This week marks the passing of the first quarter of our season, and I see from my records that some 21 players who were ranked at the end of the last season - after excluding those known to all as having retired - have yet to appear this year. I have no insider knowledge of the players, but I wonder if anyone out there has news of any of these 'missing persons'? I imagine many may have gone to university or taken tennis scholarships (Andy, Chris, Simon, Iain, Anthony, Pierre, Richard, Harry and Konstantinos are all 20 or under, so the 'right' age), perhaps some are injured, but what of the others? In the list, I've indicated any reasons I know; perhaps you may be able to fill a blank or two ... ?
Jonnie Marray (recovering from injury); Ed Corrie (college in USA); Andy Kennaugh; Rob Searle; Marcus Willis (concentrating on Juniors); Scott Dickson; Simon Dickson; Chris Hooshyar; Neil Pauffley (as Marcus); Simon Childs; Iain Atkinson; Richard Brooks; Graeme Dyce (as Ed); David Barton; Anthony Davison; Pierre Clad; Elliot Wronski; Richard Wire; Harry Skinner; Konstaninos Kalaitzis; Max Jones
I believe that Chris Hooshyar, Iain Atkinson, Simon Childs and Harry Skinner have gone to the US. Expect to see them appear at Summer events in the UK, like Hooshyar at Manc quals and Harry in a Nottingham Future. My guess is Max Jones is at an US Uni as he only played US futures last year.
I also think that Simon and or Scott Dickson are concentrating on copaching but will play the occasional match.
I would guess that we havent seen Rob Searle, Andy Kennaugh and Richard Brooks maybe they've decided they wont make a career as a player and so concentrating on coaching.
Andrew Kennaugh - no idea. Rob Searle - no idea. Scott Dickson - no idea. Pierre Clad - no idea. Konstantinos Oliver Kalaitzis - no idea.
Jonny Marray- recovering. Ed Corrie - Univ. of Texas # Marcus Willis - playing Juniors in Europe. Simon Dickson - has become a coach. Chris Hooshyar - Southern Methodist Univ. Neil Pauffley - was playing Juniors in South America. Simon Childs - Univ. of Louisville. Iain Atkinson - Wake Forest Univ. Richard Brooks - coaching, I guess. Graeme Dyce - Univ. of Kentucky. David Barton - Playing Juniors in Nottingham this week. Antony Davison - Playing Juniors in Nottingham this week. Elliot Wronski - Univ. of Nevada. Richard Wire - Stanford Univ. Harry Skinner - Arizona State Univ. Max Jones - Univ. of New Mexico.
# Corrie, I see, is doing quite well. He beat Ryan Rowe (although it was by a retirement), who I remember seeing in a Challenger quarters last year. Plus he took Alex Clayton (who's ranked 2 in the college rankings) to three sets.
Andrew Kennaugh - no idea. Rob Searle - no idea. Scott Dickson - no idea. Pierre Clad - no idea. Konstantinos Oliver Kalaitzis - no idea.
Jonny Marray- recovering. Ed Corrie - Univ. of Texas # Marcus Willis - playing Juniors in Europe. Simon Dickson - has become a coach. Chris Hooshyar - Southern Methodist Univ. Neil Pauffley - was playing Juniors in South America. Simon Childs - Univ. of Louisville. Iain Atkinson - Wake Forest Univ. Richard Brooks - coaching, I guess. Graeme Dyce - Univ. of Kentucky. David Barton - Playing Juniors in Nottingham this week. Antony Davison - Playing Juniors in Nottingham this week. Elliot Wronski - Univ. of Nevada. Richard Wire - Stanford Univ. Harry Skinner - Arizona State Univ. Max Jones - Univ. of New Mexico.
Good list Arka, but you've missed all those with free scholarships at British Universities
Edit My comment was supposed to full of sarcasm but smiley was missing
Thanks for those details, Arka, and for your interest,too, mjd. By the way, my list wasn't a haphazard one; it covered all players who were ranked at the end of last year, but hadn't yet appeared in 2008.
After all the information that's come in so far, we're left with five blanks: Andrew Kennaugh, Scott Dickson, Pierre Clad, Konstantinos Kalaitzis and Richard Brooks - though I seem to recall, during a discussion on team tennis, that Konstantinos was representing one of our top clubs ... I think.
Pierre Clad seems to be playing German league tennis - he's on the team list for winter 2007/8 at http://wtv.liga.nu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/TennisLeagueWTV.woa/wa/teamPortrait?federation=WTV&team=88919 though hasn't played a match yet by the look of it (perhaps he's injured and that explains why he's not playing Futures either) and there's a fair bit about him (including pics) playing for them last year on their site at http://www.gruen-weiss-herne.de/ plus a German article where the coach of that team is going on about Pierre's leg speed!
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