Junior rankings

Ernie · Junior player

RE: Junior rankings

indiana · Tennis legend

I am then still left wondering who the guys and girls are trying to impress for "financial support" by getting into the top 100 largely on the back of far away "weaker" tournaments, at no doubt great expense, if we are agreed that the LTA shouldn't be and aren't rankings driven and certainly can recognise the real worth of wins and rankings.

Non LTA potential backers ?

paulisi · Tennis legend

I get the same impression that there may be some guidance for 16-18 year olds given the amount of players chasing junior ranking points.

Alexis, Ryan, Jodie, Georgie, Emily A, Fran, Alistair etc

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

They could be doing it to impress US colleges as part of their 'cv', although the universal rating now highlights those who have chased weaker opponents; or to attract other sponsorship; or to have the experience of playing in the junior slams (this can be a real motivator in the junior ranks); or most likely because in the past the LTA has spent a fortune on 'its' juniors chasing points around the world thus establishing a poor template of what you need to do to succeed as a UK junior. Incidentally, the last point is why I think so many LTA top juniors in the past have not moved easily into the adult game - the focus on chasing junior points for as long as possible meant the move to the adult game was abrupt and confidence-sapping.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I agree with you, The O, about the absolute focus on junior ranking points being the reason why moving up to adult tennis was always so difficult for our juniors.

The junior rankings, on a like for like basis, were very misleading. You had a British player, ranked 30, who was playing every junior match he could get to, and barely had an adult match on his results sheet, and a foreign player ranked about the same who was playing adult matches (team, top money events, ITF) just as much as junior ones. No real surprise as to who finds adult tennis the easier jump. (Not a blanket statement obviously, but overall). Staying in school, I also think, is factor.

Hopefully, the LTA has a more sensible approach now.

But it's also reasonable that the kids want to get points to try and make the Grand Slams (either as MD or qualifiers), which gets coverage and is a big achievement in itself, to pit themselves against the best.

The other problem for the British kids is that they don't have much choice. Apart from the (relatively few) ITFs, and some of the (relatively few) British Tour events, there is no tennis of the right level. And all requires time off school (i.e. no top level team tennis that is only on the weekend). And all is dictated by location (i.e. there's one Tour event, one location), never going to be convenient for all, whereas in France or Germany there will be 15-25 money tournaments of about the right standard in any one week (and probably 30-40 if you go down a notch to Tour qualifier level) so it's easy to choose one that works for you.

Ernie · Junior player

I agree with you Coup we don't have as many tournaments of the right standard as Germany and France. However the British kids do have a choice, they could choose to do the money tournaments of the right level in France and Germany. They could choose to play the stronger tournaments in Europe (some of them do!) which would be more beneficial for their long term development and definitely less expensive than travelling the globe to gain guaranteed success. Unfortunately some of our highest ranked players are more focused on short term success, they're not seeing the bigger picture.

I can understand them wanting to get enough points to play the Slams, but if you haven't played and had some success at stronger junior or men's money tournaments against the best players, your just happy to be there.... rather than in it to win it.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Decent jumps for our number 2 and 3 boys, and for the Olso youngsters. The S. African, S. American and Lithuanian jaunts provide the girls' rises:

29/02/16

Boys

Alexis Canter +14 to JWR 57

Ryan Storrie +21 to JWR 71

Jack Draper (2001) + 199 to JWR 435
Anton Matusevitch (2001) +104 to WR 696
Ryan Gaskin (1999) +39 to JWR 697
Paul Jubb (1999) +753 to JWR 858

Girls:

Jodie Burrage (1999) +81 to JWR 128

Ali Collins (2000) +49 to JWR 155

Olivia Elliott (2001) +104 to JWR 731
Sasha Hill (2001) +585 to JWR 1520

Spectator · All-time great

Just saw this. It may already have been mentioned by those who follow junior tennis more, but in case it hasn't been - it might be of interest: blog.universaltennis.com/2016/01/13/i-want-to-quit-tennis/

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Yes it is very important to keep things in perspective, different routes suit different players and if your miserable at 12 because of your hobby it is time for a change. I see this story as a success and sensible parenting.

