Naomi who's from Queenswood school, Herts has been awarded funding to assist her tennis development in the build-up to the 2012 Olympics:
Article from the school's website:
Queenswood’s tennis ace, Naomi Cavaday, currently the country’s number 1 ranked under-16 female tennis player, has been awarded funding to assist her development over the forthcoming years in the build up to the London Olympics in 2012. This wonderful news tempered the disappointment of the Queenswood tennis squad when they couldn’t manage to regain the Aberdare Cup (for girls) at the National Schools Tennis Championships held at Q recently. As well as four previous wins dating between 1946 and 1993, the Aberdare Cup was claimed by Q in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 but was snatched from us by Woodhouse Grove School, Leeds, last year. Once again this year Q faced Woodhouse, this time in the semi finals where the strength and depth of their squad, which boasts five LTA Academy players, proved too much for our valiant girls. Woodhouse beat Millfield in the finals to carry off the trophy again.
However, the news about Naomi's fantastic success soon lifted everyone’s spirits and we celebrate her personal victory. Well done to all our tennis squad, brilliantly captained by Rachel Partington, and we shall be back!
Queenswood is an excellent tennis centre, it's the only place in my area which has proper clay courts. I played singles on those courts in the U16 Herts Cup, playing on clay feels so strange at first but it's really nice to move on and once you get used to hitting lots of high topspin shots from 6 feet behind the baseline it's really great.
Got a bit carried away in the "Member's Articles" section, so I'm copying part of my post over to here:
Naomi Cavaday though, really illustrated last week why she's got so much potential. Taking someone ranked 600 places above her to 3 sets was extremely impressive. She's grown up on clay courts which helps a lot. Too many players nowadays grow up on indoor or tarmac courts which don't establish such good techniques as on clay. By Wimbledon, she could be ranked about 400-500 and I'd really like to see her given a wildcard, the experience would benefit her loads.
That's quite a shock result given Naomi's recent good form. However, I suppose that she has played quite a few matches in a very short space of time - the semis last week and then qualies this week so maybe she needed a bit of a break. Either that or she realised she was getting behind with her GCSE studies and couldn't afford any more time off this week, lol
Looks like a very close match which was decided by the 2nd set tiebreak, giving Melanie the extra impetus for the final set.
Naomi will probably next be in action next week for the 25K Challenger in Jersey. Hopefully she'll get a wildcard
how does everone feel about cavaday's performance this year so far. i know alot of people including myself expected her to be top 200 by now. i know she has had some troubles with form and possibly we all underestimated how hard it is to move up the ranks once past the 300 mark
i think that she has made pretty good progress this year. its been pretty consistent and she has proved herself on all levels. she moved from about 360 to 190 and she has achieved more than any other brit did by her age for a long time. i must admit, i was expecting something higher than she is right now, something like 150.
maybe we do underestimate the jump from 300 to 100. if you think about it. she would only move 10 places roughly if she won a 25k, and maybe 15 if she won a 50k. now all the points are in tour events and maybe we actually have someone who is capable of competing on the tour... and taking her opportunities of wild cards etc. (although i must admit i thought it was a wasted opportunity at the usopen and new haven)
its a funny one... we all expected alot and shes not done too badly but not done great. i think shes fantastic and has genuine potential... thats probably why i usually post when her name crops up. the other girls bore me to watch, and even bore me to follow their scores.
Hey jimmy, with regards to the US Open. Don't think many people realise but Naomi picked up a groin injury in the 2nd set of her 2nd match. She fought through that match on one leg, including coming back from 4-1 down in the 3rd set and then even managed to take the 1st set of her final match on one leg too. Bit harsh to call it a wasted opportunity. Got 2 decent wins, one of them against someone about 40 places higher and then pushed the seed in her section all the way even through an injury.
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Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive.... those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience
I think with Naomi we all know what shes capable of and just think she should be doing that now cos its seems like thats what girls from other countries seem to do.
She bettered what Anne and Bally had achived at 18 ranking wise and won her 1st 25k at a very high level. In her 1st granslam qualifying she won 2 matches. Annes only managed that tiwce in about 16 grandslams. Bally once.
If she keeps improving she'll keep moving up. What we don;t want it a huge jump then she can;t hack that new level. Thats what seems to have happened with most fo the british girls over the past 5 years or so.
What i'd like to see from Naomi for the rest of the year is winning a 25k(if she still plays them) or a 50k. if shes playing bigger events just that she gets a few good wins over higher ranked opponents. If she ended the year 180ish she will have done brilliantly, anything higher would be just great.
In 2008 i'd like to see her qualify for grandslams and win a match at wimbo unless she gets a killer draw. And just keep imporving an she'll be top 100 next year.
We all knwo what she can achive so mayeb we are being impatient.
Nah, she won't be out at all jimmy. She's still planning to go to Asia next week as far as I know. She's going to play WTAs out there for a month or so then play ITFs for the rest of the year.
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Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive.... those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience
oh sorry i must have clicked an old ranking list which told me she was 296. i take back wat i said then 190 is rather impressive. i think the asia trip will prove good choice soon. i also hope georgie stoop gets well soon as she has huge points to defend this quarter
Sheddie tells me tonight that Naomi has pulled out of a $100k next week although she will be back to play WTA Calcutta the week after, so I wasn't totally correct about her not being out at all. Not too long though, was a groin strain and she will be back shortly.
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Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive.... those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience