Oops, the sweepstake idea was meant to be a joke! But since people have entered (deadline mid-day Saturday, since Sabrina is 2nd on after 11 am, has to be a number nobody else has picked yet), I'll go for 8 and list the entries so far. I've rearranged the breakdowns (where they were given) to match the order in the draw, i.e. Daneika/Jessica/Eden/Sabrina, but they are not relevant to the 'competition':
I guess a lot of potential candidates are playing in Nottingham.
Anyway, nice "freebee" ranking point ( for QR1 in a WTA event ) for each of them. Eden will get her ranking back after just one unranked week and Sabrina will get off the mark for the year ( having had a frankly very poor run of results of late ).
Q1: (WC) Daneika BORTHWICK (GBR) 832 vs. Caroline GARCIA (FRA) 114 [q1] (CH: 113 05/2013 - Garcia will be Top 100 at the next Rankings, at 99) Q1: (WC) Jessica REN (GBR) 1137 vs. Catalina CASTANO (COL) 167 [q14] (CH: 35 10/2006) Q1: (WC) Eden SILVA (GBR) 1145 vs. Sharon FICHMAN (CAN) 117 [q3] (CH: 114 08/2010 - Fichman will be at least 106 in the next rankings) Q1: (WC) Sabrina BAMBURAC (GBR) 910 vs. Arina Rodionova (AUS) 135 [q7] (CH: 62 08/2010)
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Data I post, opinions I offer, 'facts' I assert, are almost certainly all stupidly wrong.
Should we have a sweepstake on the number of games the Brits in qualifying will win between them? I'll be pleasantly surprised if the total ends up in double figures ...
Seriously though, given how strong qualifying is, I'm not surprised those for whom a single guaranteed ranking point doesn't mean that much any more have opted to stay in Nottingham instead.
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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!
Pointless wild cards all it will do is give them 1 point. Bakery all round for these 4. They should have offered WCs to players with potential instead. Strange.
Should we have a sweepstake on the number of games the Brits in qualifying will win between them? I'll be pleasantly surprised if the total ends up in double figures ...
Seriously though, given how strong qualifying is, I'm not surprised those for whom a single guaranteed ranking point doesn't mean that much any more have opted to stay in Nottingham instead.
Should we have a sweepstake on the number of games the Brits in qualifying will win between them? I'll be pleasantly surprised if the total ends up in double figures ...
Seriously though, given how strong qualifying is, I'm not surprised those for whom a single guaranteed ranking point doesn't mean that much any more have opted to stay in Nottingham instead.
Maybe the British tour event is also a reason for staying but then yet again Wimbledon qualifying playoff starts Thursday so maybe not
No one else to give wildcards too. Everyone trying Notts or, in the case of our juniors who are keeping up with school, doing exams this week.
The fact you are guaranteed to play a seed makes it unattractive compared to the prospect of winning a couple of matches and coming through qualies in Notts if you are Naomi, Emily or Mel for example.