Race for Wimbledon Main Draw

wolf · Tennis legend

Race for Wimbledon Main Draw

PaulM · Tennis legend

Great summary.

I expect Mel to miss out which might not be a bad thing. Katie will not make DA and whilst is likely to get a wildcard I wouldn't be surprised if she was left off given her form, her results have been dire.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Yes good summary. I hadn't realised the cutoff was as early which means Anne should gain direct acceptance as her Warsaw points won't have come off yet. Assuming Anne makes it and Katie doesn't my calculation of in what order the wildcards would be dished out would be as follows:

1. Laura
2. Heather
3. Katie

Then it gets interesting and for the next order I will assume Georgie is injured and doesn't make the top 250 but that both Anna and Naomi B do. So based on current form.

4. Anna
5. Naomi B
6. Cav
7. Mel

So given that there are 8 spots available in total there is a possiblity all the seven above might be given one. I still think there will be a maximum of 6 handed out with the other 2 given to overseas players but probably not the Thai girl who won junior Wimbledon last year.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Well written post. I feel that the guaranteed WCs will be Anne, Katie, Anna, Laura & Heather though obviously we all hope Anne will make it alone to free up one.

Mel, Cav and Naomi B are three players who all have enjoyed strong performances on grass as it matches thier games well so for them its more a matter of preference I assume. They have the potential to do damage in the MD but would they be better aiming for the qualy points instead? I expect the appeal will be too much for them and they will all take MD WCs if possible. Broady would be the most interesting in my opinion since shes the youngest and seems more than capable of punching above her weight.

Georgie just hasnt done anything to suggest she deserves one, unless she has a good reason that she hasnt made known. I hope Jade Curtis, Joss, Tara & Lisa all get a QWC too.

jb288 · Satellite level

Whilst Mel would be wise to just go in qualies, I also suspect she will not do so. Anna has grasscourt pedigree too, so for me her and the Naomis are certs (although again, Naomi C would be wise to decline I feel).

Joss, Jade & Tara have done nothing this year to suggest they deserve QWCs, but the first two will probably get them anyway... Really hope Lisa gets one, though we know nothing about how she's likely to perform on grass this year. And of course Mandy & Liz won through the pre-qualies last year, so who knows who might make it this time? I'm really hoping for Fitzy :)

How nice to have so much choice! 2 months to go...

philwrig · Hall of fame

I think Tara has shown glimpses of what she is capable of this year and grass is by far her best surface. Struggled in her last two tournaments though. Lisa would enjoy the grass and as long as she shows progression over the next month or so should also get a QWC. Jade certainly doesn't deserve one on current form and Joss well I'm starting to give up on her as well.

indiana · Tennis legend

Just remember a while ago the LTA said they would recommend to the All England Club a list of 8 players ( presumed by us at the time to be 8 men and 8 women ! ) for either a main draw or a qualifying WC.

http://www.lta.org.uk/Resources/Competition/Wimbledon%20Wild%20Cards%20for%20the%202010%20Championships.pdf

For the women, if 6 or 7 are used up in main draw WCs, it doen't leave many for qualifying WCs, especially since anyone just missing out on a main draw WC must be first in line themselves for a qualifying one. If Anne doesn't make the MD by ranking, I think she should be asked to use her PR rather than be given a WC.

I agree that it would be good to see Lisa getting a qualifying WC, especially if she shows decent form over the next month or so. Otherwise, I don't think anyone outside these already mentioned in connection with Main Draw WCs can have much reason for complaint if they don't get a qualifying one, nice as it would be to see some given a chance. Two further players "will be awarded" qualifying WCs from the Wild Card Play Offs.

I did suggest before that "the 8" maybe could be adjusted in certain circumstances though in actually now reading the recommendation directly for the first time, it does seem pretty definitive from the LTA. Unless the All England Club want to give more smile

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 14th of April 2010 04:50:59 PM

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

indiana wrote:

Just remember a while ago the LTA said they would recommend to the All England Club a list of 8 players ( presumed by us at the time to be 8 men and 8 women ! ) for either a main draw or a qualifying WC.

http://www.lta.org.uk/Resources/Competition/Wimbledon%20Wild%20Cards%20for%20the%202010%20Championships.pdf

For the women, if 6 or 7 are used up in main draw WCs, it doen't leave many for qualifying WCs, especially since anyone just missing out on a main draw WC must be first in line themselves for a qualifying one. If Anne doesn't make the MD by ranking, I think she should be asked to use her PR rather than be given a WC.

I agree that it would be good to see Lisa getting a qualifying WC, especially if she shows decent form over the next month or so. Otherwise, I don't think anyone outside these already mentioned in connection with Main Draw WCs can have much reason for complaint if they don't get a qualifying one, nice as it would be to see some given a chance. Two further players "will be awarded" qualifying WCs from the Wild Card Play Offs.

