US College Signings 2019 (and general college chat)

Strongbow · All-time great

RE: US College Signings 2019 (and general college chat)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Don't know if it's here somewhere but Lamar Bartley is off to Tyler, Texas.

All good wishes, Lamar !

LordBrownof · Futures level

Arthur announced on Insta that he's committed to Stanford.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Arthur Féry?

LordBrownof · Futures level

Coup Droit wrote:
Arthur Féry?

Yes

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

LordBrownof wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Arthur Féry?
Yes

Great. Tx. A good move.

Like him a lot but he's got a lot of growing to do and Stanford is a great offer.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Do you think so? Academically its a no brainier but from a tennis perspective they had 7 freshman this yr (2 red shirts), that is a very large wave to be tucked in behind he needs to be playing 1 or 2 as a sophomore everyone will be settled. As a top 60 junior (hes a 2002 with 37 born 2001 above him therefore due for a big rise) he will need to get some top slot tennis but it wont be from the get go even Axel played No 2 for almost two years. Its important if the agenda is to go pro that you beat the strong players in the PAC 12 mainly no 1 slot only really strong programmes will have No 2s who go pro and get to play NCAA singles and doubles at least as a sophomore

Geller (ITF junior 1) will be No 1 for the next two years, Rotseart also good (ITF junior 32) a freshman his natural successor. Plenty of competition for the no 2 slot thereafter, rest of squad US (mainly instate plus Florida/Arizona) and finding top top juniors academically gifted enough to get in is a challenge for them.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Arthur is small for his age, although both parents are tall/quite tall so I'm expecting him to have a big growth spurt at some point (not a given, obviously, but with both of them being tall, it's seems a decent guess, although it's true he looks more like his dad who is only the 'quite tall' of the two).

What with that, and general level, and a year to go in juniors, he's certainly not ready for adult pro tour, in my view. Or, put it this way, there are better ways to spend a couple of years in terms of development. (The lad was barely on the LTA's radar until recently and only playing a few ITF G5s this time last year).

And the UK is SO short of a decent training group, decent competition structure, decent pool of varied partners, that I think he'd get a lot more out of college, at least for a couple of years (and that's the beauty of it, you don't need to stay the full 4 years).

I also think the family are very savvy about sport (mother an ex pro WTA tennis player and father chairman of football club), with the resources to make pretty much any decision they wish, that they will be very knowledgeable about the decisions they're making and the pluses and minuses.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 29th of August 2019 07:36:32 AM

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

I haven't really come across Arthur CD so you are far more knowledgeable about him and his family. However, I think Oakie makes a good point. Whilst an aspiring pro really wants to play in a 'power' conference (which the PAC12 certainly is) you don't want to be playing too far down the order, even at the start. What the coaches look for in positions 5 and 6 are players who's game is designed not to lose. They are really coached to be grinders - the backstop if your top players come up against opponents who outclass them. And once in those positions it is very often hard to move up the order as the other players graduate. The coaches usually would look to bring in fresh talent who has the kind of game to play in positions 2-4 straight off. So, whilst hoping Stanford serves young Arthur well, it is still worth pointing out that he might be better going to a team in a power conference who would be looking to play him at around 3-4 initially. He would have decent opposition and be more likely to be coached to have an assertive game.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You make good points (as does Oakie).

If it's 'should it be Stanford or another college', I really have no idea, re the tennis.

But I was focusing more on 'should it be college or not' (which was part of Oakie's post, I though, but might be wrong).

Oakland2002 · All-time great

No college sounds perfect for him, really if he can get into Stanford on a free ride regardless of how the tennis goes it is a very exciting opportunity for him but he will stay the 4 years. There are too many strong players ahead of him in the programme for him to get enough elite level college to be ready to move on before then. I agree with another year in juniors he is probably no where near his adult body shape and boys continue to fill out significantly in college, institutions such as Stanford completely understand that. It has to be a really intelligent programme because they are so restricted on who they can bring in, you have to be really academic no exceptions, dont keep up and your out. Because of this they regularly have to recruit for potential, knowing a player will need a couple of years, O makes some really good points about the 5, 6 slot but Arthur is significantly stronger already than the vast majority of their in state/Arizona/West Coast recruits.

They find it hard to recruit top 50 ITF juniors. Geller is the exception, I spoke to him at Roehampton before he went and he was so excited about going. Pretty certain they will be recruiting with the view he will slot 1 or 2 in his junior and senior years, the challenge is to do what Jubby has done (s.Carolina were weaker) get the no 1 slot as a sophomore and make a real impression at National college level. To have any chance of going pro that would be a realistic target. Tom Fawcett kept Axel off the no 1 slot as both a freshman and sophomore he did well in college and made an impression nationally, a big lad but I cant see him breaking through challenger level.

Cam left because the well was dry re regular competition week in week out to improve even when playing no 1 for TCU. Jubby is close to that level but got a bit of luck in the NCAA singles draw, ie there are still one or two good college players out there who will give him problems, the SEC is very strong at No 1, I am sure he will get plenty of wildcards being a SEC player and NCAA champion lots of opportunities at 25Ks and challengers in the SE USA.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Congrats to US Open Doubles Champion, Farah, who was the 2008 NCAA men's doubles champion and an 'old boy' Trojan from California's USC Tennis program.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I think Myah Petchey, born 2001, should be on the list.

She got up to JWR 179 and is now, I believe, at the University of Oregon as a freshman (2019/20)

Elegant Point · Satellite level

James Storey joined his brother Matt at Memphis after allegedly turning down TCU, Auburn, NC State and Georgia.
Auburn recruit another Brit to join Tad Maclean and Tom Wright - Finn Murgett will be joining the roster Spring 2020
Alexander Zuckerman started at UNCG Joining fellow Brits Ollie Palmer and Jack Burkill

Added - Sam Bossem will join Penn State, fall 2020. Matthias Ross will join Virginia Tech Spring 2020

-- Edited by Elegant Point on Tuesday 24th of September 2019 06:22:41 PM

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
I think Myah Petchey, born 2001, should be on the list.

She got up to JWR 179 and is now, I believe, at the University of Oregon as a freshman (2019/20)

Really like the Oregon programme, havent seen them play for a couple of years but they really punched above their weight in the PAC 12 up against traditionally strong programmes, UCLA, USC, Cal and national champions Stanford great team spirit, lots of depth in the conference if she can make the no 4 slot she might end up playing Emily when they play Stanford! Hopefully Emily will play 2 in her senior year.