I think she is going through a consolidation phase. Last year she was on a roll and felt no pressure and now she is aware the spotlight is on her and she is starting to feel the pressure more. There is no doubt in my mind that her game has improved this year but maybe not the results bar the US open qualifying. I think the experience she had in the FQR at the US open told her subconciously that she is not ready to make the next step i.e. win these types of tournaments and be competitive at lower grade WTA events. She is only 15 and will mature at her own pace and when that happens she will be able to cope with the added pressures and compete at a higher level.
Next year is a big year for her and after that we'll be able to make further predictions as to where her career is heading.
My own feeling after her performance at the Aussie junior open was that her eventual ranking would lie anywhere between 10 and 50 and I see no reason why to change that prediction.

I very much agree with philwrig that Laura is still very much in a consolidation phase and it is far too early to make real judgements either way on whether she will become a real power in the game.  She is 15 !! 

My thoughts are that anyone making real judgements now about her ultimate likely destination in the game is being far too hasty.

During Barnstaple, before she played, two separate folk here called Laura a "potential superstar" and a"potential top 5 player".  Just as I said then that maybe better to chill a bit    , that so much can happen during the next couple of years or so, some great junior players come through, many more don't really develop, then so I'd say it is far far too early to say she may not live up to the hype.  Not that she asks for the hype.

I really hope she's not going to be hyped up with some good results and then denigrated for less good .  I suspect performances will be up and down for a time yet.  sometimes within the same match.  That is fairly typical of junior players, especially really precocious ones such as Laura.  As DavidC indicates, it was never likely to be a smooth path.

Laura very clearly has huge talent for her age, and as recently as the US Open Qualifying played really well, and only really failed to qualify through being severely overcome by nerves that as she freely admitted she could hardly serve at the end.  That seems to me to be something that should most certainly improve with experience. 

Basically, much water to flow under the bridge before we can be sure she will really come through as some hope.  But to me, continuing signs of a real talent.  And to repeat, aged 15, so yes I would expect some errratic results for whatever reasons.

I'd prefer to sit back a bit for the next year or two, hopefully enjoy the ride and let's see what player develops.

It could yes be a really very exciting player that does develop.  But it would certainly be unfortunate to hype her up too much and possibly on the back of that also shoot her down too soon.  She doesn't need that, and I hope it doesn't come from the press, she might end up going playing for Australia 

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 14th of October 2009 09:56:12 PM

indiana wrote:

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During Barnstaple, before she played, two separate folk here called Laura a "potential superstar" and a"potential top 5 player". 

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You can actually refer to the persons who made the comments - one of whom which was me. And i don't regret it at all. I believe that it is entirely reasonable, that someone with Laura's natural ball-striking ability who wins Wimbledon juniors aged 14 and comes close to beating a top 30 player a year later can become a top 5 player. It's not an outlandish comment - i never said she would win a slam or be a hall-of-fame great, just go pretty far in the game

I don't believe in fate, im not scared of saying these things just in case it might jinx her and she ends up a bum on the streets aged 25. Her career might in the end amount to nothing and she ends up another disastrously failed hope of British Tennis, but i don't believe that to be at all likely

Yes she's had two dodgy defeats on the bounce, but wasn't it just a few weeks ago she was in the US Open junior semis and one round away from qualifying for the main draw?

 

The Knight wrote:

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Yes she's had two dodgy defeats on the bounce, but wasn't it just a few weeks ago she was in the US Open junior semis and one round away from qualifying for the main draw?

 

 

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Yes, I believe I referred to that       That was another example, as even was the first set here as alex says, of her inherent quality.

It's just, for reasons I explained that I personally don't think we should be pinning too many labels, even "potential" on her at this early stage in her career. 

No problem, of course, with anyone such as yourself who thinks otherwise.  Good natured debate is healthy for a forum.  However, as I indicated, I would be much more concerned if some of the more infamous parts of the British press started getting too positive / negative / both.

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 15th of October 2009 08:35:39 AM