Sorry to those who got their hopes up of good news when seeing this thread - I haven't heard anything!
I just wondered whether people have heard much in the last few months about what Oil is doing and how his future plans are shaping up? I don't recall what I last heard since he announced his indefinite break.
Does seem a bit strange. Why has Vesely (who he beat in the US Open Boys Final) gone to be top 100 and him on the sidelines. Clearly not just about one day or about hitting a ball.
Does seem a bit strange. Why has Vesely (who he beat in the US Open Boys Final) gone to be top 100 and him on the sidelines. Clearly not just about one day or about hitting a ball.
I do wonder if he thrived more on big occasions such as junior slam finals in front of a big crowd, especially having once been a child actor, but just didn't love the sport enough to want to grind through the ITF circuit in remote locations and in front of just a handful of spectators. Maybe his desire was more for fame and recognition than for playing tennis itself.
To me an example of true commitment to the game is that of Liam Broady. Look at the sacrifices he's made - a rift with his dad and a life spent sleeping in his car or on friends' settees. To my mind that shows a real determination to succeed and is the difference between him and Golding.
I do think Oli thrived on the big occasions, but would also question his enjoyment of the sport. Even as a real youngster he was often quite stressed on the court, playing the scoreboard. A very results-driven player and I'm sure the targets culture at the NTC didn't give him any help in this regard. However, I don't agree that this made him uncommitted, think he put in masses of effort, not necessarily in the right way or on the right things!
Main reason for posting is that he is on the player list for Northwood/Chiswick (juniortenniscoaching.com). Not sure how up to date it is but it no longer includes Katie D who moved to Goslings around Wimbledon time. Also includes James Marsalek, Jodie B, Joel Cannell, Eliz Maloney, Finn Bass and Holly Hutchinson. I also thought Fran Stephenson, Beth Askew, Charlotte Pearce, Naomi C and Harriet D trained there but they are not on the list, so maybe the list is a bit random but Oli must have been there at sometime relatively recently.
I certainly don't believe that one should necessarily play a sport professionally just because one happens to be (very, very) good at it: it's a tough and expensive life, and there are many other things out there ... including things that offer the opportunity to do enormous good in society.
But that said, the loss of Mr Golding to tennis is the one that I do regret (a) because he is/was so very talented and (b) because no one has ever implied that he gave it up because there was something else that interested him more.
Oli played a few matched for the Lensbury club in the Middlesex summer league which is doubles only. For him, this is hardly challenging. I guess he is still figuring out what he wants to do - he is still young and he still has a real bed to sleep on rather than a car or couch...
Even as a real youngster he was often quite stressed on the court, playing the scoreboard.
I can second that, i can remember a match at Solihull when he was maybe 10, where his, er, "vocalisations" attracted a large crowd who were applauding every point which his opponent won.
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"Where Ratty leads - the rest soon follow" (Professor Henry Brubaker - The Institute of Studies)
Does seem a bit strange. Why has Vesely (who he beat in the US Open Boys Final) gone to be top 100 and him on the sidelines. Clearly not just about one day or about hitting a ball.
4 years ago during one is frequent complaints about British youngsters poor work ethic and/or attitude Tim Henman had this to say about Vesely "There was a Czech kid playing there. He's OK but when you looked at his mentality, you could see in his eyes he would do anything to win."
