Week 5 - ITF ($15K) - Glasgow, UK Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

Week 5 - ITF ($15K) - Glasgow, UK Hard

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

wimdledont wrote:
It was bad enough that Rae/Smith played a UK 10k last year when they were in the Fed Cup team, robbing up and coming players of a chance of pocket money and ranking points. As they will not form the FC doubles team, I see their presence here as entirely negatiive for British tennis; I'm sorry they won today and I hope they lose in the next round.

If this is the Fed Cup UK team's doing, I wouldn't be at all surprised. I thought that singling out Joss alone, when one of their strengths has been the longevity and continuity of the partnership, was a particularly dumb move. Sending them here to knock their compatriots out of a competition that is meaningless to Jossanna, smacks of idiocy.

I've never seen anyone on here wishing a Brit would lose, in any circumstances. Pretty poor show IMO.

It's unusual to see Joss & Anna in the bottom tier but none of us really know their thinking. Maybe they wanted some time to see family in the UK, maybe they want to try out some new stuff they've been working on in practice, maybe they just want a few guaranteed insurance points towards their ranking before going higher.

As for taking points and pocket money from newcomers, yes that is true, but equally it could have been a strong pair of foreign singles players at this time of year and it would have had the same effect. In reality, the singles are what the players are worried about in the 10/15Ks. Often the dubs are half full. It's a bit of extra court time and although those playing want to win, none of them lose sleep if they lose!

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

I know that on occasion, wimdledont has a very dry, slightly obtuse and sardonic sense of humour. I'm often not entirely sure whether they are being serious or not; as here.

Anyway, the wins today guarantee us a finalist at least.

QF: Hurst/John-Baptiste (GBR/GBR) 2089 defeated (WC) Barnett/Covington (GBR/GBR) 2339 6-7(2) 6-4 [10-5]

QF: Grey/Nicholls (GBR/GBR) 1130 lost to Hering/Huber (GER/GER) 1370 5-7 2-6

QF: Rae/Smith (GBR/GBR) [1] 185 defeated (WC) Collins/Lumsden (GBR/GBR) UNR (UNR + 1278) 6-2 6-2

SF: Rae/Smith (GBR/GBR) [1] 185 v. Hurst/John-Baptiste (GBR/GBR) 2089

indiana · Tennis legend

Yay, Joss now just two wins away from a net 2 points ( current 11th best 10 points ) to add to her 795 points and Anna two wins away from a net no points ( 11th best 15 points ) with neither having any points to defend before early April.

wimdledont · Challenger level

No, just for the record, I'm not being deliberately sardonic, or even attempting to be deliberately controversial. There is no benefit to Joss or Anna to winning tomorrow, and a net 2 points for Joss if they win the tournament; whereas Lauryn, for example would go up by 170 ranking places if she reached the final; about 250 up if she won the tournament.

There is no benefit to Joss or Anna in winning here; no urgent need for the team to practice if they won't be together in their next outing (now that Annie K has introduced a fissure into their partnership, and deemed one of them prima inter pares). They gain nothing in points or prestige by playing here; the US$500 or so is under 10% of their Oz Open R1 losers purse; whereas it might fund a foreign trip for any other winner, who wouldn't otherwise be able to travel. They are competing against opposition that should hardly trouble them. The only way that I can see they'd do anything significant here is that one of them could pick up an injury.

They're practicing against much lower ranked opposition than Joss will face in the Fed Cup, or that the pair of them will ever play in WTAs or ITF 60k and above tournaments, where they properly belong.

I certainly wanted Maia and Ali to win today as much as if they were playing a pair of peskies; and I'll be cheering for Emma and Lauryn tomorrow.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I think it's great that they are supporting the tournament, gives the likes of Ali and Maia an opportunity to see the level they need to aspire too. By all means support the underdogs why wouldn't you but great to see the best UK ladies regular doubles team in action in the U.K.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

I don't see the argument about taking money or ranking points off of others here. Prize money for winning a doubles 15k ITF is so
minimal anyway that it wouldn't make much difference. It's a local home tournament perhaps the organisers asked them to appear and being at home made it easier. We've hardly got any female presence here so maybe an attempt at some known names.

The competitive aspect however is baffling as this level and the players competing here won't do anything for them. Only Beth and Olivia have a sniff maybe of stopping them win this easily.

PaulM · Tennis legend

wimdledont wrote:
There is no benefit to Joss or Anna in winning here; no urgent need for the team to practice if they won't be together in their next outing (now that Annie K has introduced a fissure into their partnership, and deemed one of them prima inter pares). They gain nothing in points or prestige by playing here; the US$500 or so is under 10% of their Oz Open R1 losers purse; whereas it might fund a foreign trip for any other winner, who wouldn't otherwise be able to travel. They are competing against opposition that should hardly trouble them. The only way that I can see they'd do anything significant here is that one of them could pick up an injury.

Just fyi, Judy also picked Joss alone for doubles back in 2014, and initially did so another year but Anna ended up making the final team.

More broadly I agree. I would have made the 'stepping down to get some more matches' argument, but if that was the case they could have played the $25k in Grenoble.

-- Edited by PaulM on Friday 3rd of February 2017 10:08:57 AM

Kenneth · Lower Club Player

Wow what a strange thing to do, wish a pair to lose? Especially such nice girls as Anna and Joss. They probably have friends up there who they can stay with, as opposed to travelling on the continent which no matter what would cost them money.
You could have said the same thing about Freya rocking up in Brit Tour or recently Eleanor Dean who wasn't seeded, which was harsh on the girls she beat but that's sport!

wolf · Tennis legend

As they were playing fellow Brits, I don't think taking the position of wanting them to lose strange when they shouldn't be playing here in the first place.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

They both looked a bit bored sitting watching the Jonny OMara match at the end with their phones out, although having said that they probably didn't expect to be playing as late as 4 or 5pm today.

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

The unexpectedly most contentious match of the year is under way 1-1

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

My view:

Can never hold it again any tennis players who wish to play a tournament, for whatever reasons, and, just maybe, get easy points, easy cash.

It's a nightmare trying to be a pro tennis player.

You've got to do what you've got to do to try and make a go of it.

And many people would say Joss and Anna deserve to win far more because they are the only serious doubles partnership (and maybe Natahsa and Soumeya) and the rest are all just singles players, having a bit of fun and tennis time.

However, you could argue that the ITF should look at it. If they think top 100 players should be banned, then that would be logical.

AND definitely not allow last minute highly-ranked entries into qualis.

But if the ITF are fine with it, then Jossanna have no reason not to be.

(Their tennis decision is obviously a separate one and I'm assuming they've got decent reasons to play there: they wouldn't be there otherwise)

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Going to form, Jossanna serving for a place in the final, 6-2 *5-3

indiana · Tennis legend

Shockeroony