Certainly not the easiest place to get to. Ryanair actually fly four days a week, but only one flight each way. And not particularly cheap for that week - minimum looks like around £ 90 return without any of the extras like luggage. Easyjet fly twice a week from Gatwick, again one flight a day, and similar prices
Looked at flying from Newcastle to Copenhagen then onto Talllin. Flight costs have already gone up 50% since I looked last month though (so annoying). But I doubt it will stop me. Going to be very cold and snowy in Tallinn beginning of Feb.
Perhaps Anne could persuade Naomi to come in from the cold, she is after all our number 3 singles and number 1 doubles player.
I don't think she should receive wildcards on the basis of being British if she is not prepared to represent her country.
i disagee.
Naomi's stand is a principled one, in particular against the LTA. From the detail that I do know I have long though that she / her family have made an absolute mountain out of what could have been a comparative long forgotten molehill wherever blame lay ( and it has hardly helped her career ) but I do accept her issue is with the LTA and that should not effect WCs, particularly where like for Wimbledon the LTA has direct involvement. They have played fair with her in that regard.
I do wish she would reconsider, but it's gone on a very long time with no sign of turning.
I still don't see how her dispute with the LTA (or at least with people in the LTA who no longer work there) should prevent her representing her country in the Fed Cup.
Totally daft, I agree, the whole organisation has probably turned over. Why cut off your nose to spite your face? This is probably Naomi's prime and there is a cohort of younger girls that will be pushing for the opportunity sooner rather than later. I can't see the downside for her although reconsiliation can be very challenging and of course it's a two way process
-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Monday 9th of January 2017 02:21:22 PM
Hmm, the downside may be her father ostracising her.
But absolutely agree that the whole history has looked like cutting off her nose to spite her face. And yes, whatever the past, clearly the LTA people have changed.
My impression is that the LTA in different guises have anyway long long ago been happy to have her back on board, thinking back to them naming her for main funding and being rebuffed ( yes they maybe failed to check, but the message was clear ).
Laura ahead of Tara is an interesting selection, but then again Jo and Heather will be the singles players barring withdrawals anyway. Not sure what the first choice doubles team will be though - maybe Jo & Joss with Laura playing the dead doubles rubbers instead of Jo.
I'd hoped that Heather and Naomi playing in Melbourne together might be a sign Naomi was going to join the team. Sadly not.
She would have given us additional singles flexibility (courts should suit) whilst also being a strong doubles option, and as good a partner to Heather as Joss is.
The BBC is reporting "Robson has been chosen ahead of Tara Moore who, at 165 in the world, is currently ranked higher, while Naomi Broady has not made herself available for selection." So Naomi still hasn't relented
Presumably Heather and Joss will play doubles, given that they've played a number of times together before. Perhaps Anne's thinking is about big match experience, although I admit, there's very little other justification than that.
Team nominations coming through now. Croatia don't seem that strong this time around, so if we could be seeded to play them in the play-offs (assuming seedings hold and we come through), that would be good, as I'm assuming Radwanska will turn out for Poland.