Great stuff. Thanks for all this, Steven.

I had noticed before in your excellent ranking / stats section here that 1995 was the last year end when we had 7 men in the top 200 so we were getting in and around a historic high. And we just missed 7 in February this year when Jack entered the top 200 just a week after Kyle dropped out. I hadn't at all otherwise though looked into things beyond these year end figures.

Can Kyle get fit and back into the top 200? Can Paul get there fairly soon? We are in good times.

It appears that we will also have a confirmed best average GB top 10 rankings figure for the GB men since we started recording that in the "Strongest Nation" thread but probably here too also the best for many many years beforehand. The 10 being the 7 top 200ers listed plus Paul Jubb, Alastair Gray and Aidan McHugh.

Yes, great stats, steven

As others have said, our men do feel very exciting at the moment (I far prefer the depth, than one star - which is not to knock Andy going it alone when he had to, but it's just SO good when there's a batch of names to follow)

Just to note too:

Of our 7 top 200-ers:

The average age is 26.8 (spot on the average 'prime' age)
Only two are over 30
Two are 23 or under

Of the 14 top 500-ers:

The average age is 25
Four are 21 or under
Eight are 24 or under
Still only 2 are over 30

I haven't compared it to any other country, or whatever, but that seems very encouraging, to me.

So since there is no women's WR update this week, thought i'd take the opportunity to post this.  It's a bit late considering Q1 finished a month ago, but i think it helps quantify what has been said about the great start to the year our men have had. It just considers the Top10 players (as of the start of 2022), well Top9 really because of Kyle's inactivity, and the 2022 calendar is not identical to 2021's, but still i think the comparison is still valid.

If i haven't got my numbers wrong, in Q1 for almost the same number of entries (51), the Top10 have more than doubled the amount of points won. The biggest influencers are Cam's improved performance in the Masters and ATP500 events, and Jack's (and to a lesser extent Paul's) sucessful step up to Challenger events. Plus Dan scoring big in the ATP cup this year. 

In fact every single player had a better 2022 Q1 than 2021 Q1, including those where perhaps the feeling is they haven't set the world alight so far this year (Liam?, Dan?).

I'll look to post the numbers per player in their individual threads.

And Ali G 2 x 25k titles from the top 250, hes almost halfway there

Pity about Aidan, the 500 will be reached before the 10 in 250 I believe. End of August for 20 in the 500 Im calling. Or folding

Yes good point, Ive had a quick look at the players ranked 200-300, theres a good few injured and retired/retiring players in there, so anyone creeping up the 300s will be closer to 250 once the two slams have passed. Ali G is almost certain to be top 250, could get there without playing challengers, as could Billy although thats probably a long shot.

"I think the general rise down the men's rankings has been the story of the last year for GB, along with Emma."

Absolutely, and very much a US college story (although not exclusively)

Which begs the question as to whether there's others about to start the circuit - after all, Ali was outside the top-1000 only 8 months ago or so.

I lose track because some extend their degrees, some do Masters or whatever i.e. Henry, Charlie, Dan L, etc have all been giving it a go this past 12 months but are not age 22. But we've got some decent young players over there..... Arthur is another shout for this summer, of course, and more of a known entity....but there are others that I definitely quite liked at 17-18 year-olds (even if they didn't quite make the 'little fave' cut).

And I still have faith in Jan for top-500. And Dan Cox too, and Stuart, and Henry - it might not be all but I'd say two of those will get in there quite soon.

Oscar's tennis seems a bit too 'young' at the moment (falling all over his feet, like Bambi). Don't know about Harry. Blu was playing better before getting injured. Same age. All on the up.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Saturday 7th of May 2022 12:43:20 PM

If Kyle isn't back / doesn't pick up any ranking points in the grass season he will be down to 68 points from two 2019 counters. That should just about keep him in the top 500.

Then his 45 points from ATP Washington 500 are due off on 01/08 and his 23 points from ATP Montreal Masters are due off on 08/08.