Wild Cards

sherbert · Lower Club Player

RE: Wild Cards

indiana · Tennis legend

Well in qualifying too, especially the Brits !

paulisi · Tennis legend

Everyone I've spoken to in British tennis ambition is to play at Wimbledon and I don't think there is an issue with issuing wildcards to British players. It is a good incentive/target for the year.

The question that we all raise is?

1. Are the rules for wildcards too lax? - very few GB wildcards win a match a Wimbledon
2. Is it seen by the general public as an easy way to pay for the next 12 months tennis.

I would prefer the LTA/AELTC to tighten the restrictions and only give a percentage of 1st round prize money for a wildcard. Obviously if they won the first round match they would be entitled to standard prize money.

sherbert · Lower Club Player

Does it matter that they get the full money and don't win many matches? The money is there so may as well be given to British players to help fund them rather than to players from other countries. A player who is 150 in the world and from another country isn't likely to win Wimbledon are they?

It is also giving British players a chance - however small it may be to win a round or two at Wimbledon and really get their career going. Once they're playing at that level, it's a lot easier to compete at it.

Ratty · County player

And there was me thinking that we only play this record come Wimbledon-time ...

indiana · Tennis legend

New folk join the forum all through the year and clearly may pick up on some previous discussions. Others can join in again or not as they wish, kind of how these forum things work. Others may mutter from the sidelines, whatever :)

Anyway, good to have sherbert here with all the inside info she is going to give us. We have had players, journalists, coaches, but I think we've lacked a tennis WAG :)

sherbert · Lower Club Player

I'm sorry - I did only comment on it because somebody else had today.

Haha I like the sound of tennis WAG - although I can honestly say it isn't glamorous at all!

I can help with some inside info - I do find it impressive how well you all keep up with everything that is going on in British tennis. :)

Spectator · All-time great

Welcome, sherbert - it's lovely to have you with us (with or without inside info). Always good to be joined by new and pleasant people!

sherbert · Lower Club Player

:)

steven · Tennis legend

sherbert wrote:
I'm sorry - I did only comment on it because somebody else had today.

Haha I like the sound of tennis WAG - although I can honestly say it isn't glamorous at all!

I can help with some inside info - I do find it impressive how well you all keep up with everything that is going on in British tennis. :)

Welcome, sherbert I can believe that - I imagine being a 'tennis WAG' of a player below the main tour being very unglamorous - all the time apart without the big money. About as glamorous as actually being a tennis player below the main tour, in fact! wink Still, at least nobody can accuse you of being with someone for the wrong reasons and hopefully in turn, you don't have to put up with a huge ego!

It must be even more agonising watching scores and stuff than it is for us - but no doubt even more exciting than it is for us when your player is doing well. smile

EddietheEagle · County player

sherbert wrote:
Does it matter that they get the full money and don't win many matches? The money is there so may as well be given to British players to help fund them rather than to players from other countries.

To answer your question, sherbert: in sporting competition, money prizes are earned, not given away and we are talking here of an intensely competitive international sport not a national charity.

Yes, we do need to assist elite players and assist their career development. That is a distinct issue and I can see why you raise it. There are comparatively limited opportunities in the UK presently for aspiring professional players and that's an issue which must preoccupy the LTA. Your partner could make his own contribution to that discussion by not letting up in telling the blazers what it's really like at the coal face. I was privileged enough to play in the German leagues a few years ago as a sponsored player, for an over-50s team, believe it or not. I was struck by the sheer number of non-Germans playing for clubs. I was duffed up by players from all over the world, players with real tennis pedigree. The reason they're all there is the handsome amounts paid by clubs and sponsors. But they earn that money by playing and winning matches, not by turning up.

indiana · Tennis legend

Interesting, and I do tend to agree with your general point, Eddie.

The rewards that come with entry to tennis's elite Slam tournaments should be earned. Direct entries should go the best.

Entry to a Slam should not be part of funding players. Funding, of course, is an issue for discussion, but is ( well, certainly should be ! ) a totally separate matter from sticking home players in the main draw of a Slam, basically just for getting into the top 250, or however the other Slams choose to do it.

EddietheEagle · County player

indiana wrote:

Entry to a Slam should not be part of funding players.

Succinct and to the point. A grand slam is where the elite of the elite strut their stuff, not water carriers.

Sending in a line of British no-hopers once a year to be publically executed is sheer madness. It sends an extremely bad message. The public have come to regard 'we're useless at tennis' as a mantra for the sport.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I happen to like wildcards, the 'romance; of them, I suppose.

But I agree completely that they should have nothing to do with funding players.

In fact, the whole argument of 'funding players' seems to me totally misplaced.

The LTA should aim to create a dynamic, thriving sport of singles tennis in the UK, from the ground up.

This would effectively make players self-funding.

Eddie's point re Germany is spot on.

France provides very little direct funding to players. Doesn't need to. Throwing money at a few promising youngsters gives you, at best, a couple of decent players. How does that help? Participation rates have dropped EVEN after Andy won Wimbledon and Olympic Gold ?!?!? So you've now got to throw more money and hope you find the next one.

Investing money in the nationwide sport gives you a huge pool of competent players which then, naturally, attracts sponsorship, provides coaching jobs, profitable team matches and individual tournaments, media interest, generates parents who then coach their kids, crossover interest from other sports . . .

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

Shame that Llodra's final(?) slam ends like that.