Another 'one that got away' story

DavidC · Tennis legend

Another 'one that got away' story

Tennis36 · Masters Series Champion

wow, i live in eastbourne, and literally was speaking with their dad the other day about it, yes he told me they've been selected and are moving to paris to train there very soon, ive seen them play, very impressive

steven · Tennis legend

Am I reading the article wrong (it's been a long day and it's far too hot here to think clearly!) or does it really slip in as an afterthought that they are Yannick Noah's nieces?

I always wonder with these articles how much the LTA is at fault and how much it is just a case of every tennis parent thinking their child is the next best thing and should be getting the top level of funding, but there seems little doubt that in France the system is set up to give more kids a chance to play tennis at a reasonably high level for longer than happens here.

Btw, I wonder what happened to the last "Britain's answer to the Williams sisters" ... who were actually called Williams if I remember right.

steven · Tennis legend

A quick search produces the article about the last "Britain's Williams sisters", who must be in their early teens by now:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/britains-version-of-williams-sisters-cause-a-racket-406203.html

seagull · Hall of fame

Mmm...my son has played against Lea twice (and won twice) and although she is tall I have seen better players in Sussex. Don't get me started on LTA though.
Son attended one of the Talent ID days (for the second time)....despite being one of the 2 stand out tennis players there he did not get through to the next round as he was not the strongest at doing standing jumps and throwing the ball the furthest
I give up..

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Another much-hyped pair of sisters who haven't come through (yet, anyway) are the Ren sisters. I remember them being described as "Britain's answer to the Williams sisters" too.

LordBrownof · Futures level

I think we can safely say that we need to look beyond the Ren sisters.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Their results so far are pretty poor. Hardly surprising they have had little funding. LTA can't fund every kid whose daddy thinks they are the next big thing. At least this guy doesn't bash the LTA admitting they got some funding and they are grateful.

"Go to Hackney, give them a chance, you'll find players." What like Anne Keothavong? LTA are already working in all these areas.

Why haven't they been selected or been in the top national events, because their results at local and county level are nowhere near good enough to even trouble the alternates list.

Academny de Normadie a tennis hothouse? Don't make me laugh. And before the mother insinuates the LTA hand out to players based on knowing their parents, perhaps she wishes to consider what effect her daughters well known uncle had on their French offer.

I don't even have a kid, but I might phone up the press and get them to run a story about them not giving me pre-emptive funding for my unborn child who could be the next Maria Sharapova....

LTA should start defending these articles a little more vigorously. They are quite frankly 99.9% ridiculous. Hope the girls make it, but they have done nothing at the moment to merit more funding. One of them is on the Aegon future stars programme, so clearly the LTA see potential, but they can't do everything for everyone.

-- Edited by PaulM on Monday 27th of June 2011 09:24:50 PM

-- Edited by PaulM on Monday 27th of June 2011 09:32:49 PM

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

Yawn