Sam Murray Sharan

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sam Murray

Lambda · Challenger level

Sam looks to be returning. She had entered doubles in the Portugal 25k next week with Mariam Bolkvadze, but as she has no ranking she was automatically withdrawn from the advance entries. I thought she would have a protected ranking, unless she's chosen not to use it just yet.

the addict · Tennis legend

I'm sure you know how it works, but others may not, so here is my take.
Sam should have a special ranking (as the WTA call it) for doubles, but anyway isn't using it here. She was ranked around 400 at the time of her last tournament, so her SR should be in that region.

There is a limit of seven advanced entries for doubles which is why she missed out.

wolf · Tennis legend

Sam was in the top 100 when she stopped???

the addict · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
Sam was in the top 100 when she stopped???

Sorry, the WTA website jumps about and switches from singles to doubles at will when you look at weekly rankings. She was around 400 singles and 80 doubles.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Congrats to Sam !!!!

Back to pro tennis, after maternity leave, and time off before, now age 35 - and she takes the doubles title in her first event back !

(the 25k in Spain, playing with Olivia Gadecki)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sam (age 36) re-enters the top-200

WTA Doubles: 185 (+42)

PS Just wondering if someone should maybe amend the title, to reflect her married name, as she now plays under it?

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Monday 22nd of April 2024 07:25:35 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sam Murray Sharan

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Great to see Sam back in the top-1000 in singles

It is a disgrace (IMO) that GB tennis has only three players in their 30s with a singles ranking (and one of those is literally age 30)

In order of age:

Sam Murray Sharan - age 36 - 970
Heather Watson - age 32 - 184
Tiffany William - age 30 - 1049

Brendan F · Lower Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
Great to see Sam back in the top-1000 in singles

It is a disgrace (IMO) that GB tennis has only three players in their 30s with a singles ranking (and one of those is literally age 30)

In order of age:

Sam Murray Sharan - age 36 - 970
Heather Watson - age 32 - 184
Tiffany William - age 30 - 1049

Tbf a lot of women retire before 30

indiana · Tennis legend

Brendan F wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Great to see Sam back in the top-1000 in singles

It is a disgrace (IMO) that GB tennis has only three players in their 30s with a singles ranking (and one of those is literally age 30)

In order of age:

Sam Murray Sharan - age 36 - 970
Heather Watson - age 32 - 184
Tiffany William - age 30 - 1049
Tbf a lot of women retire before 30

... in GB, arguably largely through the LTA being so ageist. As CD indicates, "GB tennis" rather more than the players themselves.

They should at the very least more acknowledge such a player as Emily WS.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Brendan F wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Great to see Sam back in the top-1000 in singles

It is a disgrace (IMO) that GB tennis has only three players in their 30s with a singles ranking (and one of those is literally age 30)

In order of age:

Sam Murray Sharan - age 36 - 970
Heather Watson - age 32 - 184
Tiffany William - age 30 - 1049
Tbf a lot of women retire before 30

You mean in life? In tennis? Or GB tennis?

My point is compare GB tennis to other countries. So, ranked players 30+:

UK - 3

Italy - 7

Germany - 10

etc etc etc

And this is because the LTA do not, indeed refuse to, run a system that sees tennis as an overall industry.

So there is no place for older players, no system that allows them to stay involved in pro tennis

Which one might think is irrelevant - the vast vast majoirty are never going to be top-100 players, ever, or again

But, to me, that's not the point. A system which is well balanced, at that end of the age range, is a healthy system. It shows that players are not spat out at the end. Which thereby encourages more players. It shares experience. It makes for tennis parents and tennis mentors. Many might not be trekking the world, playing fulltime, as they did at 25. But if they're still involved, still playing pro events, still with aspirations, it's a great sign for others. If most of our women retire before they're 30, that's a pretty damning reflection on our system I think.

Brendan F · Lower Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
Brendan F wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Great to see Sam back in the top-1000 in singles

It is a disgrace (IMO) that GB tennis has only three players in their 30s with a singles ranking (and one of those is literally age 30)

In order of age:

Sam Murray Sharan - age 36 - 970
Heather Watson - age 32 - 184
Tiffany William - age 30 - 1049
Tbf a lot of women retire before 30
You mean in life? In tennis? Or GB tennis?

My point is compare GB tennis to other countries. So, ranked players 30+:
UK - 3
Italy - 7
Germany - 10
etc etc etc
And this is because the LTA do not, indeed refuse to, run a system that sees tennis as an overall industry.
So there is no place for older players, no system that allows them to stay involved in pro tennis
Which one might think is irrelevant - the vast vast majoirty are never going to be top-100 players, ever, or again
But, to me, that's not the point. A system which is well balanced, at that end of the age range, is a healthy system. It shows that players are not spat out at the end. Which thereby encourages more players. It shares experience. It makes for tennis parents and tennis mentors. Many might not be trekking the world, playing fulltime, as they did at 25. But if they're still involved, still playing pro events, still with aspirations, it's a great sign for others. If most of our women retire before they're 30, that's a pretty damning reflection on our system I think.

