Week 12 Challenger - (€42,500) - Jersey, Great Britain

spud · Challenger qualifying

Week 12 Challenger - (€42,500) - Jersey, Great Britain

DavidC · Tennis legend

Main Draw WCs

1. Dan Evans
2. James Ward
3. Dan Smethurst
4. Alex Ward

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Expected even tho Evo and Ward will probs get in without the WC's due to withdrawls hopefuly but i guess the WC's woud go to some other brit if they got in directy??

Also probably means we won't be seeing baker boy

spud · Challenger qualifying

Is qualy draw out tonight?

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

the 4 i expected really given recent form

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

spud wrote:

Is qualy draw out tonight?

i think qualies starts Sunday so no

Josh · Challenger level

The two highest ranked and the two in form players. If only the LTA could use such simple logic for all their decisions.

indiana · Tennis legend

DavidC wrote:

Main Draw WCs

1. Dan Evans
2. James Ward
3. Dan Smethurst
4. Alex Ward

Fully agree with these, I'd say they make a heck of a lot more sense than the women's MD WCs.

Only other person I would have thought really contended these would be Jamie Baker if still competing here. Is he still on the list ?

Shhh · Challenger level

Okay, I'll be the odd one out and say I don't agree. James Ward and Dan Evans may be our highest ranked, and perhaps our best shots at winning matches here but.....there recent form in the 2 futures leading up to this has been poor.

James got a wild card to Bath last week and lost first round. Dont worry, well still wc you into Jersey say the LTA. I don't think thats right. Tennis isn't like that outside in the rest of the world for them so why should it be here?

Had James got a wc into Bath but, been told, you must justify it or you'll lose any hope of one to Jersey either,

A: He'd have won matches or,
B: He'd have to go through qualies this week

I dont see whats wrong with either A or B. Then shouldn't be this option C.

I think James has made great strides, clearly has talent, I sincerely hope he continues to move forward with his career. I just don't think this structure of giving out wc's should be part of a LTA strategy to encourage competitiveness and a winning mentality.

Now I hope he goes wins the tournament but, I still don't think he (or Dan) should have got wild cards here. Thats my view anyway.

spud · Challenger qualifying

I wonder if Inglot has recovered from what ever happened to him in Bath and maybe see him in qualies with Eaton

Josh · Challenger level

Don't forget Dan is defending champion so probably deserves a chance to try to defend his title. Who would you have chosen instead of Ward?

indiana · Tennis legend

OK, I have been critical on quite a few occasions of Evo, but as Josh says he is defending champion. To me it was an absolute given that he should have a WC here.

And I certainly can't think of anyone more deserving than James of another wild card, given as has been said you've given the other two to the lower ranked form players. Unfortunately, there is not much more form out there. James started the year in good shape after his layoff though his form has shaded a bit. He is also GB no 3.

Who does anyone think alternatively should have had wildcards ?

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 20th of March 2010 02:29:23 AM

SMC1809 · All-time great

Given that James and Evo dropped whatever plans they had to take part in the DC, a wild card for Jersey is the least they deserve.

Shhh · Challenger level

Josh wrote:

Don't forget Dan is defending champion so probably deserves a chance to try to defend his title. Who would you have chosen instead of Ward?

Well I admit thats the question! There really isn't anyone else who has stood out for a wild card. The next best solution I would suggest would be at least a mini play off for them, even single set matches, anything really so the wc was "won" or earnt on merit rather than just given.

James Ward is one of my favourite players that I follow, I don't mean to sound so hard. This may seem a minor issue but, I believe its a small part of the whole make up of British Tennis.

Turn the questions around......we produce good talented juniors yet consistently fail to turn them into good top 100 pro's. Our talented youngsters, do not become "winners" in the snior game. Our system for handing out wc's as treats or rewards contributes towards this even if just a fraction of 1%.

Okay, I have taken this to soap-box levels, and I sincerely hope both Dan & James do extremely well in Jersey but, I stick to my principle that on form they should have lined up in qualies.

Ratty · County player

Shhh wrote:

Turn the questions around......we produce good talented juniors yet consistently fail to turn them into good top 100 pro's. Our talented youngsters, do not become "winners" in the snior game.

Sorry to break your balls on a side issue, squire, but this is a another one of those myths about British tennis that everyone trots out from time-to-time.

What evidence do you have to support this assertion?

Here's some evidence which shows that our juniors are about as good as our seniors. Check out the ITF Junior Year End top 10 lists (boys) from 1997-2009, which is on the ITF website under "History".

There is one British boy (guess who). There are 16 French boys.