Boys: Wimbledon 2018 - Grade A (Week 28)

Nix · Futures qualifying

Boys: Wimbledon 2018 - Grade A (Week 28)

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

He may or may not go on to be a top player but couldn't do with all his histrionics and showing off.

christ · Futures qualifying

A131 wrote:
He may or may not go on to be a top player but couldn't do with all his histrionics and showing off.

Ditto. I couldn't bring myself to watch a chap that came across as so spoilt and tantrummy. He seemed to think that he was somehow entitled - I can't imagine why.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
Great to hear your report, steven.

Maybe the Taiwanese authorities/media are doing young Tseng a favour, especially when one reads about all the stress and expectation put upon the Thai girl, who won Junior Wimbly, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, and who has now jacked it all in to be a police officer .....

But it sounds like a cracking match, that the right guy won, and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed. Which is lovely.

That said, and just my view, and maybe still influenced by seeing him at Roehampton when he obviously wasn't fully fut, but I don't think Tseng is destined for a glittering adult career.

Do you feel that maybe because of his height even though he might gain an inch or two? I am inclined to agree with you though - certainly not a future grand slam champion - but I have been wrong before and will be wrong again.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

A131 wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Great to hear your report, steven.

Maybe the Taiwanese authorities/media are doing young Tseng a favour, especially when one reads about all the stress and expectation put upon the Thai girl, who won Junior Wimbly, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, and who has now jacked it all in to be a police officer .....

But it sounds like a cracking match, that the right guy won, and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed. Which is lovely.

That said, and just my view, and maybe still influenced by seeing him at Roehampton when he obviously wasn't fully fut, but I don't think Tseng is destined for a glittering adult career.
Do you feel that maybe because of his height even though he might gain an inch or two? I am inclined to agree with you though - certainly not a future grand slam champion - but I have been wrong before and will be wrong again.

The height certainly doesn't help. Although, as you say, he may grow. But 5 ft 9 is not great.

And his serve was an issue, which the height will not help.

Though, like you, I may well be completely wrong ! smile

But I see a lot of very, very consistent juniors - not to put the lad down and saying that's all he had because he had beautiful balance and movement, for instance (amongst other things). But consistency is a way that many juniors are taught to play and they do very well. Later they see the shortcomings (and I know there are some who buck the trend but...)

It might also be my shortcomings too. I've done well these past few years, picking Sacha, and Sharapolov and Tsitsipas (all as juniors, which is all I look at). And didn't go for Kozlov, Rubin and various others who were touted as much.

However, maybe that shows a tendency to only favour the taller, harder-hitting ones. Which is slightly bizarre because I do really appreciate the other attributes, and did when I was in the area. But, if I actually look at my picks, maybe not...... confuse

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Interesting isn't it the premium there is in junior tennis on consistency and allowing one's opponent to beat oneself. The vast majority of shorter guys survive due to their mobility and stamina, indeed over the years I have developed imense respect for the way Ferrer plays. Tseng has a head start on which to build a similar game but I would encourage something different to keep us all watching.

There is the antithesis of everything; Dan, also 5ft 9, but different in many ways, his strengths are his idiosyncrasies constantly playing with the pace of he ball with his sliced and free flowing attackng back hands options. His serve is fairly weighty because of the suppleness in his back and the massive arch he puts in before weight transfer. Definitely not cooling and calculating, his baseline stamina rarely fully cooked, always a bit of soft dough in the middle making him deliciously agonising to watch.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Tuesday 17th of July 2018 11:12:56 PM

Nix · Futures qualifying

christ wrote:
A131 wrote:
He may or may not go on to be a top player but couldn't do with all his histrionics and showing off.
Ditto. I couldn't bring myself to watch a chap that came across as so spoilt and tantrummy. He seemed to think that he was somehow entitled - I can't imagine why.

Really? Gosh, that seems a bit harsh as hes only 16. As I pointed out in his interview he admitted he needed to work on his on court demeanour.

If you google tantrum and the name of most of the top players in the mens game, something comes up for Andy, Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, Wawrinka, even perfect Peter, Tim Henman.

He really cant help who his father is, and he showed gratitude to his mother, his coaches and his sponsors. Maybe he is entitled, I dont know. But to judge over one tournament as a teenager seems unfair.

Shhh · Challenger level

I think I can see where these comments come from. The young lad is just 16. Watching him though I found him very difficult to warm to, I can understand the above comments, though when interviewed he could not come over as a nicer, sincere young lad. I think it just keeps coming back to the age thing. He is JUST 16. I wouldn't like to look back at videos of a 16 year old Shhh. biggrin

indiana · Tennis legend

Bit bratty on court. But I still enjoyed watching Jack playing and wanted him to win. Not sure what evidence of thinking he's "entitled". Maybe an easy assumption.

He's 16 and Fed is a great reference to being bratty when young.

Let's see how he develops.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes. In fact, when we have players who are NOT demonstrative, we don't like it (aka Kyle). And then we have ones that ARE demonstrative and we don't like that either.

My point from earlier was that I don't think his showboating actually helped him - when he twice did his bigger theatricals, that's when he played more poorly straight after and got broken.

But that's just a question of learning - and he'd never been in such a position before - final of Grand Slam, home country, very large crowd - if it went to his head a little, it's only to be expected.

He's got work to do but I'd cut him a huge deal of slack.

And as to the dad thing, well seemingly they are not on good terms/sort of estranged, so it seems a bit unfair to laden Jack with all the friends and connections bit... I'm sure he's had significant benefits, over his short career, from his dad/family/affluent background - but that's hardly his fault.

KK · Club Coach

Having thought he would have had a spoiled existence with everything going his way, I discovered through a friend of his mother's that he has had a very tough time over his parents splitting up. He has nothing to do with his father. It must have been pretty bad to get to that stage. Apparently his mother is very nice.

cya · Strong Club Player

He is a very lovely lad off court, very respectful and will always stop to say hello. On court persona could probably be an 'alter ego'

. Can't fault his mum either, doesn't put on airs

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

'He's 16 and Fed is a great reference to being bratty when young'

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Indeed Indy - as was Borg I think going even further back.

KK · Club Coach

cya wrote:
He is a very lovely lad off court, very respectful and will always stop to say hello. On court persona could probably be an 'alter ego' . Can't fault his mum either, doesn't put on airs

I'm so glad. That's good to know. Now I feel able to give him full support. I was never fully able to support Olly Golding as he seemed SO arrogant.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

KK wrote:
cya wrote:
He is a very lovely lad off court, very respectful and will always stop to say hello. On court persona could probably be an 'alter ego' . Can't fault his mum either, doesn't put on airs
I'm so glad. That's good to know. Now I feel able to give him full support. I was never fully able to support Olly Golding as he seemed SO arrogant.

Can anyone remember how people felt about George Morgan - another one of whom great things were predicted. He is now coaching at a club not too many miles from the one I play at.