Wild Cards and Play Offs

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Wild Cards and Play Offs

RJA · Hall of fame

steven wrote:
A bit surprised / sad not to see Bloomers here btw.

He would have just made it in as the last "DA" but since he didn't enter Burton got that slot instead.

Tennisnow · Lower Club Player

Exciting!

I'm hoping for Dave from top half.

The bottom half is a lot more difficult to choose, as long as it's one of Neil, Marcus or Luke I'll be happy.

Thought Luke was unlucky not to get more from the trip to the states at the end of last year so I'll put him down as a 'dark horse' to get through.

steven · Tennis legend

Isn't it odd that in their quest to be fair to other nations by not giving nearly all their main draw wild cards to home players or to swaps like the other grand slam nations do, Wimbledon have given their half of their main draw men's singles wild cards so far to ... players from other grand slam nations confuse

bartman2099 · Lower Club Player

I agree the top half looks stronger. I'll say it will be Rice and Willis, hopefully Fitzy can make some noise, anybody knows why he hasn't played on the grass yet?

chavkev · Intermediate Club Player

I find it slightly amusing that a wild card play off has wild cards in it. If there was a draw to decide them, everything would get very confusing.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Where is Bloomers? He seems to play British Tour but nothing else

Spectator · All-time great

There's a difference between a WC to a player who has arguably already peaked and one who is just starting out, isn't there? I'd rather favour giving out WCs, but giving them in a manner which was more closely related to rises in rankings in the previous year -- ie to people who were clearly coming up and doing so quite rapidly, but weren't yet at the point where they'd get in on merit. I'm also, particularly in the case of grass tournaments, not averse to WCs that favour people who are better on the particular surface on which a tournament is played than their overall rankings would suggest.

PS: On the subject of payouts, I'm not wholly convinced that Grand Slam WCs are necessarily the context for evening out the distribution issues involved. Could see an argument for factoring need in -- ie, if you have two players of equivalent merit of whom one is fully funded by their country and one is barely scraping by (whatever country they come from), it counts in favour of the latter. But would seem to me that the place for doing more work on funding for people coming from poorer backgrounds in poorer countries is through higher contributions to the ITF funds that assist those players. That would be a very good thing - perhaps the GSs could do more there?

-- Edited by Spectator on Thursday 13th of June 2013 08:03:33 AM

PaulM · Tennis legend

The same Ratty. However what I have a slight issue with is that it seems (to me, but maybe I am too cynical!) Neil's inconsistency is based on the exact thing Korriban addresses in his post. He picks and chooses when he does and doesn't like something depending on who is affected and who is the "target".

Last year, he wanted Clement to get a wildcard and wasn't very happy when he didn't and it was given to Zemlja who had won Notts, but who I think was also next in the main draw anyway (a "terrible decision" as Clement had "done more for tennis than Gergor Zemlja ever will").

This year, he seems very happy for Mahut to get a wildcard, but is seemingly annoyed at some Brits jumping the queue ahead of say, the next direct entrant. But then I would argue that a woman who became the first Brit in 15 years to break top 50, has represented her country for 10 years, and has fallen on hard times with an injury that doesn't seem to be fixable and may well be playing her last match at Wimbledon is more deserving than someone who's claim to fame is losing a very long match 2 years ago. Or I would also say that Anne has "done more for British tennis than [insert lower ranked female Brit or foreigner] ever will."

I totally understand the arguments against wildcards. I think it's a valid view, it's just not one I share. What I struggle with is why it only ever appears in relation to Brits at Wimbledon (I don't hear anyone complaining about Petkovic's wildcard, only the ones given to the Brits). I don't think I have ever seen football fans moan about their team getting a host nation spot at the World Cup/Euros, or anyone moaning about Brits at the Olympics getting home nation spots in a number of events they wouldn't have otherwised qualified for.

If entry to Grand Slams was based purely on merit linked to ranking, then surely we need to get rid of qualies too. Because on the same logic why should the world #109 have to play 3 matches against players ranked #205, #158 and #127 to get to the main draw when the world #108 doesn't?

-- Edited by PaulM on Thursday 13th of June 2013 08:30:26 AM

RJA · Hall of fame

Coup Droit wrote:
Shhh wrote:
Wild Cards............Wimbledon recently have given far more to non home nation than the other 3, do the others get as much stick? I'm not sure?

Play Offs..........Fitzy has pulled out with illness

Does the opponent get a bye or is there a list of reserves ?

The OOP gives an "alternate" sign in deadline so definitely the latter.

-- Edited by RJA on Thursday 13th of June 2013 09:41:34 AM

Jack Buxton · Club Coach

Jaggy1876 wrote:
Where is Bloomers? He seems to play British Tour but nothing else

He beat Burton in Notts2 qr1 at weekend before going out to q3.

Ratty · County player

It's good to see that Neil Harman has been reading my posts - he has a pop at the whole concept of wildcards in today's Times. Remember, folks - you see it here first!

smile

Jack Buxton · Club Coach

Haha, i assume he hasnt got all giddy about Mahut's W/C this year then?

PaulM · Tennis legend

No he did. Must have changed his mind.

It's funny how I never see people meaning about wildcards or home nation spots in any other tournaments or sports where they are available. Just Wimbledon.

Ratty · County player

He doesn't mention Mahut, but he doesn't like players from rich countries getting huge handouts, Edmund and Keothavong in this case. I would cut and paste one of my posts from a couple of months ago saying EXACTLY THAT, but I'm on a train so you'll have to take it on trust.