Girls: AEGON Nottingam Junior ITF Wk 1 - Grade 4 (Week 15)

DavidC · Tennis legend

Girls: AEGON Nottingam Junior ITF Wk 1 - Grade 4 (Week 15)

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Wow loads of Brits. All except one in the top quarter are British, except the one happens to be the top seed lol.

Caitlin seems to be a potentially good player. Didnt she make the QF last week?

DavidC · Tennis legend

Caitlin made the semi last week, but lost comfortably to Sam. Hannah Martin-Merchant was a major casualty today, making it difficult to see a British finalist from the top half of the draw. All the second round results are in the updated draw, viewable from the first post.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

I expect Sam Vickers to make the final tbh. Sabrina dished out 2 bagels already, never heard of her before though. The draw looks to be shaping up fairly well, some Brit seeds out, but other Brits have also knocked out seeds...so I dont mind!

Anyone in there we should be looking out for?

-- Edited by murray_2k9 on Tuesday 14th of April 2009 09:16:00 PM

DavidC · Tennis legend

I also expect Sam to make the final, continuing her excellent record in grade 4s and 5s. A player to look out for is her quarter-final opponent Jo Henderson, who was part of the successful 14&U team last year (with Laura Robson and Jessica Ren).

Lereesa Easterbrook was in the top 200 a year ago, but has lost all her 7 junior matches since then - until this week. Hopefully this is a return to form.

QF

(1) Christina Mathis (AUT) v Francesca Stephenson (GBR)
(13) Lauren Townrow (GBR) v (7) Lereesa Easterbrook (GBR)
(5) Nicole Peterson (GBR) v (3) Megan Bianco (SUI)
(8) Joanna Henderson (GBR) v (2) Samantha Vickers (GBR)

Smidster · Challenger level

(1) Christina Mathis (AUT) def Francesca Stephenson (GBR) 7-6 7-5
(13) Lauren Townrow (GBR) lost to (7) Lereesa Easterbrook (GBR) 6-2 6-1
(5) Nicole Peterson (GBR) lost to (3) Megan Bianco (SUI) 4-6 6-4 6-1
(8) Joanna Henderson (GBR) lost to (2) Samantha Vickers (GBR) 6-3 6-3

SF
(1) Christina Mathis (AUT) v (7) Lereesa Easterbrook (GBR)
(3) Megan Bianco (SUI) v (2) Samantha Vickers (GBR)

PaulM · Tennis legend

Nice try Fran

Jo

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Good job Sam, still expect her to be in the final

alex03maccy · Grand Slam Champion

Mathis def. Easterbrook 6-4 6-3
Vickers def. Bianco 6-4 6-1

RedCabbage · Club Coach

Just seen that Kyria Dunford took advantage of her first ITF wild card to get her first ranking points. WTG Kyria!

DavidC · Tennis legend

Doubles Final

(1) Megane Bianco (ITA) / Christina Mathis (AUT) v (4) Manisha Chowdhury/Ruth Seaborne (GBR)

DavidC · Tennis legend

Singles Final

(2) Samantha Vickers (GBR) d. (1) Christina Mathis (AUT) 7-6(3) 6-0

Sam maintaining her excellent Junior record: her W-L record is 21-2 in the last year, and will surely earn her a WC for Wimbledon

Doubles Final

(4) Manisha Chowdhury/Ruth Seaborne (GBR) d. (1) Megane Bianco (ITA) / Christina Mathis (AUT) 7-6(4) 5-7 [11-9]

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Great job brits. Sam dishing out a bagel, though I expected her to do well here.

Whats next for her? Anyone know if shes discussed her plans for the adult tour

watson99 · Improver

How would a win/loss record entitle someone to a WC into wimbledon?
If you look at her ITF results, they are all in grade 4s and 5s with 1 grade 3. Wimbledon is a grade A, doesnt really compare.
There are also 8 GBR girls with an ITF ranking better than sam who won't be getting direct entry into the main draw so surely you'd consider them to have a WC over her?

DavidC · Tennis legend

watson99 wrote:

How would a win/loss record entitle someone to a WC into wimbledon?
If you look at her ITF results, they are all in grade 4s and 5s with 1 grade 3. Wimbledon is a grade A, doesnt really compare.
There are also 8 GBR girls with an ITF ranking better than sam who won't be getting direct entry into the main draw so surely you'd consider them to have a WC over her?

You are right that they are all in lower grade events but many of the top ranked players got there via similarly high levels of success in lower grade events, before moving up to higher grades and making an impact in those. Sam has opted to play 10Ks recently, when not injured, instead of continuing with stronger junior tournaments, and has already reached a 10K final, so has demonstrated that she can play at a higher level. The only currently higher ranked British players (outside of the direct entries) who have done that so far arguably are the Rens. The others have played more higher grade tournaments but struggled to make any impact, despite the higher points on offer.

If you are concerned about queue-jumping players with higher ranking (I'm not, because I think average points per tournament is a more useful indicator of where players are), that will not be a factor when these points are added, as the only players who will be ahead of her, other than direct entries, are Elisha Gabb (for one week only unless she defends points from last year) and Jessica Ren.