June 4th 2018

Anton is back in the top 100 in style, up 30 places to 71.

So we've now 6 lads in the top 100, and 12 in the top 200.

11 MCHUGH, Aidan 0 GBR 09 Jul 2000 31 1048.75
40 DRAPER, Jack -1 GBR 22 Dec 2001 28 700.00
47 LOFFHAGEN, George -2 GBR 19 Apr 2001 26 663.75
71 MATUSEVICH, Anton +30 GBR 30 May 2001 28 546.25
72 FEARNLEY, Jacob -2 GBR 15 Jul 2001 32 542.25
96 HUDD, Emile -1 GBR 27 May 2000 31 414.50
104 WENDELKEN, Harry +3 GBR 18 Dec 2001 26 390.00
127 BAKER, Blu 0 GBR 28 Aug 2001 35 337.50
148 THOMSON, Connor +1 GBR 16 Jan 2001 32 299.50
170 HERSEY, Jake 0 GBR 21 May 2000 22 270.50
193 STORY, James +1 GBR 05 Mar 2001 27 250.25
200 LUMSDEN, Ewen 0 GBR 17 Feb 2000 26 242.25


Good work too by our 2003 cohort:

Jack Pinnington-Jones (2003) +100 to JWR 463
Joel Pierleoni (2003) +222 to JWR 768
Harry Lazell (2003) +98 to JWR 1036

And in the 2002 cohort, Pete Alam is +42 to 634, Sam Bossem + 51 to 792 and Arthur Fery +521 to 988.

It was 2002 year this week.

Nothing happening at the top end but in 2002-born girls we have:

Marni Banks +20 to 402
Indy Spink +50 to 483
Ellie Baglow +142 to 677
Charlotte Russell +35 to 733

In the boys, George Davis continues his bid to join the top cohort of 2001-ers, +46 to 239.

And 2003-born Harry Lazell (our third youngest ranked player) is +89 at 964

In the girls for 02/07/18:

Sonay Kartal (2001) +96 to 281
Marni Banks (2002) +111 to 291
Elisa van Meeteren (2001) +30 to 712
Alicia Dudeney (2003) +1030 to 854
Lily Hutchings (2003) +173 to 1186
Grace Eland (2001) +200 to 1349
Jaquelyn Oguwale (2005**) +544 to 1385
Mila Burek (2004*) +392 to 1550
Natayla Ogunwale (2003) +352 to 2076
Ellie Aldrich (2002) +157 to 2135
Olivia Rook (2003) +221 to 2207

and Snigdha Allada (2003) new in at 2020

09/07/18

The top end of the rankings in the girls looks even skinnier:

56 RADUCANU, Emma +1 GBR 13 Nov 2002 7 670.00
129 HEATH, Gemma -15 GBR 12 Aug 2001 20 350.00
135 ALLEN, Victoria -7 GBR 26 Feb 2001 28 340.75
136 MARTINS, Destinee +4 GBR 11 Apr 2001 38 340.50
191 RICHARDSON, Erin 0 GBR 09 Jan 2001 34 271.00


Outside, again, there are some decent rises, with special mention to youngsters, Alicia D, Jasmine C and Hannah Smith:

Danielle Daley +34 to JWR 365
Sasha Hill ('01) +53 to JWR 425
Alicia Dudeney ('03) +264 to JWR 590
Tanysha Dissanayake ('01) +70 to JWR 643
Charlotte Russell ('02) +37 to JWR 705
Nell Miller +319 to JWR 999
Jasmine Conway (Dec. 04) +751 to JWR 1156
Grace Eland ('01) +116 to JWR 1233
Hannah Smith ('04) +622 to JWR 1829

Yes, Emma's will definitely go up sharply. But it will still leave it very skinny pickings.....it's basically only her.....and the ones who go up purely on doubles can be a bit misleading.....

Perhaps if the LTA were to provide even a small measure of support to players outside of the top 150 then pickings wouldn't be quite so skinny!

Ranking success can only come from being given the opportunity to play.
With such a limited quantity of ITF options in the UK it's always going to be mega-expensive to try for the higher points pickings.
How many parents have that level of funds continuously available?

Unfortunately it looks like the LTA have shown there hand by identifying the small quantity of players they wish to support.
Only three wild card singles places at Wimbledon given out to UK players!!
If they wanted to fatten up the front end then surely this was an opportunity to do so.
Not prepared to give Gemma a WC - although that might be politics - and even being in the top 200 wasn't good enough for them either.
Would love to hear that one explained.

Also worth considering that, with the expense of chasing ITF points, knowing the LTAs desire to only support their chosen few and the prospect of American College tennis for the future it might be no wonder that parents don't go all in with there investment in overseas events.

When you try to break down the whats happening for the current top few then it does make interesting reading.

Emma Raducanu - LTA support but has the Canadians on the war path to claim for there own. LTA need to remain active or they may lose her.
Gemma Heath - plenty of previous LTA support but something going on that we're not all privvy to.
Vic Allen - LTA support currently and able to achieve good points accordingly
Destinee Martins - LTA support currently and able to achieve good points accordingly
Erin Richardson - no LTA support I'm aware of.
Esther Adeshina - plenty of previous LTA support but hasn't played since March. Query exams or injury!
Anna Loughlan - previous LTA support but not played since Feb and rumoured to have given up playing
Amelia Bissett - LTA supported but still only a youngster (2003)
Sonay Kartal - LTA support several years ago but stifled by injury. No LTA support currently
Amarni Banks - not certain on this one but have been told she's had some support but nothing recently

That takes you to the end of the top 300.
If the LTA want to fatten the top end then surely all of these players should be in the frame for support and opportunity.
On the plus side though, five of them did get a Wimbledon doubles WC so I may well be a bit out of date!

Well said Zero Zero

The expense of chasing ITF points is prohibitive to most. A trip costs approximately £800+ (Even Ireland was expensive).
Thats without a coach.
With no LTA support there is absolutely no chance of a decent ranking. The old adage if youve got to be in it, to win it is so true.
There are too few chances to play ITF junior or even pro $15 in this country.
It was yet another insult to all the players, the LTA write off as just not good enough, to have not awarded the remaining wild cards to anyone. Gemmas snub just fuels the feeling of LTA favourites & even if you have the next best ranking, for acceptance, if your face doesnt fit for whatever reason. Tough luck.

US college is interested in your UTR which is way cheaper to improve than ITF rankings. So why bother with ITF juniors, after a few outings, the experience has been gained & youve seen the level.

Nothing changes over the years on funding, so not holding my breath to see great numbers achieving high rankings now or in the future. The pool is chosen too soon & too few.