Maia Lumsden

nickw811 · Social player

Maia Lumsden

Michael D · All-time great

It's a good read thanks Nick, and interesting to see Maia's aspirations and plans for the coming year! I think people have high expectations of her over the coming year, for the most part, in her first full year of really spreading her wings, and as Maia says going on to play larger tournaments than the 15ks that have been her stock tournaments so far. In the recent 2018 women's predictions, only 3 people had Maia in their top 10s, with a range between 302 and 375. BUT I expect that many had her just outside their top 10, and also predicted rankings within the 300s - for instance, she was 11th on my list with a prediction of 312, so it's likely there are many others that are also expecting her to improve 175+ places in the coming year to reach 350 and higher in the rankings.

Maia had only 1 non-qualifying round win in 25ks last year, so her ability to achieve improved results in the 25ks is going to be key to the amount of upward progress she can make in the rankings in 2018. There is no doubt she has the game for it, but there are a lot of other factors - her ability to travel well outside Europe, and adapt to different contexts, climates, diets, types of accommodation etc, as well has her ability to stay physically healthy and psychologically positive. One thing she doesn't say in your article is how she will be travelling - whether just by herself, or with someone in her team with her, or at least with some of the other players. That can also make a huge difference to her ability to adapt to different countries and playing conditions, and just get used to travelling and playing on the wider circuit outside Europe.

She is however certainly one young player we will all be watching here this year, and hoping she can continue to make an upward transition! She appears to have a good head on her young shoulders, which should help her a lot at least...

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, I would say that WR 350 does seem a very reasonable 2018 target for Maia with that representing a 175 place rise from her current WR 525 which has been based on her first pretty full senior year.

I had Sam Murray as my GB #10 at WR 322 and Maia was not one I had in my mind for that place so I'd say I have been thinking about her as maybe 350 to 400 at best but be great if she can do better than that,

scottie1 · Futures level

indiana wrote:
Yes, I would say that WR 350 does seem a very reasonable 2018 target for Maia with that representing a 175 place rise from her current WR 525 which has been based on her first pretty full senior year.

I had Sam Murray as my GB #10 at WR 322 and Maia was not one I had in my mind for that place so I'd say I have been thinking about her as maybe 350 to 400 at best but be great if she can do better than that,

I hope to be in Glasgow w/c 29 January for the 25K tournament which I would think Maia will receive a WC to main draw

indiana · Tennis legend

scottie1 wrote:
indiana wrote:
Yes, I would say that WR 350 does seem a very reasonable 2018 target for Maia with that representing a 175 place rise from her current WR 525 which has been based on her first pretty full senior year.

I had Sam Murray as my GB #10 at WR 322 and Maia was not one I had in my mind for that place so I'd say I have been thinking about her as maybe 350 to 400 at best but be great if she can do better than that,
I hope to be in Glasgow w/c 29 January for the 25K tournament which I would think Maia will receive a WC to main draw

I hope to be too, at some stage(s).

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Very interesting to see how Maia progresses in 2018. I'd expect a few more tournament wins at 15k level and a few further advancements in 25k and 50k events.

If she doesn't get one outright i would expect Maia to come through the Wimbledon QWC play-off too.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Nice clip about how much team tennis and Stirling has helped, amongst other things

twitter.com/i/status/1083415675866148869

the addict · Tennis legend

Article about Maia, injuries and illness this year, and returning to play at the NTC on July10th

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18558840.maia-lumsden-determined-make-2020-stop-start-year/?ref=twtrec

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Seeing that Gabi Taylor is taking further time away from the tour reminds one that Maia beat Gabi in the U-14 Orange Bowl final in 2012. However Maia's highest world ranking according to Wikipedia is 250. What is the reason for the failure of these girls, essentially outstanding juniors to fail to get anywhere near the top 100 as seniors?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

It's only a small thing - and not conclusive - but both Maia and Gabi are pretty/very short for professional tennis players. It's something that isn't important at age 13 - because the extra inches, for instance, that a 'tall' 13 year-old has doesn't really make a difference at the serve yet because they're all below the trajectory height of the net.
But it makes life a lot tougher later on.
I hate to typecast players but it's one of things I note - and one of the reasons that, in my list of 17 year olds, I preferred the chances of Harriet, Jodie, Freya and Katie B, rather than Katy D, Maia, Gabi, etc.
Of course, it's not the be all and end all, and there are plenty of examples that show the opposite, but - at 5ft 5 or whatever, and correspondingly lighter and shorter arm span - it's not easy.
There are plenty of foreign girls who likewise shine bright as juniors who don't move up the ranks, it's not just a GB thing.
(Mind you, Emma Rad has a great physique for tennis - here's hoping).

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Coup Droit wrote:
It's only a small thing - and not conclusive - but both Maia and Gabi are pretty/very short for professional tennis players. It's something that isn't important at age 13 - because the extra inches, for instance, that a 'tall' 13 year-old has doesn't really make a difference at the serve yet because they're all below the trajectory height of the net.
But it makes life a lot tougher later on.
I hate to typecast players but it's one of things I note - and one of the reasons that, in my list of 17 year olds, I preferred the chances of Harriet, Jodie, Freya and Katie B, rather than Katy D, Maia, Gabi, etc.
Of course, it's not the be all and end all, and there are plenty of examples that show the opposite, but - at 5ft 5 or whatever, and correspondingly lighter and shorter arm span - it's not easy.
There are plenty of foreign girls who likewise shine bright as juniors who don't move up the ranks, it's not just a GB thing.
(Mind you, Emma Rad has a great physique for tennis - here's hoping).

On the height issue both Johanna Konta and Laura Robson are pretty close to 6ft in height. However from the other point of view although probably being no more than 5ft 3in. in height Dominika Cibulkova had a very successful career. This included reaching a Grand Slam final, quarter finals or better of all the Grand Slams, winning the WTA finals, winning Eastbourne and ending JoKo's Wimbledon of 2018. In a previous era Amanda Coetzer was probably no more than 5ft 2in. tall and was good enough to defeat Steffi Graf twice in Grand Slams and also inflict Steffi's heaviest ever defeat on another occasion.

christ · Futures level

Martina Hingis was 'only' 5ft 7in. And she did OK.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

christ wrote:
Martina Hingis was 'only' 5ft 7in. And she did OK.

Im only 5 foot 8 and blame it entirely on my inability to have broken through to the top of the game

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

The fact that there are some smaller players who do well doesn't negate the point. Indeed, I said that from the off.

Obviously Sara Errani, Cibulkova, Henin, etc are all well under the average height of pro players and did extremely well.

But that's how averages work - the graph will have some very small and some very tall.

Which is why when I do the stats for the last 16 in all the grand slams, I look at height as one of the factors (because it's info that's given)

And the average height for women is a LOT taller than Cibulkova which tells you that it's very difficult to be Cibulkova's height and do well but a lot easier to be JoKo's height and do well.

Hence, Gabi and Maia are up against it from the get go.

emmsie69 · Top national player

Both Ash Barry and Simons Halep are a similar height. I've not watched Maia or Gabriella play but you can get away with a lot in junior tennis in terms of athleticism and variety that you can't at the Senior level.

ETA Lack of variety and/or athleticism

-- Edited by emmsie69 on Monday 14th of December 2020 06:41:07 PM