Brits in world top 100s - singles and doubles

RJA · Hall of fame

RE: Record Top 100?

Spectator · All-time great

Hmm. Well, I'll disagree here. I think that the success of the doubles players - and the support that Cayer gave them - has been really, really good for the game as a whole. At the top level, it's given Mr Murray (and to some degree Mr Ward) a cadre of people to be with on tour, hence making the space less lonely. It's provided some moments of inspiration - such as Mr Marray's Wimbledon win - that were priceless. It's been part of the reason why we're in the World Group of the Davis Cup, which is key. And at the level of encouraging involvement ... well, I suspect very few people think they can be Andy Murray. But Marray, Fleming, Inglot, Hutchins, the Skupskis, etc feel much more accessible: they're doing something incredibly well, showing that Britons can win at the highest levels ... but not going so far beyond normal human levels of endeavour that it seems impossible for ordinary mortals to dream of doing what they do.

So I would rather like to see support for good doubles players (at least in the form of Cayer's time and effort) and more recognition of their accomplishments. If we lose them down the rankings, that seems a net loss ... it's not as if for each doubles player lost, a singles player emerges.

-- Edited by Spectator on Tuesday 21st of October 2014 10:10:36 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I completely agree, Spectator, that it'd be nice if they were doing well - I certainly don;t wish them ill. I like the guys and I like following them. If there were the same number of top singles guys and they were all out there, doing well, how wonderful that would be . . .

But I don't see that they have any impact on Andy. Why do people think that it is 'lonely' if you don't have anyone of your own nationality ? I'm sure Andy has tons of good friends out there. And he will know that, as far as public pressure goes, the doubles guys don;t make a jot of difference - no Joe public member (or press reporter) will follow Wimbledon thinking, 'no real pressure on Andy, there's half a dozen doubles guys out there - that means we've got 7 top players'. Andy is out there all alone; singles is where the buck stops.

I agree about a little inspiration (yes, Marray's win was brilliant). And possibly about the Davis Cup (although, as argued to the death before, when push came to shove, Andy got to play the doubles, not the doubles guys, which tells you something).

And the fact that British club tennis players identify more with the doubles players is true, but is one of the big problems of British tennis (I don;t think that Joe public identifies with either). No other country has such a dearth of singles tennis available at club level. It's staggering and, IMHO, has to be addressed if tennis is to improve.

So, yes, I'd be happy if the NTC (say) was open to all, with training camps/use of facilities etc. widely shared. And it's true that one guy's salary (as long as it's not Greg's) will probably not make much difference to the budget, so Cayer could stay responsible for the doubles. (Alternatively, he seems like a competent guy - maybe a very good management move to put him over to more general/singles tennis).

But I would also point out that a lot (most?) of the top 10 doubles players are (or were once) top singles players. I don't agree with guys being exclusive doubles players at age 23, say (by which I mean, if they want to, that's great, and I'll support them) but I don;t think the federation should promote it.

Net, net, of course I hope the guys do well but if them not doing well means that the men in charge now have to stop hiding behind doubles results and face up to the problem in singles (and tennis in general) then some good will come from it.

Shhh · Challenger level

Basically.............I want to say what Coup just said

Spectator · All-time great

I can see several of your points, CD - but Mr Murray has himself said that he was quite happy when Fleming and Hutchins did well enough to come on to the main Tour because it meant that there were other Britons around and it felt companionable (my summary, not his words) Don't have time to find quotes, but do remember it. Think it was said in concert with something about how it helped the Spaniards to have lots of them at tournaments, but that may be faulty memory. And on the Davis Cup front, I wasn't thinking of Italy, but of the wins that got us there - all of which were brought in by the doubles players. And we don't know, of course, whether, if Ross Hutchins hadn't been ill, Fleming and Hutchins might not still have been the "go-to" team for the DC.

For the rest, take your point about the club tennis. On top singles/top doubles, it's a mix: 8 of the top 20 doubles player have singles CHs below 100 (some well below). On Cayer, do think that the loss to doubles may be greater than the gains to other areas ... but that's pure speculation ... we'll have to wait and see!

indiana · Tennis legend

The Skupskis have slipped back into the top 100 ( really 101 since they are joint 100 but we'll give them both the benefit ).

10 at 03.11.14 ( 1 MS, 6 MD, 1 WS, 2 WD )

indiana · Tennis legend

Heather has reentered the doubles top 100 ( and is for now GB no 1 in both singles and doubles ) following the Aussie Open. With the Skupskis and Joss and Anna hanging in there, we are up one in top 100ers.

11 at 02.02.15 ( 1 MS, 6 MD, 1 WS, 3 WD )

indiana · Tennis legend

The Skupskis have dropped out of the doubles top 100, now joint WR 109.

9 at 09.02.15 ( 1 MS, 4 MD, 1 WS, 3 WD )

indiana · Tennis legend

Heather has dropped back out of the doubles top 100, now WR 110.

8 at 16.02.15 ( 1 MS, 4 MD, 1 WS, 2 WD )

indiana · Tennis legend

Heather bounces back into the doubles top 100 at WR 96 and now has nothing to defend for a couple of months.

9 at 23.02.15 ( 1 MS, 4 MD, 1 WS, 3 WD )

indiana · Tennis legend

Hmm, Heather drops back out of the doubles top 100 to WR 101. With her current ranking points total she is liable to be a bit in out, in out, shake it all about.

8 at 09.03.15 ( 1 MS, 4 MD, 1 WS, 2 WD )

indiana · Tennis legend

9 wef err sometime very recently : ( 2 MS, 4 MD, 1 WS, 2 WD )

Nice to see some progress with the LTA's plans for more top 100 players, particularly it being another top 100 singles player :)

Getting it in before Aljaz falls out of the top 100 on Monday, hopefully only temporarily.

indiana · Tennis legend

Aljaz actually hung in in the top 100 at WR 99 and Heather slips back into the doubles top 100 at WR 97, so :

10 at 06.04.15 ( 2 MS, 4 MD, 1 WS, 3 WD )

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

It's a bold prediction but I think that I can guide Marcus to top 100 singles by the age of 28

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

A1 tennis academy wrote:
It's a bold prediction but I think that I can guide Marcus to top 100 singles by the age of 28

To be honest, that seems a very plausible goal.

May not happen, of course, and every prediction seems bold when you're a long way off, but it makes sense, not just numbers plucked out the air . . .

Again, just my opinion re the comments vis-a-vis Marcus' style of play etc. but I thought, watching him today, that he was the perfect example of what Naomi Cavaday was saying when she said that too much future-level tennis can make you 'sloppy' - Marcus has some great skills and talent - but he's used to getting away with some things that he shouldn't get away with, and that Challengers won't let him get away with. He did well to win, really pleased for him, bu he needs to stay focused on this level of tennis.