A consideration is that the mental toughness of dealing with all the nonsense cheating, pushiness etc and not letting it phase you is probably a key component of building resilience.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Alistair Gray climbs into the top 100 to make 5 boys at that level with Finn knocking on the door

18 CLARKE, Jay -1 GBR 27 Jul 1998 40 595.00
50 CANTER, Alexis +7 GBR 03 Jun 1998 45 403.75
72 STORRIE, Ryan James -1 GBR 28 Feb 1998 38 340.00
90 GRAY, Alastair +18 GBR 22 Jun 1998 36 317.50
96 MOORE, Ewan -1 GBR 09 Mar 1998 40 310.00
115 BASS, Finn +2 GBR 09 Oct 1999 35 268.75
165 HAMMOND, Luke -1 GBR 08 Dec 1998 18 215.00
194 DRAPER, Ben -4 GBR 19 Oct 1998 27 192.50
204 PERRIN, Lawrence -3 GBR 09 Feb 1998 25 186.25
213 STEWART, Max -5 GBR 05 Jan 1999 33 176.25
256 MOLLOY, Jack -2 GBR 22 Jul 1999 23 156.25
281 BROOM, Charles -5 GBR 24 Apr 1998 22 146.25
337 TYLER, Joe -1 GBR 01 Nov 1998 19 126.25
350 NEWMAN, Louis -6 GBR 13 Sep 1998 25 122.50
352 DAVIS, James -7 GBR 10 Dec 1998 29 122.50
366 HERSEY, Jake -8 GBR 21 May 2000 31 118.75
367 MCHUGH, Aidan -8 GBR 09 Jul 2000 27 118.75
378 DAVIES, Will -9 GBR 28 Jan 1999 18 116.25
385 RODRIGUEZ, Damian -9 GBR 13 Jan 1999 16 115.00
434 STORY, Matthew -7 GBR 25 May 1998 15 101.25
442 DRAPER, Jack -7 GBR 22 Dec 2001 22 100.00
450 JONES, Adam -7 GBR 08 May 1998 28 97.50
452 GSCHWENDTNER, Jeremy -7 GBR 21 Aug 1998 38 97.50
454 SUMMERS, Matthew -7 GBR 25 Sep 1998 18 96.25
455 PURSER, Luke -7 GBR 09 May 1998 26 96.25
458 LUMSDEN, Ewen -2 GBR 17 Feb 2000 28 95.00

The girls are pushing to match or better the boys with 4 girls knocking on the door

12 SWAN, Katie 0 GBR 24 Mar 1999 19 786.25
64 LUMSDEN, Maia -13 GBR 10 Jan 1998 23 372.50
87 LAZIC, Ema +1 GBR 28 Dec 1998 29 335.00
110 APPLETON, Emily +32 GBR 01 Sep 1999 28 306.25
119 COLLINS, Ali +36 GBR 27 May 2000 28 300.00
126 AXON, Georgina -6 GBR 26 May 1999 33 295.00
132 BURRAGE, Jodie Anna -4 GBR 28 May 1999 21 290.00
180 JONES, Francesca -4 GBR 19 Sep 2000 30 227.50
202 RICHARDSON, Eden -3 GBR 03 Sep 1998 17 216.25
235 JOHN-BAPTISTE, Lauryn +1 GBR 26 Jul 1999 20 191.25
257 MALONEY, Eliz -1 GBR 10 Aug 2000 23 178.75
322 DAVIES, Megan +3 GBR 02 Mar 1999 22 150.00
341 HEATH, Gemma +60 GBR 12 Aug 2001 20 142.50
386 MIKHEEVA, Anastasia -4 GBR 28 May 1999 19 127.50
443 BACH, Jonea +1 GBR 24 Jul 2001 24 113.75
466 VERDEN ANDERSON, Camille -1 GBR 04 Feb 1999 29 108.75
492 ABDEL-AZIZ, Donia -4 GBR 18 Apr 2000 32 103.75

wimdledont · Challenger level

As I can't see any sign of Maia on any entry lists, I presume she's decided to accept that she won't have sufficient points remaining to play the French Open juniors, and is likely only to play one final Juniors tournament at Wimbledon, on a wildcard.

I personally don't think this is a wise decision.

DavidC · Tennis legend

One factor which may be influencing Maia's strategy is that she played all 4 slams last year, so it is less significant for her than some.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Interesting to see the slightly different timings of surges in rankings dependent on the academic commitments of the players and timings of birthdays. A little hard to be precise as a number having been living and training overseas, but those in the UK in full time school turning 16 after September have different commitments in any given year to those born in the same year but earlier.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Some real significant upward movers, as expected:

Girls:

Emily Appleton ('99) +46 to JWR 64

Gemma Heath ('01) +42 to JWR 299

Nell Miller ('00) +252 to JWR 551

Boys:

Ryan Storrie ('98) +33 to JWR 39

Ewan Moore ('98) +28 to JWR 68

Max Stewart (5 Jan. 99) +10 to JWR 203

Jake Hersey ('00) +82 to JWR 284

Adam Jones ('98) +29 to JWR 421

Emile Hudd ('00) +87 to JWR 704

Aaron Hepburn ('00) NEW at JWR 1378

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Good stuff; especially Emily +78 in a fortnight :D