I wasn't saying whether it's right or wrong, but there are only 22 over 30s in the top 100 so my point that most retire speaks for itself. As for what can be done to encourage more to continue playing I couldn't presume to know, but I would imagine it's harder on women's bodies than men's which is why so few continue playing. Narrowing it down to British women who do you think should still be playing to boost the numbers?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Brendan F wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Brendan F wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Great to see Sam back in the top-1000 in singles

It is a disgrace (IMO) that GB tennis has only three players in their 30s with a singles ranking (and one of those is literally age 30)

In order of age:

Sam Murray Sharan - age 36 - 970
Heather Watson - age 32 - 184
Tiffany William - age 30 - 1049
Tbf a lot of women retire before 30
You mean in life? In tennis? Or GB tennis?

My point is compare GB tennis to other countries. So, ranked players 30+:
UK - 3
Italy - 7
Germany - 10
etc etc etc
And this is because the LTA do not, indeed refuse to, run a system that sees tennis as an overall industry.
So there is no place for older players, no system that allows them to stay involved in pro tennis
Which one might think is irrelevant - the vast vast majoirty are never going to be top-100 players, ever, or again
But, to me, that's not the point. A system which is well balanced, at that end of the age range, is a healthy system. It shows that players are not spat out at the end. Which thereby encourages more players. It shares experience. It makes for tennis parents and tennis mentors. Many might not be trekking the world, playing fulltime, as they did at 25. But if they're still involved, still playing pro events, still with aspirations, it's a great sign for others. If most of our women retire before they're 30, that's a pretty damning reflection on our system I think.

I wasn't saying whether it's right or wrong, but there are only 22 over 30s in the top 100 so my point that most retire speaks for itself. As for what can be done to encourage more to continue playing I couldn't presume to know, but I would imagine it's harder on women's bodies than men's which is why so few continue playing. Narrowing it down to British women who do you think should still be playing to boost the numbers?

But I'm not looking or interested in the top-100

And the fact that there are only 22 in the top-100 does not mean that they retire - it certainly does not speak for itself - it simply means that others play better.

It's perfectly reasonable (and true for many countries) that the over 30s drop down the rankings, but still play (and some retire in the early part of the 30s, of course, and most by the latter part of the 30s, but many carry on well into their 30s)

But it's not true that so few continue playing, that's only true in GB - as said, most other countries have far more over 30s still playing, and it's not about their bodies (I've no idea why you think women's bodies will give out first, indeed pregnancy, for instance, has been shown to be a major benefit) but about whether there is an integrated tennis sytem in the country that provides support across the board (and that feeds on itself - i.e. if you have a good club and team system, more people play in general, so more companies sponsor local players, so more 35 year-olds will get sponsorship, and want to be part of the first team, so have to keep their ranking up, and will maybe give lessons on the side etc etc etc

dodrade · Futures qualifying

Brendan F wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Brendan F wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Great to see Sam back in the top-1000 in singles

It is a disgrace (IMO) that GB tennis has only three players in their 30s with a singles ranking (and one of those is literally age 30)

In order of age:

Sam Murray Sharan - age 36 - 970
Heather Watson - age 32 - 184
Tiffany William - age 30 - 1049
Tbf a lot of women retire before 30
You mean in life? In tennis? Or GB tennis?

My point is compare GB tennis to other countries. So, ranked players 30+:
UK - 3
Italy - 7
Germany - 10
etc etc etc
And this is because the LTA do not, indeed refuse to, run a system that sees tennis as an overall industry.
So there is no place for older players, no system that allows them to stay involved in pro tennis
Which one might think is irrelevant - the vast vast majoirty are never going to be top-100 players, ever, or again
But, to me, that's not the point. A system which is well balanced, at that end of the age range, is a healthy system. It shows that players are not spat out at the end. Which thereby encourages more players. It shares experience. It makes for tennis parents and tennis mentors. Many might not be trekking the world, playing fulltime, as they did at 25. But if they're still involved, still playing pro events, still with aspirations, it's a great sign for others. If most of our women retire before they're 30, that's a pretty damning reflection on our system I think.

I wasn't saying whether it's right or wrong, but there are only 22 over 30s in the top 100 so my point that most retire speaks for itself. As for what can be done to encourage more to continue playing I couldn't presume to know, but I would imagine it's harder on women's bodies than men's which is why so few continue playing. Narrowing it down to British women who do you think should still be playing to boost the numbers?

Konta was still competitive at 30 but wanted to start a family. Laura Robson would probably still be playing now if her body had let her.