I did suggest before that "the 8" maybe could be adjusted in certain circumstances though in actually now reading the recommendation directly for the first time, it does seem pretty definitive from the LTA. Unless the All England Club want to give more

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 14th of April 2010 04:50:59 PM

I dont understand how you could deny Joss, Jade C & Tara QWCs (along with Lisa, and of course excluding Laura & Heather who will get MD WCS) when they are still our brightest young talents? The LTA should be showing confidence in our teenage players, not turning their back on them when their progress starts to stall. By all means if they were 25+ then consider other areas where a WC may be more beneficial but these girls are young and talented enough to turn their short term form around if they see the LTA believes in them.

It saddens me to hear fans say theyre giving up on players who havent even turned 20 whilst our 2 most succesful active players didnt blossom until 25. Lets not be too critical here smile

-- Edited by murray_2k9 on Wednesday 14th of April 2010 05:24:58 PM

jb288 · Satellite level

Indeed, though a QWC to a Grand Slam should be a prized achievement that requires sustained excellence either in training or on the match court to obtain, not a default position simply because one happens to be young and British. A few years ago that would've been acceptable, but now I think we can aspire to more.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

I feel the LTA need to sit down and discuss how their funding is being used by these youngsters who are evidently struggling to progress rather than punishing them by not giving the WC. The people attending Wimbledon want to see young Brits playing so where is the logic in handing them out to random foreigners when the chance to play Wimbledon could prove a great boost to our youth.

I find it massively immoral to deny them WCs when the failure lies within the British tennis system and not the players themselves. If we are to encourage more Brits to pick up a racquet and play Wimbledon is exactly the time when our young talent should be exhibited, not sending out the message that our youngsters are unworthy because the majority of them seem to be struggling of late. Its a disgrace in itself that the only 2 teenagers who are sure to be getting WCs are based abroad.

jb288 · Satellite level

I totally agree that they should be given support & encouragement - but that might not necessarily mean something as big as Grand Slam WCs! Birmingham, Nottingham, Eastbourne - sure. But opportunities as big as this should be for those who may not be showing results but are showing huge promise on the court *somewhere* - that may include Joss, Jade & Tara, it may not, I haven't seen them in practice. One hopes that the LTA has. I wholeheartedly agree that almost all WCs should go to Brits, but it is something to be earned, not expected simply because you're the best we've got.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

You're right, in an ideal world only those who are performing strongly would get one, but especially after a week like this you have to accept that British tennis is nothing short of horrific atm and therefore being the best weve got is really all we can reward. It seems a little cruel to say its not good enough when the flaws in the system have meant we are unable to produce better.

Denying them a WC may motivate them to try harder but it may also knock their confidence and add to their frustrations so for me it would be best to reward the WC to those who are performing the best, perhaps with a series of more person specific targets that must be met in order for them to re-earn the experience ie. be ranked HERE by this date or earn however many points between X and Y rather than the pointlessly general goal set atm.

wolf · Tennis legend

Update

Confirmed as DA's - Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong
Will definately be ranked in the top 250 by 7th June - Katie O'Brien, Naomi Cavday, Melanie South
On the outside of the top 250 looking in - Laura Robson, Anna Smith, Naomi Broady, Georgie Stoop and Heather Watson.

250th place has currently 203 points. Taking off points that need defending between now and the 7th June and not including anything earned so far this week, Laura has 192 points, Anna 176, Naomi 167, Georgie 156 and Heather 120.

The lists are not out for the last week of qualification (the week of Nottingham $50,000, where I expect all Brits bar Laura (RG juniors) to enter), but here are there schedules up to then:

Naomi Broady
w/s 10th May - $50,000 Japan - in first round
w/s 17th May - $25,000 Japan

Anna Smith
w/s 10th May - $25,000 Italy - out first round

Laura Robson, Heather Watson and Georgie Stoop
No tournaments scheduled

So what do they need to do to get top 250 by deadline?

Laura
Needs around 10 points, but not entering any tournaments.

Anna
Reach semi-finals of Nottingham, although qualifying and reaching quarter-finals may give her a chance.

Naomi
The only one that has more than just Nottingham to play, a number of combinations would see her there. Two quarter-finals in her three events could see her there, with a first round win on top of that to make sure.

Georgie
Would need to return from whatever has kept her out and reach the final of Nottingham to give herself a chance.

Heather
Would need to win Nottingham and have the number of points needed for 250th to fall by 13 to get there.

Maza1987 · Challenger level

apparently, laura is gonna try and qualify for strasbourg next week
http://www.sportinglife.com/tennis/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=tennis/10/05/10/TENNIS_Robson.html

PockyTastic · Futures level

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear that Anne is a DA - hopefully she can erase memories of last year. As for Georgie, I too have been wondering where she is. She had a reasonable set of results from the US 25ks over the winter/early spring then went MIA... is she injured? Re-considering tennis as a career? Doing an extended training block?