7-5, 6-4.

Alexander Jhun was defeated by Alexander Lebedev in the first round in Cancun 6-1, 6-4.

Alexis Canter was defeated by Fred Gil in the first round in Portugal 7-5, 6-3.

Emily Appleton was defeated by Vlada Ekshibarova in the first round in Portugal 6-4, 7-6(2).

Maia Lumsden was defeated by Yuriko Miyazaki in the second round in Portugal 6-2, 6-4.

Jan Choinski was defeated by Daniel Altmaier in the first round in Ludwigshafen 6-4, 7-6(4).

Edward Hubner was defeated by Ljubomir Čelebić in the second round in Serbia 7-5, 6-4.

Giles Hussey was defeated by Adam Moundir in the first round in Tunisia 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Next week Brits play in Wimbledon, Winnpeg, USA, Mexico, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Peru & Tunisia.

 

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