There have been several posts on the forum recently commenting on how we seem to have less tennis to follow.
Certainly there have been retirements as a result of the LTA funding and attitude change. Probably from those unlikely to be troubling the main tour in the future, but still in most cases with improvement still on the cards. We are also hit by injuries, particularly on the women's side.
However, I feel there are far fewer older juniors moving on to try the pro game. Usually we have a fairly large bunch from both genders giving 10ks a regular go, at least for a while, at around 17/ 18 yo. There are definitely some, just nowhere near as many. I'm not sure if this is due to the new funding structure putting players off before they've even got started or if the increasing popularity of the US uni route is having an effect. A few players have always gone that route, but over the last 2-3 years numbers are significantly raised.
For example, on the womens's side, I can see loads of players in uni who, in times past, would have been giving tennis a go straight after school: Jennifer Brown, Laura Eales, Sabrina Federici, Brigit Folland, Emily Gibbens, Lolade Ogungsbesan, Molly Reed, Kim Schmider, Georgina Sellyn, Rebecca Smaller, Ella Taylor, Sophie Watts, Tiffany William, Alicia Barnett, Natalie Beasant, Emma Devine, Joanna Henderson, Pippa Horn and probably several more. Of those signing up for next year (and there will be many more come Spring Signing Week in April) Abi Amos, Alannah Griffin, Olivia Noble, Emily Smith and Emma Wilson would definitely have been good prospects for us to follow.
It's pretty similar on the men's side, although it's not quite such an upturn in numbers as more men have traditionally followed the uni route.
We had a few this year on the men's side hit the tennis trail after uni - Bettles, Salisbury, Coupland, Glennon but no women.
Are we suddenly going to get an influx of stronger, more mature players to support in a couple of years' time as they come out of the American system or is our pool of players going to continue to shrink - fewer starting and more retiring early?
Ultimately, getting disappointed about not having as many players to watch lose early in 10ks is selfish, but as tennis fans that's what we are! So we can't help it and shouldn't really feel bad about it either :)
At the end of the day, all those listed were unlikely to ever achieve anything of note in the senior game (which is why none of them are setting college alight, Beasant, arguably, aside), so far better for them as people to be able to continue to play tennis at a high level and use it to further themselves off the court, rather than get into heaps of debt and plateuxing at 600 in the world and going through the motions for 3 to 5 years on tour before quitting to become a coach.
College is a safe environment to find out that (i) being a touring pro is not for you and/or (ii) you're actually just not good enough to make it, which is why it has become increasingly attractive.
Plus of course with the maturing age profile of the professional ranks, college is no hindrance to a pro career anyway if you do turn out to be bloody good.
The ITA (College Tennis Authority) website lists current/ex college players currently playing at ATP/WTA level as:
Men Singles
5 in Top 100
43 in Top 500
Men Dubs
24 in Top 100
75 in Top 500
Women Singles
1 in top 100 (Nicole Gibbs)
13 in top 500
Women Dubs
5 in top 100
24 in Top 500
This of course gives no idea of how many now retired players came through college and reach tour level, nor how many, such as George C who played at least a full season below tour level.
I know a couple of youngsters who have taken the college tennis route and they seem to be having a great time and their tennis is looking good. However, I was just wondering if the current LTA lack of support for youngsters trying their hand at a tennis career is pushing some very strong youngsters down this route who might otherwise not have chosen it.
Just looking at the Wirral entries for a 15K and I don't remember it being so sparse. Just two making the initial main draw.(Marcus and Josh)
Normally we fill the automatic entries with at least 50%, but Alex W is in US, Dan S and Ed are in Canada, Dan C is in the far east, Brydan is in Australia and then there is a huge gap with the just the like of Dave Rice and Rich Gabb between 400 and 600 and the rest being 600+
well I think the issue at the moment is we hae no promising juniors comng through to get excited about. Its not new for players ranked 400-700 to retire early regardless of where lta funding is at. examples off the top of my head:
