Week 34 - US Open Qualifying - 2008.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Week 34 - US Open Qualifying - 2008.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Bloomers should make the cut, and I think Slabba will just sneak in as well, but I don't think it will go down far enough for Baker and Marray to make it.

With Bloomers being just 6 out, you'd think that even if 6 players don't withdraw or make the main draw, 6 WC's will come from players in the WC list, so he'll make it, and Slabba has a pretty good chance of getting in as well.

I'm guessing seeding will be around 160, so that's the target for Boggo to get to over the next couple of weeks to ensure he doesn't get any of the top players in the first round

Salmon · Tennis legend

6 players may not come from there as these days the USTA give them to younger players more often and that means people like McClune etc. And then there are Taylor Dent and maybe even Dev Varman as candidates.

Plus Klein and Eysseric could get the Australian and French wild cards.

Anyway, it's most likely that Slabba will get in.

steven · Tennis legend

I agree, it looks good for Bloomers and Slabba - the original cut is 6 places lower than it was last year and last year, 14 Alts got into the qualifying draw and the previous year, the original cut was as high as 252 and 16 Alts got in.

Vandenburg · Futures level

lets calm down people, just remember in the grand scheme of things it 4 poinst for a win 8 poitns for 2wins and 20 for qualifying, its likely for bloomers and slabba its just guna future style points
feel free to shoot me tho if they get to the main draw and get to 2nd round.

Salmon · Tennis legend

It's not about the points. Even if you turn up and lose first round, you get $ 3,000 for it, which is a lot for players outside the top 150. A 15K Futures title will get you less than $ 2,000.

Plus playing Slams can only help your tennis in the long run.

-- Edited by Kung Fu Panda at 17:51, 2008-07-30

Vandenburg · Futures level

like they need the money the way the LTA spoilts them.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Vandenburg wrote:

lets calm down people, just remember in the grand scheme of things it 4 poinst for a win 8 poitns for 2wins and 20 for qualifying, its likely for bloomers and slabba its just guna future style points
feel free to shoot me tho if they get to the main draw and get to 2nd round.

True, but 4 points is handy for them, and it's also the money which they get with is useful, as it's a lot more than winning futures/doing okay at challengers, which enables them to travel more etc.

Boggo is the only one who I really think could qualify, but with 4 in the draw, if gives us a better chance of a qualifer, and of course, a better chance of them drawing each other. smile

Salmon · Tennis legend

They do, Van. The LTA don't pay the expenses for all the players, contrary to popular opinion.

And even for the ones they do, they pay your expenses but don't give you allowances or anything. That means a yearly earning of something like $ 70,000 for players outside the top 150. Not a lot in a profession where you can earn for only 10-15 years at max....

-- Edited by Kung Fu Panda at 18:09, 2008-07-30

mjd · Challenger qualifying

Vandenburg wrote:

like they need the money the way the LTA spoilts them.

Absolute Rubbish!
You obviously believed Tim Henman's stupid comments.

I guess only Boggo may get support as they have invested heavily in his coaching but then again he may not.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i belive alex does get some help with his funding, dont know to what extent tho and it means he must dance tothe lta tune

Vandenburg · Futures level

its not that oneself beleives henmans comments, weather they are spoiled by the lta makes no difference,
it could be possible with the class in the united kingdom at which tennis is accoisated that some of the players are well off anyway and thus sucess and hunger lacks?

in my native flemish kids from bery deprived areas pick up rackets and this maybe the reason they have 2players in top 100 plus former Xavier Malise?

your thoughts on this?

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Vandenburg wrote:

its not that oneself beleives henmans comments, weather they are spoiled by the lta makes no difference,
it could be possible with the class in the united kingdom at which tennis is accoisated that some of the players are well off anyway and thus sucess and hunger lacks?

in my native flemish kids from bery deprived areas pick up rackets and this maybe the reason they have 2players in top 100 plus former Xavier Malise?

your thoughts on this?

It could be the case, but the biggest problem in the UK is that unless you are well off to begin with, you haven't got a chance of making it as a tennis player, because you won't be afford to the coaching, the lessons, playing in tournaments, and then even if you do survive until you are 17/18, you then don't get funded to play professional tennis, so you have to take a part-time job to fund your tennis, restricting the amount of time you can spend working on your game, and meaning you can only play in the UK, as as the fields are strong, it's difficult to get the cheap points that get you onto the rankings and so to a position where you can use tennis as a career.

Vandenburg · Futures level

exactly my point.

mjd · Challenger qualifying

This response on the Timesonline website says 'everything' about British tennis :-

"Tennis here is inaccessible to the majority of people. I now Iive in Birmingham, the UK's 'second' city but it has fewer public tennis courts than my housing estate back home in Malaysia, a 'developing' country. The only option for regular indoor tennis is to pay nearly £1000 pa to join a club.

Amir Hamid, Birmingham, UK"