Will Wins World Rank!

Montauban, France
Monday, June 27th, 2011:

Under the sweltering summer sun in southern France, Will won his first ATP point and world ranking at the $15,000 Futures tournament in Montauban, France. Having gone through the 32 player qualifying tournament beating a junior French player in the first round 6-1, 6-1, and then beating the 2nd seed, a player ranked 1400 in the world from Ireland 6-2, 6-2 in the final round of qualifying, Will faced world ranked #399 Frenchmen Fabrice Martin in the first round of the main event.

Strangely, Will and Fabrice had played five years ago (June 25th, 2006) in Chico, California under similar sweaty conditions that the June weather in northern California offers. However, it was Fabrice that proved too strong for Will winning 6-4, 6-4 (then ranked 404 in the world). Having spent the past five years training and traveling to different tournaments around the globe, they clashed once again.

This time, Will was able to overcome the challenges that the 6'6", 130+ mph, serve and volleying Frenchmen had to offer winning in straight sets 6-3, 7-5.

Despite being the first pro main event match won Will has won (at the young age of 27), and subsequently earning him his first ATP point and official world ranking, Will has beaten dozens of players with world rankings in professional qualifying events, prize money tournaments, or other events. The highest of which was ranked #280 in the world. The question, at least in his mind, wasn't if, but when; and if he was going to have enough money to afford to stay on tour long enough to stay in the groove long enough to capitalize off of it.

The pressure of getting older, of sponsorship dollars running dry, of friends and family questioning his career path, all added to stress levels each and every time he entered the main event where he had a chance to prove that he was on the professional level. But, now, he's done it. He's reached his goal and he's free to play with abandon!

The question isn't weather Will is good enough to compete at the top (Grandslam) level in tennis, it's weather he'll have the sponsorships that afford him the opportunities to do so. This next year is critical for Will's future successes in competitive tennis. He needs to play at least 35 tournaments in the next calendar year to play a professional tournament schedule and capitalize on his win today.

Everything for Will needs to step up in a major way financially if he's to rise to the top in professional tennis. Major sponsorships are a requirement.

Time will tell if he gains favor in this regard.