Girls: Curro Junior ITF Week 2, South Africa, hard - Grade 3 (Week 39)

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Girls: Curro Junior ITF Week 2, South Africa, hard - Grade 3 (Week 39)

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Been a productive 2 weeks down in South Africa. Hopefully a second title, huge ranking climb and onto bigger events.

Very impressive.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Southern African tournaments aren't always the strongest. I'd like to see how Holly gets on in similar level tournaments in USA and Europe before getting carried away.

DavidC · Tennis legend

For the first time in South Africa Holly will have to come from a set down - first set to the Hungarian 6-4 (source Twitter)

DavidC · Tennis legend

One match too many seemingly for Holly

F

(5) Adrienn Nagy (HUN) d. Holly Fischer 6-4 6-4

Some photos at twitter.com/CaylixSport

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

paulisi wrote:
Southern African tournaments aren't always the strongest. I'd like to see how Holly gets on in similar level tournaments in USA and Europe before getting carried away.

I wouldn't say this was strictly true - rather they are very mixed so the luck of the draw really comes into play. There are often southern african players who have low rankings but are very strong (just because S Africa is a long way from anywhere else so players rarely travel), some local players who are not international standard at all and a smattering of foreign players starting their international journey (easier to get into SA without a ranking or with a very low ranking than into European tournaments) and who again may be very strong (like Holly).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

The Optimist wrote:
paulisi wrote:
Southern African tournaments aren't always the strongest. I'd like to see how Holly gets on in similar level tournaments in USA and Europe before getting carried away.
I wouldn't say this was strictly true - rather they are very mixed so the luck of the draw really comes into play. There are often southern african players who have low rankings but are very strong (just because S Africa is a long way from anywhere else so players rarely travel), some local players who are not international standard at all and a smattering of foreign players starting their international journey (easier to get into SA without a ranking or with a very low ranking than into European tournaments) and who again may be very strong (like Holly).

I agree.

But it's not the result here (or last week) that it was is causing people to get carried away. It's Holly's tennis. And that's the same wherever. Whether she loses or wins, in the US/Europe, or South Africa/wherever. Junior rankings, as always, are only a very small part of the equation.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

paulisi wrote:
Southern African tournaments aren't always the strongest. I'd like to see how Holly gets on in similar level tournaments in USA and Europe before getting carried away.

If Holly was the number 1 seed these past two weeks i'd agree with you. But she was unseeded, won her first event and got to the final in the next beating higher raked opponents. Yes, junior rankings can be deceiving but results speak for themselves.

I too want to see how Holly gets on in stronger events but she's only 13. Plenty of time.

Where is Holly based btw?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes. If you're not there for the matches, or know the actual tennis, then the rankings are all one has.

And if she's beaten a JWR 227, a JWR 269, a JWR 309, a JWR 348 etc. etc., as Holly has done these past two weeks, then that's not a weak event as the rankings have to speak for themselves.

I believe that Holly is primarily based in the States.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Obviously it is very early days for Holly, however you can only beat the players that are put in front of you. To progress you need a nice balance of matches you can win and gain confidence, games you struggle through and games you loose.

I would say this was a great choice of tournament for Holly who has done much better than one would expect of a 13 yr old playing her first 6 months of ITF junior tennis.

I don't think one could suggest that she has avoided top juniors to build a rank just playing a schedule with long term development in mind. She is a very promising young player and this type of outcome although very positive was not a complete surprise but consistent with her les petit A's performance. There as a 12 year old she was up against some very talented youngsters. Winning the doubles with Emma Radacanu. Indeed I believe she will be able to play again in January 2017.

One would think she will have an excellent chance of progressing in European and US junior futures events when the time is right but SA was the ideal place for a promising 13 year old to start.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Sunday 2nd of October 2016 12:26:02 AM

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Sunday 2nd of October 2016 12:29:57 AM