Coup Droit wrote:

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the addict wrote:

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First set of results in - and some surprises....

Ali Collins def Emily Webley-Smith [1/519] 6-4 7-6(4)
Mollie Crouch def Beth Grey 5-7 6-4 6-4
Alicia Barnett def Eliz Maloney 6-4 3-6 7-5
Maia Lumsden [4/688] def Emily Appleton 6-3 4-6 6-3

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There's a pay-cheque of £4,375 for the winner of that four.

It's a big prize.....

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What a result from Ali Collins I thought she might surprise Emily. Ali is highly thought of in Scotland. My tip is Maia though to qualify  

telstar wrote:

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I'm new to posting but a long-standing follower of this board and of British womens' tennis. I don't share the general agreement with the players accepted for the wild card comp. For regular adult players this is a high light of their year and a rare opportunity to see a possible path to glory! Wimbledon is not a junior event and therefore wild cards should not be given to junior players who have not played senior tennis. The three girls given wild cards without world ranking points have had opportunities to play senior events but have instead chosen to proceed along the Junior ITF route. This may well be the correct decision for them but by giving wild cards to such juniors then regular senior players are being deprived. An example is Manisha Foster who has been injured but still has a world ranking and yet is made a reserve for this event. Generally there is bias against older players in the granting of wild cards by the LTA. This is also shown in British ITF events when juniors are always prioritised over seniors. The treatment of Sam Murray, Tara Moore and Emily Webley-Smith in recent years has also been poor. Players who continue full time after leaving the juniors should be encouraged-it's a tough enough life for them as it is without bias being displayed against them!

 

-- Edited by telstar on Thursday 22nd of June 2017 02:59:15 PM

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 I have been wondering where Manisha was, who hasn't participated in a single grass court event this year unfortunately. I agree she should have been given an entry here... but perhaps more importantly she is one of the many who would have potentially benefited from having a number of 25k tournaments as well both to help adapt to the grass, and as opportunity for lower ranked players to show more easily who has potential on grass. 

Coup Droit wrote:

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Hi, telstar.

You make interesting points. And, although I am a huge fan of junior tennis, I agree. There is zero respect for older, established players - it's always the next 'hot' star.

The trouble is, I feel, that each coach pushes their own player's credentials for a place. And those players whose coaches are 'in the know' within the LTA system always 'win'.

Katie Boulter got the Q WC place last year, despite losing in the semis of the wildcard play-offs, and despite Sam Murray having a FAR better claim, simply because Jeremy Bates' word has some clout.

Despite that, many will be interested to see how the youngsters do.

Maybe it's the balance. Six wildcards seems a lot. I know that two (or up to two) are taken up by the Tour leader/winner. But maybe there should only be two other ones, not four.

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Yes, I think most folk on the forum would agree that there appears to be fairly intolerable bias against older players - Sam Murray's treatment last year re a non Wimbledon Q WC being the worst single example. But EWS has had it tough when she had kept going so much longer than most Brits and hasn't tended to get close to a level playing field as any reward. Maybe now becoming too late for her - that should fire her up !

Not sure that the Q WC play-off WC ( phew ! ) situation is too bad though. The 10 direct entries have covered all our top 1000 players that wanted to play ( the men's direct entries go even deeper ) though I take the point that the first reserve on ranking Manisha had a very good case for being considered along with the young crew. I quite like the young ones having their chance here, but I don't like that it simply seems policy year on year that the 4 open WCs are given to young prospects. Older players may have particular cases like this year the not very old at all Manisha.