paulisi wrote:

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Normally these tournaments aren't that strong and the LTA tend to push/promote the winner to try and give the tournament credence. Beth Askew to name but one.

I see quite a few of our top juniors aren't competing.

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To me it does the opposite.

i.e. the fact that you can do multiple categories labels it as a lower ranked tournament with not enough entries.

If quite a few of the top juniors aren't competing, they should address this and not push those they have into doubling up.

The easy way to push up the importance of the national championships is to have it count as a part of the funding calculation, like a mandatory scorer, if you will. Also, those who are currently being funded should not be allowed to skip it (unless they are playing in a different tournament and have permission - see below, US Open). Either indirectly or directly, it should be mandatory (if the LTA truly want it to be a valued as a national championship).

The timing is a tricky thing.

The French have the same problem. The U16 and U18 nat. championships are taking place now. Of the top boys, Tatlot is prioritising the national championships and skipping US Open. Halys has chosen to do the US Open juniors instead (which will have been approved).

But no one can just skip the national championships and expect to be part of the elite training groups next year, no matter what your ranking is. If you want federation funding, you play by the federation rules.

The national championships are a big deal in France.

But that's partly because all the regions are represented (either one, two or - exceptionally - three players per region, depending on the strength of the region that year) and there are points attributed to the region for wins/finalists/semis etc.

These form part of a year-long full 'regional' championship (it includes all junior, adult and senior tennis, covering all the national championships, individual and team).

It's a big deal to win it. It's sponsored (still, I believe) by Perrier and it's a lucrative thing.

Hence, kids who receive scholarships/grants/training etc. at regional level (and that includes national level, it's just a different level of the same structure) have to take part - their region demands it. If you don't want the funding/training obviously, you can say no. The top 18 year-olds, or very precociously highly ranked players, also sometimes don't take part, either for the US Open or other reasons. But the others all do. There are 17/8 year-olds with WTA rankings of about WR 500 - 700 (Dodin, Touly, Muntean) taking part.

However, there's no forcing - obviously the kids all desperately want to take part - it's cyclical - everyone considers it important so everyone takes part so it becomes even more important . . . It's a title that sticks for life.

It's a shame if being National Champion is not a true reflection of the level of the country at the time. I hope the LTA sort it out.

In the US the winner of their U18 Hardcourt championships (just finished - Bellis won the girls) gets a main draw wildcard to the US Open.  I think that would be very motivational for our older girls if the winner received a main draw wildcard for Wimbledon.  The only problem would be timing.  10 months before Wimbledon (if they kept the Nationals in August) - lots could happen in the interim.