Wimbledon Wild Cards

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

RE: Wimbledon Wild Cards

Masta K2 · Improver

steven wrote:

It's a bit worrying that Masta K2 seems to have morphed into Imran from MTF/GRMB ...

The mutation of a bunny at a meal table is also known and has morphed himself, for as the other Masta K2 minus the teeth of the rabbit...........

The Hoose · Satellite level

Madeline wrote:

Salmon wrote:

Drew wrote:

Why not right now give all the top 10 ranking targets that they have to reach in order to get a WC ? (and I dont mean 275).

For the likes of Fleming if he say got into the top 350 from where he is right now (522) would that not be enough of a climb to warrant one ?

I am not one for giving these things away like confetti to Brits but in the light of the disadvantage they are facing with the lack of home events....for goodness sake look at the Italians and Spanish...and we have the richest tennis body on the planet ?

Lets give the tennis public some improving Brits to watch at SW19...give them a target and give them the carrot.

I think that this is easily the sanest wild card scheme I've heard of.
Far too sane to be adopted. OK, I'm a cynic.

I think the current system is broadly fairer - going by absolute rankings rather than rankings improvement (although still allowing some flexibility to reward those in form). Setting a different rankings target for each player could be hugely controversial within the tennis community and may well penalise those who have a good history of being relatively high in the rankings.

freerider · Futures level

i think that is a good suggetstion, and hoose: perhaps if those with "a good hisstory of being relatively high" would have the set target of maintaining their ranking

Akhenaten · Pro player

I've been thinking about the WCs. This would be the order I'd hand them out at mo (obviously could easily change - Coxy in particular, up or down) ...

1 Evans - easily the most improved over past year (pushing for GB No.2 soon I'd think)
2 Fleming - never had a WC. Massive improvement over year.
3 Eaton - never had a WC. Deserves one after his qualifying and 1st Rd win last year.
4 Boggo - Is GB's second best player. But 7 WCs & 0 Wins is very disappointing. I actually think Boggo's last 6 draws at Wimby have been almost perfect - 2 matches against prob the best players ever (Fed & Rafa) in the world best stage. + 4 winnable matches (Bolleli, Kim, Guccione & Sargisian). Would sooo love Boggo to win a match at Wimbledon.
5 Ward - never had a WC. Huge improvement in 2008. Sadly seems to have stalled at mo.
6 Cox - Obviously young & good for the future. Excellent year so far this year.
7 Goodall - 2 WCs before., but qualifed in 2006. Highly ranked (well compared to other Brits!). Chance of a win.
8 Bloomers - 4 WCs, 1 Win. Consistently one of GBs best players. Chance of a win.

I think only the top 3 definitely should get one. But, I'm always in favour of giving as many Brits as many WCs as possible, just because it makes the 1st Round (& hopefully 2nd Rd!) lots more fun & interesting.

And if they are given to non-Brits they should go to big names like Dent, Baghdatis, Malisse & Johansson. Definitely not to just the next players on the Alt list like last year.

And my Qualie WCs would go to...

1 Baker - 3 WCs, 0 wins. Prob was GB no.2 before very very unfortunate with illness
2 Willis - Young, start to show excellent progress
3 Milton - Year older than Willis, whom are prob quite equal with at mo.
4 Marray - 3 WCs before. Consistently one of our best players. Unfortunate with a year out with injury 2007-2008
5 Slabba - Sadly doesn't appear to be progressing much.
6 A Ward - Still only 18. Good 2009 so far.
7 Phillips - Again unfortunate. Has reasonable chance of winning qualie match or two.
8 Smethurst - Also 18. Wimby qualies would be good experience.

And I wouldn't have another play-off. They are playing week in week out trying to prove themselves anyhow. Definitely wouldn't like a 32-man play-off. Skupski would be the only other guy to have a claim to a place. The likes of Rice, Illingworth, Kinsella, Thornley, Arlidge who are prob next in line certainly have not shown enough to merit a Wimby qualie WC imo.

helki · Futures qualifying

Mad, which Tuesday are you there? We're there the second Tuesday, the 30th.

Vandenburg · Futures level

lets get a few stone cold fac
Boggo certainly does not desvere a WC,-even if he won queens and eastbourne.
Bloomfield i feel is too old now,and has seen his best ranking,what would be the point(seniment)
Eaton is the very defintion of a one hit wonder, does not desvere on, whats he done since
Slabba-worst form ever-no

i think ward and evans thats it, and maybe goodall.

Salmon · Tennis legend

I love these threads. It's fun imagining yourself as the boss.

Nottingham :

Evans
Cox
Eaton
Ward

Queen's:

Bloomers
Goodall
Marray
Evans
Cox

Eastbourne:

Ward
Eaton
Slabinsky

Wimbly:

Evans
Cox
Ward
Bloomers
Goodall
Marray
Slabinsky
Fleming

I don't want Boggo to get one - it's not about not deserving or anything like that, but I don't think these wild cards help him, at all.

Eaton should do qualies. Not much chance that he'll get a good draw in the mains once again.

-- Edited by Salmon on Wednesday 22nd of April 2009 09:24:07 PM

Salmon · Tennis legend

I expect them to go to Dimitrov, Tomic and various types of potential cannon fodder.

Shame that Marko Djokovic is still stuck on 1 ranking point. It's a proven fact that he's far better than Nole.

HossTheBoss · Strong Club Player

I think we might be getting a little bit excited about coxy,i would rather him win something first rather than getting wcs for reaching a couple of semis,and he his quite short.LOL

Salmon · Tennis legend

For a detailed analysis of the importance (or lack of...) of height in tennis, newer members are requested to read this (from the third post on that page) -

http://britishtennis.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=61841&p=3&topicID=19602639&page=5&sort=oldestFirst

HossTheBoss · Strong Club Player

My last comment was a bit tongue in cheek,because after evo won jersey people made comment about his height and that he was on the small side.If given the chance im sure coxy will give it 110percent as he always does.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Oops, very sorry then!

Vandenburg · Futures level

salmon you give whole new meanings to the word genoroscity.(thats if i have spelt that correct)

steven · Tennis legend

Salmon wrote:
Shame that Marko Djokovic is still stuck on 1 ranking point. It's a proven fact that he's far better than Nole.

There's something that doesn't quite make sense here ... confuse