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law90026 · 08-15-2019, 09:06 PM

Year 464 week 37

Time passes and things change, let's see what's happened since the last update.

Elias Losana
Things went pretty much according to how I thought they might.

In week 41, Elias took part in a clay FT1 in Portugal. Seeded #6, he went 1 round further than his seeding, reaching the SFs before losing to the #2 seed in 3 sets.

Week 46 was a return to Spain and a clay FT2. Homecourt advantage and a clay court focus resulted in a truly dominant tournament win where Elias dropped a total of 3 games. He also won the doubles tournament!

Next tournament was in week #52 where he won another clay FT2, this time in Senegal. Just 9 games dropped in this tournament as well and he's clearly too strong for the field at the futures level on his preferred surface.

Week 4 of year 465 was more of the same as he played a FT3 in Spain. He dropped 1 game the whole tournament (!) and that was in the finals. Another doubles tournament win here as well.

Elias won another clay FT1 in Spain in week 9. This was a bit more of a challenge though. Seeded #4, he beat the #1 seed in 3 sets in the SFs and the #2 seed in the finals in 3 sets as well. Nice to see him pull through again here.

At this stage, I'm aware he's entering the Challenger stage and I typically go full singles around this time. So in week 14, he takes part in another Spanish clay FT1 and wins it. He follows that up with a win in a Spanish hardcourt FT2 in week 16 and that pushes him into the top 200 in the world. Yes, he won a hardcourt tournament!

Week 18 was Elias' first Challenger tournament and he played a clay CH3 in the Czech Republic. Unseeded, I assumed that he wouldn't get far but he proved me wrong to an extent. In the 2nd round, he was up against the #3 seed and world #93, Aleksandr Stepananko, and Elias just crushed him 6/2 6/1. Elias was then knocked out in the QFs by #7 seed and fellow Spaniard Marcel Garabito 7/6 2/6 7/5 but it was a better start than expected.

Ranking points coming off meant that Elias could play in another Spanish FT1 in week 20 and he took advantage of that to win it and gain another 33 ranking points. He followed that up with FT1 wins indoors and on clay in week 24 and week 27.

Week 29 was a return to the Challengers and he played a hardcourt CH1 in Spain. Unseeded here, he knocks out #4 seed Bruno Azzopardi in the 2nd round 3/6 6/2 7/5. In the QFs, it's a titanic match against another unseeded Spaniard Juan Jose Hertolano and Elias pulls through with a 7/6 5/7 7/6 win. His run ends in the SFs as he pushes #1 seed Sebastian Birkeland (world #37) to 3 sets before losing.

Elias took part in a Spanish hardcourt CH1 in week 33. Seeded #8, he wins his first 2 rounds easily before easily beating #2 seed Calisto Campo Calvo 6/3 6/2 in the QFs. He then beats #3 seed Xabi Iraneta 5/7 7/6 6/3 in the SFs to reach his first ever Challenger finals. Unfortunately, the run ends there as he loses to #1 seed (and world #49) Agustin Asconiza 7/5 7/5.

With all these results, Elias is firmly entrenched in the top 200 at the #132 spot. What next for him? I may slow things down a little for him at this stage and selectively play Spanish tournaments, both singles and doubles, so that he can get more practice time. I'm fully aware that his results are skewed because he's played a LOT of Spanish and clay tournaments, which will not be as available as he starts to rise in the rankings, so it's time for him to train again.

08-15-2019, 09:06 PM	#11
law90026 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2006	Year 464 week 37 Time passes and things change, let's see what's happened since the last update. Elias Losana Things went pretty much according to how I thought they might. In week 41, Elias took part in a clay FT1 in Portugal. Seeded #6, he went 1 round further than his seeding, reaching the SFs before losing to the #2 seed in 3 sets. Week 46 was a return to Spain and a clay FT2. Homecourt advantage and a clay court focus resulted in a truly dominant tournament win where Elias dropped a total of 3 games. He also won the doubles tournament! Next tournament was in week #52 where he won another clay FT2, this time in Senegal. Just 9 games dropped in this tournament as well and he's clearly too strong for the field at the futures level on his preferred surface. Week 4 of year 465 was more of the same as he played a FT3 in Spain. He dropped 1 game the whole tournament (!) and that was in the finals. Another doubles tournament win here as well. Elias won another clay FT1 in Spain in week 9. This was a bit more of a challenge though. Seeded #4, he beat the #1 seed in 3 sets in the SFs and the #2 seed in the finals in 3 sets as well. Nice to see him pull through again here. At this stage, I'm aware he's entering the Challenger stage and I typically go full singles around this time. So in week 14, he takes part in another Spanish clay FT1 and wins it. He follows that up with a win in a Spanish hardcourt FT2 in week 16 and that pushes him into the top 200 in the world. Yes, he won a hardcourt tournament! Week 18 was Elias' first Challenger tournament and he played a clay CH3 in the Czech Republic. Unseeded, I assumed that he wouldn't get far but he proved me wrong to an extent. In the 2nd round, he was up against the #3 seed and world #93, Aleksandr Stepananko, and Elias just crushed him 6/2 6/1. Elias was then knocked out in the QFs by #7 seed and fellow Spaniard Marcel Garabito 7/6 2/6 7/5 but it was a better start than expected. Ranking points coming off meant that Elias could play in another Spanish FT1 in week 20 and he took advantage of that to win it and gain another 33 ranking points. He followed that up with FT1 wins indoors and on clay in week 24 and week 27. Week 29 was a return to the Challengers and he played a hardcourt CH1 in Spain. Unseeded here, he knocks out #4 seed Bruno Azzopardi in the 2nd round 3/6 6/2 7/5. In the QFs, it's a titanic match against another unseeded Spaniard Juan Jose Hertolano and Elias pulls through with a 7/6 5/7 7/6 win. His run ends in the SFs as he pushes #1 seed Sebastian Birkeland (world #37) to 3 sets before losing. Elias took part in a Spanish hardcourt CH1 in week 33. Seeded #8, he wins his first 2 rounds easily before easily beating #2 seed Calisto Campo Calvo 6/3 6/2 in the QFs. He then beats #3 seed Xabi Iraneta 5/7 7/6 6/3 in the SFs to reach his first ever Challenger finals. Unfortunately, the run ends there as he loses to #1 seed (and world #49) Agustin Asconiza 7/5 7/5. With all these results, Elias is firmly entrenched in the top 200 at the #132 spot. What next for him? I may slow things down a little for him at this stage and selectively play Spanish tournaments, both singles and doubles, so that he can get more practice time. I'm fully aware that his results are skewed because he's played a LOT of Spanish and clay tournaments, which will not be as available as he starts to rise in the rankings, so it's time for him to train again.