This year's French Open offers more hope than for some years that a long hoodoo can be broken. Looking at previous drawsheets on Wikipedia I deduce that Clare Wood was the last Brit to come through qualifying into the main draw here in 1988 - and then only as a Lucky Loser!
Anne Keothavong and Katie O'Brien should both be among the top 12 seeds in Tuesday's draw (Alex and Josh start their campaigns on Tuesday, but the women follow a day later). Last year 5 of the 12 qualifiers came from the top seeds. Elena Baltacha and Melanie South should also feature in the draw, providing they have shrugged off recent injury concerns, with Naomi Cavaday completing the expected British representation.
Katie and Mel up first on Court 14, 9am local time Elena up 2nd on court 14 Naomi is 2nd on court 17 Anne is 4th on court 16
__________________
Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive.... those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience
Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive.... those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience
I love your signatures and avatars! Do you make them yourself?
Thank you! I certainly do make them myself. The avatar is drawn by me. It's part of a big project I'm doing. The signatures I just randomly do when I find the time!
Women's qualy points: Q1: 2 Q2: 15 Q3: 25 QFR: 31
Do you get any points if you don't qualify for the men's MD? ATP rulebook says just 15 additional for making the main draw... I thought you got 5 if you made the final round at least...
I love your signatures and avatars! Do you make them yourself?
Thank you! I certainly do make them myself. The avatar is drawn by me. It's part of a big project I'm doing. The signatures I just randomly do when I find the time!
Women's qualy points: Q1: 2 Q2: 15 Q3: 25 QFR: 31
Do you get any points if you don't qualify for the men's MD? ATP rulebook says just 15 additional for making the main draw... I thought you got 5 if you made the final round at least...
-- Edited by Silver at 22:14, 2008-05-20
4 points for making QR2, 8 points for QR3 and 15 points for qualifying.
Good chance for the girls to qualify here and I'd hope that one of them can make the draw, although predicting who that would be isn't that easy. Hopefully Anne can build on making the top 100 and make the main draw here, while Naomi, Elena and Katie/Mel have outside chances of making it as well if things all go well for them
Unless the points have changed from last year im sure Silver's points breakdown is correct but I have the 2007 ranking points list so it may have changed. if so big incentive to win QR1 as its worth the same as reaching QF in a 75k and a semis in a 50k.
On balance that is a favourable draw, considering who could have been in their sections. Anne and Bally couldn't have asked for much better (though Bally's record on clay is not great, so she will have to be on the top of her game to take advantage). Jie Zheng (who has won a WTA tournament on clay, and is on the comeback trail after injury) is the clear favourite to come through Katie/Mel's section (I would expect Katie to beat Mel considering their H2H and Mel's lack of recent experience on clay) , but Naomi is up against it.