Fed Cup 2017 World Group II Play-Off - Romania v Great Britain - 22-23 April

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Fed Cup 2017 World Group II Play-Off - Romania v Great Britain - 22-23 April

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

indiana wrote:
Is there any particular issue with the LTA and Mandy. I think more than one person has put her case but then sort of said that of course she won't be picked.

Or is that more just an observation on just not expecting Anne to deviate from the norm ? - and I think we all predicted the team.
I accept as has been said that it would be a major step up for her, but you do have to take great account of the surface. I'd have had Mandy here if it was an option.

I think it's more a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Mandy has forged her own career without recourse to the LTA and consequently just doesn't figure in their thinking. To my mind in her team choice, Annie K is following that great British tennis tradition of only working with those you personally know and get on with. That's why I find Leon S so refreshing - get the sense that he is genuinely on the lookout for anyone with good results or who is making progress to pull them into the fold.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Totally agree with comment re Leon. Doing a great job on the men's side not just for DC but more broadly British tennis, He is greatly aided by Andy's proactive inclusive attitude (ie general love of British tennis).

Perversely I think the limited resources at the top of the men's game has forced Leon to be open minded and flexible particularly when Dan was struggling with his knee and getting his head around the level of commitment required to get to the top.

Anne has just started so understandbly working with what she knows initially. She does seem open to ideas and hopefully Judy still has some influence, blooding Freya and Katie S last year is money in the bank! I just wish Naomi would engage, life's too short and team tennis at this level not something to miss out on.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I've no idea if she was asked (but, like the others, feel she wasn't) but it seems very strange that Mandy didn't even go along as a hitting partner.

It's not just about who's going to play the actual matches but, if they are going to play clay courters, you also need them to get good practice in against clay court players. Mandy plays a classic clay game, the trajectory of the ball is perfect for practice. After all, what's the point really of JoKo practicing against Laura R?

Leon Smith did it when he took Liam along a couple of years back when we playing the Americans and Donald Young was going to be playing - he wanted the lads to practice against a lefty of about the same height and not dissimilar style.

indiana · Tennis legend

If ( and just saying if ) Anne has picked these good players who she knows better and / or is more comfortable with that would be very poor, early in the job or not. I do hope that she genuinely feels that this is the best group, be it for the here and now ( which I would question ) and / or for continuity / team spirit ( which can be debatable as an ongoing strategy ).

Oakland2002 · All-time great

There is plenty of time to include Mandy, it would probably impact her own short term objectives, all around the clay court season, long flight at short notice with relatively little gain. It is absolutely fantastic that her performances now make her relevant to the discussion, as in the way Jays have, but realistically I don't see hitting partners being quite so important in the ladies game as there are more quality hitting partners available (even locally) who can mimic the type of opponent they are likely to face. Let's face it the key objective for Ann in this tie success and that revolves around getting Jo on court and firing on all cylinders! Without the strength of Leon's relationship with Andy, British DC tennis would be struggling!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

The first part of your comment is more to do with whether Mandy should have said yes or no, if asked. To which, I tend to agree - it's disruptive. And it's true we don't know if she was asked or not.

But I don't agree about the hitting partners: I've never seen Fed cup teams use local hitting partners - I'm not even sure the locals would ever agree - it would be sure to be reported in the press and look very bad for them, to be 'helping' the visitors win.

Someone else mentioned Gabi Taylor, which also would have made sense, and she is part of the LTA favoured few.

wolf · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Is there any particular issue with the LTA and Mandy. I think more than one person has put her case but then sort of said that of course she won't be picked.

Or is that more just an observation on just not expecting Anne to deviate from the norm ? - and I think we all predicted the team.
I accept as has been said that it would be a major step up for her, but you do have to take great account of the surface. I'd have had Mandy here if it was an option.

Anne has probably never seen her play.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Isn't that her job ? Doesn't she get paid for being Fed Cup captain?

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

I'd have said so. It can't have been a bolt from the blue that Romania might choose clay and so she should have been researching and watching any current players with results on that surface. But as I said earlier, she going down that well trodden path in British tennis of working with those she already knows and likes

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Coup Droit wrote:

But I don't agree about the hitting partners: I've never seen Fed cup teams use local hitting partners - I'm not even sure the locals would ever agree - it would be sure to be reported in the press and look very bad for them, to be 'helping' the visitors win.

Someone else mentioned Gabi Taylor, which also would have made sense, and she is part of the LTA favoured few.

Talking of hitting partners, the JTC Academy's Instagram has a picture of Jo practicing with Ryan Storrie on a clay court....not sure where the clay court is though....NTC??

wolf · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
Isn't that her job ? Doesn't she get paid for being Fed Cup captain?

Of course, but there are practicalities, unless she fancied travelling to South America or USA she wouldn't have had much chance recently, and there has been no streams. Best she could probably do is watch a bit on YouTube, I think there's something from her run at Saint-Gaudens last year although it's a bit hidden. Of course, she could have asked someone to put a camera up and send her the video.

And it's only conjecture from me that she hasn't.

paulisi · Tennis legend

If Jo is on top form, this could go down to the wire. Hev's injury is a concern though.
I see Katie Swan will be popping over to join the squad.

indiana · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Isn't that her job ? Doesn't she get paid for being Fed Cup captain?
Of course, but there are practicalities, unless she fancied travelling to South America or USA she wouldn't have had much chance recently, and there has been no streams. Best she could probably do is watch a bit on YouTube, I think there's something from her run at Saint-Gaudens last year although it's a bit hidden. Of course, she could have asked someone to put a camera up and send her the video.
And it's only conjecture from me that she hasn't.

Well travel then ! She has an important job and it's quite important to err get the best team on place.

Now as wolf says we don't really know at all how much Anne has seen of Mandy including possibly travelljng across the pond so it's not fair to condemn her on some assumptions of ours as to that or her reasons for the team she picked. But that team doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Yet all who predicted a team, including me, predicted that team so somehow we have picked up impressions.

Say Mandy at least reaches the final here and closer to you know what I dare Anne to belatedly call on Mandy's help ! ( again that is if she hasn't previously ).

the addict · Tennis legend

Anne has had almost 5 months in the job, and must have been approached earlier than that. I I'd have thought that was enough time to check on the limited number of players that could be in the team.