Is there a chance of Laura getting a lucky loser spot in the US Open?
Only if an attack of cholera in New York takes out about a dozen or more main draw players in the next 24 hours or so. LL places are random among the top 4 highest-ranked FQR losers but then go with rankings for the rest. (that's the simplified version of the rule anyway)
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
A small snippet about Laura's match against Vives from Mike Dickson of the Mail.
Laura Robson's bid late on Saturday to join them in the main draw floundered when she was again unable to cope with cannier and more experienced opposition in the final qualifying round, losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 to Nuria Llagostera Vives, nearly twice her age.
Robson led 3-1 and 40-15 on serve in the decider, but then lost her rhythm when the Spaniard deliberately started to stall her by fiddling around with her towel, cap and sunglasses between points.
It is the sort of the gamesmanship that Robson, 16, still finds hard to cope with and, while she has every excuse, it shows how she is a girl rather than a woman when it comes to competing against seasoned professionals. She is now likely to enter the junior singles next week.
Regarding AER rules, Laura can still only play 16 tournaments next year (plus the tour championships, if Steven's outbreak of cholera is more serious than first thought) but doesn't have any age-related wildcard limits. The year after she has no restrictions.
So no merited increases available next year. Increases the likelihood that Laura will play the odd additional junior tournament as well ( Aussie juniors pretty much a certainty you would have thought ).
Merited increase rules as the same as this year - up to 4 total, two of which can be grand slams. Given this tournament counted as one for Laura, it means she still has 3 tournaments to go this year and would also be entitled to another merited increase for the AO if she can earn enough points from the next two tournaments. That would allow her to play an additional tournament before it begins. Otherwise, if she is hoping for an AO wild-card she can only play two more events beforehand.
There is also the small matter of 30 points to defend before then. Qualifying cut-off was 218th place last year, which with current standings would mean she needs to score another 40 points from those 2-3 events at a minimum.
Thanks for that, I was trying to do the calculations for the number of points necessary for the remainder of the year as well. It will be interesting to see if she gambles with her last available tournament with regards to points needed, to ensure DA to Aussie qualies, assuming of course her next two tournaments don't get her the requisite number of points in the first place. Of course she may have already got the nod from the Australian authorities that a QWC will be coming her way if she does fall short. If Laura uses up her last WC in her next couple of tournaments then the situation will become a bit clearer.
Must also be a good chance that she will earn the four extra tournaments next year to give her 20 in total which would be a nice number to play. I wonder what the qualifying cut-offs are for the premier mandatory tournaments.
That sucks for Katie. I think there was talk of Kirilenko pulling out but cant think even if she does that anyone else will. Never mind though, she was a little more encouraging and the next few months are a good chance to get some points.