Week 34 - ITF ($10K) - San Luis Potosi, Mexico Hard

Peter too · Tennis legend

Week 34 - ITF ($10K) - San Luis Potosi, Mexico Hard

Peter too · Tennis legend

R1: BEDDOW, Robyn (GBR) 6 1014 v ROBINSON, Casey (USA) 1139

Miriambee · Futures level

This is so weak and badly attended there is no qualifying competition, and some or even most of the MD is unranked.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

San Luis Potosi province borders some of the most troubled drug crime states - the main road from the city to Monterrey suffers regular car-jackings and extortions (Sources: US & UK Foreign Office Travel Advisories).

Though it is about 250 miles distance before the real trouble starts, at just a 10K, off the usual tennis track, that might be a factor in many deciding to give this one a miss?

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Which begs the question, why have a tennis tournament there?

John the Bowler · Social player

Given the weakness of the field, drawing somebody ranked in the 1100's is a bit of a pain.

Even so, Robyn needs to take advantage of chances like this to build on the 'bonus' seeding that her 6 points from Bogota gives her.

steven · Tennis legend

Helen40 wrote:
Which begs the question, why have a tennis tournament there?

Isn't San Luis Potosi Mexico's main tennis center? I seem to remember them holding the junior DC finals there in the last few years.

Also, the advice does say bordering on the worst areas, not in one of them ... and while I don't doubt that is true, my experience of UK foreign office advice is that it can make even the safest countries sound like death traps! I've always wondered how bad they'd make the UK sound (riots, terrorism, etc) if they had to write about their own country! smile

Spectator · All-time great

I went to the FCO on Mexico, following this thread, and it has got to be one of the longest and most offputting statements ever! Agree with Steven that these things can be overdone, but if I were a young woman traveling alone, I probably wouldn't make it my first choice.

Having said that, I'm currently trying to convince a group of people that we should send some representatives to a country that has an equally (if not more) dire FCO profile, on the grounds that we've been assured by trustworthy people there that it could be done and done safely. It's not an easy sell, and does make you aware that the warnings may have a pretty serious impact on people in the countries in question. So congratulations to Ms Beddow for her spirit of adventure, and hope she does well!

-- Edited by Spectator on Tuesday 21st of August 2012 05:08:26 PM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Oh Dear!

R1: BEDDOW, Robyn (GBR) 6 1014 lost to ROBINSON, Casey (USA) 1139 2-6 2-6