Week 26 - Wimbledon men's qualifying

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Week 26 - Wimbledon men's qualifying

steven · Tennis legend

Just thought - if the Wards happen to draw each other in R1, it would surely mean the lowest-ranked higher-ranked player in a slam main draw match since the rankings began

steven · Tennis legend

... and having written that, I've just gone on Twitter to find someone (is it one of the Pauls from here?) tweeting "@GBtennis Call me a sentimental old f4rt if you wish but I'd be happy with Ward v Ward in R1 (Oi Steven, less of the "old") #Wimbledon2017

LOL

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

indiana wrote:
By the way Gary protests too much and re not being given fair recognition. Actually that itself is unfair, many people on here have made many comments on how good he was for Marcus and the noticeable big climb up the rankings to a much more reasonable level for his rankings. And he certainly did clearly work at fitness and lose weight. He has just as clearly put weight back on.

While comments re take care re weight remarks are reasonable, the clear fact is to anyone with decent eyesight he is carrying too much flab. He actually does indeed move pretty well with it and has often shown good stamina but any idea that he wouldn't have much more chance of making strides as a pro tennis player much lighter is again absolutely delusional.

I will admit that weight loss could be beneficial on other surfaces particularly clay I do not think that Marcus's current weight or condition is a liability on grass . I do feel that if I had perservered with marcus his ranking would be top 300 if nothing else i encouraged and incentives him to play more tournaments . I think a capacity where I was able to manage a players tournament schedule would be preferable to simply sponsoring . If marcus invests in a tour focusing on indoor hard /and grass 25 tournaments per year think he could break the top 250 barrier .

-- Edited by A1 tennis academy on Friday 30th of June 2017 03:20:31 PM

Jimmy09 · Intermediate Club Player

Unfortunately i think Gary lives in a dream world

Oakland2002 · All-time great

In the balance of probabilities Marcus failed to qualify not through lack of talent but through poor conditioning. There is not a single player in the top 100 with a BMI close to Marcus's.

Federer is what he is but it is not a coincidence that he weighs 85kg, Nadal 85Kg, Murray 84Kg, Novak 80kg. Tsonga at low 90's (188cm) is probably the beefest, it's not being mean but Marcus at present according to BMI would be overweight trending obese (maybe just saved by his height). Top tennis players aren't and he will be just a charming curiosity on the lower ranks of the challenger/futures tour until he addresses it. He is lucky he is a Brit and gets summer days in the sun compliments of wildcards.

He will no doubt carve out a career around tennis, he is still young and it is up to him as to the type of career he has.

Good luck to him, I hope he wins he is a lovely guy but the truth is he won't, not at challenger level or above on any surface. I would love to see him do well in the doubles with Jay I hope they have a great time.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Do you think everyone would be making the same comments if Marcus were a woman?

As said before, I think it is wrong to focus almost entirely on Marcus' weight, calling him 'fat', saying he's got no self-discipline, effectively saying he shouldn't be there.
There are certain female players who are, by even normal definitions, slightly heavy. And yet we are careful not to much too much pressure on them and their body image. And rightly so.
There are other players (including one British player) who, in my opinion, has a (skinny) body that shows an equal lack of discipline by seemingly never have been within 50 ft of a gym.

Men are no different. Many men have body issues (more commonly to do with steroid abuse than eating disorders, but it's all connected).

As said before, Naomi Cavaday's writings should be read by all those who are targeting Marcus.

NB I'm not saying that we should skirt round the issue of weight and not mention it for fear of offence. There were allusions to Tara not looking match fit and in great tennis shape. And that's fine.
But the attacks on Marcus seem completely out of proportion and personal (especially when compared to what people think it appropriate re Tara, for instance). Surely there are other things to talk about in terms of his performance than purely his weight??????

wolf · Tennis legend

Marcus was looking very, very lean at the start of the year, see here - www.shropshirestar.com/sport/2017/02/14/marcus-willis-makes-flying-start-in-aegon-gb-pro-series/ so shame he has let himself go it seems.

Spectator · All-time great

Agree wholeheartedly with CD's comments.

-- Edited by Spectator on Friday 30th of June 2017 06:12:04 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

Don't particularly. There's body issues and dedication issues ( though the point about men vs women is reasonable ), but I've said my pieces and don't retract.

-- Edited by indiana on Friday 30th of June 2017 08:04:05 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

A pretty damning New York Times article about conditions at Qualifying:

www.nytimes.com/2017/06/29/sports/tennis/wimbledon-qualifying-matches.html

Personally, I had a great time ! Although it was bloody cold. But the players' opinions might be more important than mine......

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Link doesn't work for me CD

the addict · Tennis legend

Edit - link is OK in editing, but redirects

Just type it in and it is ok

-- Edited by the addict on Saturday 1st of July 2017 09:06:22 AM

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Got there!! But why would the Bank of England upgrade its facilities for the qualifying event when they know that at soon as Wimbledon Park Golf Club's lease expires in a year or so, that the AELTC are taking back some of the land to build their own qualifying venue?

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I agree whole heartedly with CD, we shouldn't be discussing weight issues around what is considered the pinnacle of world tennis.

Are we discussing the conditioning of any of the British Lions? Did we discuss it around the GB women's hockey Olympic Gold winning squad. Do we discuss it around our present top 50 players Konta, Edmund and Murray. No, and there is a reason for it, In truly competitive sports recruiting the best athletes success is dependant on being at your peak. That is what we all aspire to for British tennis.

Technically, physically and mentally. To shy away from openly discussing or not acknowledging challenging areas is folly, yes do it diplomatically give chances but when it gets to the point where hints are repeatedly not taken doors should be firmly shut until overt demonstration of improvement is evident. Admittedly British tennis has a small pool of athletes from which to pick, ideally they would all be professional in every sense of the word, ours aren't and wildcards given the shallow pool facilitates opportunity for the semi- professional in a variety of senses.

Leon Smith manages our best expertly, encouraging, nudging and squeezing performances out of our players, he is tolerant and has to be pragmatic. I have immense admiration for him and his players giving their all. We are where we are but you are right in an ideal world we should not be discussing weight.