Harriet has done very well to get to where she is, I haven't seen her play for 6 months but at that point she was very consistent no major weapons but making very few errors.
The question is how do you push on through to the top 200 and is that possible for her? I think the discussion should be much more about potential for development and where does she look to do that, why have the results the last 6 months not matched up to the first? Is the difference on the court or in the head? What can she improve to make that next step, is there anyone at the next level with a similar game or will she have to do something different tactically or is that what she has been trying?
You look at Freya's game and you can see that consistency but playing the way she can play would take her into the top 200, Harriet probably has to look elsewhere to make that step. I believe she was pretty close to going to Texas Tech and they would have been delighted to have (I am sure she would have been very successful at that level) her but already she is probably much more advanced from a professional tennis perspective than she would be if she'd gone.
That's all interesting. So you think her game is stronger now than if she'd being getting College coaching. I dont' know what Harriet's coaching situation has been and if she's always travelled with a coach. Playing pro matches in itself doesn't provide much after a while if you are not getting the coaching direction you need in tandem with them. Players just stagnate.
Sounds like the toss up for Harriet would have been which path gives her access to the best coaching experience. And I don't know enough about it all for the answer to that. Here's hoping she finds what she needs.
Harriet is a player who has moved around a fair bit coaching wise. At the moment I think she is with JTC at Chiswick/Northwood along with Katie B, Freya and Jodie.
Not in anyway meaning to deride Texas tech as they appear to have grown a strong ladies programme. Also I know very little about Harriet's coaching set up but realistically I doubt she would have come out of college tennis on the cusp of the top 300 as a 23 year old (presently 20) I think it is slightly different to the men's side where there is still a lot of physical maturation between 18-22.
It will be interesting to see how more highly ranked junior girls (JCH) like the Emily A's at Stanford and going to Vandy come out of college and where their careers go. We haven't really had such highly ranked junior girls take the college route before but will be very interesting to follow. The quality of some of the Florida futures qualifying draws (128) is too much for all but the top 10 college girls as things stand.
Harriet is a player who has moved around a fair bit coaching wise. At the moment I think she is with JTC at Chiswick/Northwood along with Katie B, Freya and Jodie.