Wimbledon wild cards 2011

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Wimbledon wild cards 2011

LordBrownof · Futures level

Count - that was exactly what I was suggesting, the draw should be a consideration so it should be based on the relative performance, judged by coaches like Leon Smith etc.

I agree re LTA, how many of us notice when American, Australian or French wild cards get smashed in the first round of their home Grand Slams?

steven · Tennis legend

If the handing of a WC for the first Nottingham Challenger to Tomic is anything to go by (see the thread at http://britishtennis.activeboard.com/forum.spark#lastPostAnchor for more), it's going to be a very frustrating few weeks.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

That would be the Tomic who got thrashed by Charlie Berlocq yesterday, would it? Hmmmmm. . . yes, I would be queuing up to watch him. Well, maybe I would if I was in the mood to see somebody throw a tantrum.

DavidC · Tennis legend

I think the LTA's policy of trying to restrict Wimbledon main draw WCs to players who are top 250 is a reasonable one, because it rewards all-year round performance and gives a clear target (for those who have had few WCs at least). It also avoids the not infrequent scenario over the years of a lower ranked player winning a match at Wimbledon, struggling to build on that over the next year because they are exposed to a higher level of tournament than they can cope with on other surfaces, and possibly harming their career. However I would agree that the LTA could do far more to promote this policy as a positive one to help the careers of British players.

As far as the juniors are concerned Liam and Oli have achieved sufficient for their age to merit serious consideration for qualifying WCs, but giving either a main draw WC would be giving them too much too soon. It's just a shame that we can't trade some of the wasted main draw WCs for extra qualifying WCs, which is the appropriate level for a lot of our players.

Ratty · County player

Remind me again of the rationale for wild cards.

So ...

... someone who's not nearly good enough to get into Wimbledon on merit gets a place at the expense of someone who misses out by one ranking spot. And the reason for that is that he/she happens to be British. Mmm, that sounds fair, doesn't it, to (say) Rui Machado at no 110, who's been battling away for years without Mummy, Daddy and the LTA smoothing the way.

And let's think about this "kick-starting career" mierde de toro. The chances of someone ranked 250 winning a match at Wimbledon are pretty poor. Not surprisingly, because they aren't good enough to get in without a helping hand.

But say Brit WC gets a fluky draw. Horacio Zeballos, ranked 104, likes clay courts. and say Brit WC wins. So what!!! It doesn't make our chap a better player, or any more likely to do any better than previously. What is far more likely to happen is the Jane O'Donoghue/ Chris Eaton effect, where they get delusions of grandeur and spend the next 6 months losing in the first round of $50Ks.

And I can't quite get my head round the £11,500 handout for doing jack sh*t. Capricious is the word that springs to mind.

Sorry ...

smile

PS - yes I know that Eaton qualified, Shhhh told me, but why let the facts get in the way, LOL?

-- Edited by Ratty on Tuesday 24th of May 2011 08:55:34 PM

seagull · Hall of fame

Ratty wrote:
... someone who's not nearly good enough to get into Wimbledon on merit gets a place at the expense of someone who misses out by one ranking spot. And the reason for that is that he/she happens to be British.

-- Edited by Ratty on Tuesday 24th of May 2011 08:55:34 PM

So the French, Australians and Americans don't do exactly the same thing?

Would you rather watch Rui Machado or Chris Eaton play in the first week?

Would you rather Rui Machado got £11K or a Brit who could use that to fund more trips abroad for the next few months?

thegingerlightbulb · Lower Club Player

I agree with Seagull on this one. When Draper first took over I was fully behind the idea of not pampering all the underachieving Brits happy to knock around the 200-300 mark with a guaranteed pay day at Wimbledon each year. However this policy clearly hasn't worked. Wimbledon is as much for the spectators as it is for the players, and as a brit I would want to see someone like Eaton put up a plucky fight against a top 100 clay courter (and maybe even win) than watch someone i've never heard of.

I've been saying this for a couple of years now, but what really used to get me into Tennis was watching Chris Bailey take Goran to 5 sets, Miles McCLagen take Boris Becker to 5 sets, watching Arvid Palmer, Martin Lee or Jamie Delgardo occassionally get to the second round, or Chris Wilkinson get to the third round. I loved watching the 5 setter between Barry Cowan and Pete Smapras etc. But these days it doesn't happen because so few Brits are awarded wild cards

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

i don't think i'd be on this website today if it wasn't for that Barry Cowan match all those years ago...ah memories

spud · Challenger qualifying

The LTA are very good at doing things wrong, lets be honest, they actually do make tennis in this country bad.

If there are no British role models to watch at the likes of Wimbledon (which literally everyone in this country has heard of) why would people want to take up tennis if they feel people from this country have no chance.

Like whats been basically said above, I've been to Wimbledon around 5/6 times now and i have had to queue or be unable to watch brits in action due to crowds of the public- and this is happening whilst players like Youzhny (top class players) are on courts with crowds a third of the size. Watching players from your own country play actually relates to you as a spectator so you get into it.

Were not getting any favours from other countries it seems so i'd just give all the WC's to brits. If they lose so what? All they can get from playing a tournament like Wimbledon is huge amounts of experience and hunger to be back there again. If these foreigners win a match or two, who in this country is gunna give a sh*t?

Salmon · Tennis legend

I like the way spud thinks!

Let us assume for a moment that wild cards don't help British tennis. But given the evidence of the last few years, lack of wild cards don't help British tennis either... So it's essentially a question of business, isn't it?

What's more profitable? A 10,000 strong Brummie Army invading London to cheer for Dan Evans; or a player ranked 110 cheered by his girlfriend and his coach? (OK, I exaggerated a bit with the 10K part...).

-- Edited by Salmon on Wednesday 25th of May 2011 04:06:43 AM

scottie1 · Futures level

I was at wimbledon last year saw bally lose in first round and also a clearly unfit struggling Mel South beaten out of sight. The men the only one in the draw on the monday was Jamie Baker it was a sad indictment of mens tennis . I like going to wimbledon to see /support the British players. no chance of seeing Andy as he is on a show court the only other guy was Ward who I think played on the Tuesday.
What I am trying to say is i remember David Sherwood and Alan Mackin both playing well and raising their game. I think the 250 cut off is too strict especially for the men as there is a dearth of talent in Britain. Still think that Bogga should get a WC as he is far more talented than the other guys and has been injured. let us give wild cards to Cox Evans Ward and Bogga plus maybe Golding as he junior runner up last year

LordBrownof · Futures level

I also don't think it's that cut and dry. There is a wealth of difference between giving Jamie Baker another wildcard and giving Liam Broady or Ollie Golding one.

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Salmon wrote:

What's more profitable? A 10,000 strong Brummie Army invading London to cheer for Dan Evans; or a player ranked 110 cheered by his girlfriend and his coach? (OK, I exaggerated a bit with the 10K part...).

Well, given that the whole place is sold out every day anyway, it isn't going to make any difference to the numbers in London. However, it may make a difference to the TV audience and given it's on the BBC in the UK and probably a commerical station in whatever territory Mr 110 is from, business-wise the non-GB wild card win.

However, I agree with the thegingerlightbulb - a GB wildcard is better for the spectators and generates more home interest in the game than Mr 110.

Vandenburg · Futures level

Yes deffo give conor niland and louk sorenson wild cars, i mean england seem to be bailing ireland out a lot at the moment dont they with banks etc, but i do think the crowd would get behind the irish.