Aussie Jones loses in French Open Boys final

[bertrevert]

Aussie Jones loses in French Open Boys final
June 11, 2007 - 11:08AM

Australia's Greg Jones came up short in his bid to win the French Open Boys title when he lost 6-3 6-4 to Vladimir Ignatic of Belarus.

The 18-year-old fifth seed from Sydney was no match for his 17-year-old opponent and admitted that he had been soundly beaten.

"I'm disappointed, but also proud of what I did. I made the final of the French. And to be honest just got outplayed in the end.

"There wasn't a whole heap I could have done."

Ignatic, the 12th seed said he had harboured no great ambitions coming into the tournament.

"He is very tall and has a very big serve, so for me it was pretty difficult to return. But it's a clay court and it is going to be trouble for a guy who is just serving."

[BNK]

BL Jones. Great efforts to make it into the final tho;)

[GRANITECHIEF]

A buddy of mine played Jones in a Futures event in Kuwait in May, and didn't get the W. Said he was a player with lots of potential that would definitely be moving up. A huge server that would probably do better on a fast court, so finals of FO Boys is pretty awesome.

[bertrevert]

link:
http://www.tennis.com.au/pages/News.aspx?id=4&pageId=11499&HandlerId=2&archive=false&newsid=3042

Tis great isn't it. See these young guys get started early. I mean that's pretty major endorsement to be gettting in the final like taht.

Truth is, I know someone who knows him and I'm just figuring out how to put it to them that it would real fun for Greg Jones to come down to my suburban court and play an old geriatric like me!

Reckon he'd be interested? Cough cough I didn't think so.

Anyway he must playing fine tennis indeed. Potential star? Too early to tell, but having big tournament nerves is a good sign.

[bertrevert]

Oh and at 18, he's the first Aussie to reach the FO Boys singles final in 20 years. It says that he got to Europe to prepare in April to train and compete for four months...

Now that is what I call forward planning!

Four months to get used to the surfaces. Pretty Good. Wonder how many here get that same all-expenses opportunity. Not many is my guess.

[GJfan2007]

I know Greg very well and he does have a great future. Consider that the last time he played on clay was last year in the Juniors French Open, not a bad result!

He is adding a variety of game to his big serve and that coupled with a better head game can only be good for him.

Keep up the good work Greg Jones!!!

[bertrevert]

See this is the problem - why is he playing once a yaer on clay?

One of the four grand slams in our sport is played on clay. Considering taht that could count for 25% of your earning don't you reckon you'd want to train for it 25%?

I know that in terms of the tour actually 25% of it is not played on clay, it's just for such a surface there should be some dedicated tiome for it. I mean the footwork, the shots everything about it is different and surely can still pay dividends for your game in other ways (patience, sliding etc)

Glad to hear there's some support for a potential players here.

I know Hewitt was already a giant killer by this age nevertheless Greg Jones should be real proud of earning that silverware something that can never be taken from him.

Where to now for him I wonder? (Besides the grass right now...)

[GJfan2007]

Greg has been over in Europe playing in futures and challengers this year. And it so happens this is his last year to play in any major junior tournaments.

He is focusing on ATP points.

Greg being a fairly tall fellow does have its downfalls on clay. And if you consider there are very few clay courts left in Australia, he has done very well for himself.