Transitional tour

Peter too · Tennis legend

Transitional tour

the addict · Tennis legend

I think their preferences only count up to the main computer run on the withdrawal date - after that only rankings count if they have signed in. None of those players have a high enough ranking to make it in directly, but as you point out, could have made it in if they had turned up in Antalya.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Tunisia has a really skinny quali draw too.

wolf · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
You ring the tournament referee. They should have been contacted by most and know who is expected to sign in.

And book really expensive last minute tickets and arrive at 7am in the morning?

And I'm pretty sure what you said doesn't hold up. Tournament director advises players way down on alternates to come on a whim?

It makes no practical sense.

TennisMom · Social player

As a parent of a reserve (best alternate position 33 this year)

Should I risk going With her? Or even sending her alone at the last minute, to countries that are on the government risk lists.

Having signed in at some GB tournaments, last year as a reserve 13ish & not got in because wild cards (not even listed)take most of those spots, why should that not happen in foreign ones? Difference is there is s big price tag attached. Not just a days wages plus petrol.

Truth is no one really knows anymore. There is no with previous experience. There is no data, to make a calculated risk.

Reality is just keep entering week in week out everything in U.K., Europe, Egypt & Tunisia & hope & pray to get in, even then its the equivalent of entering a $25 or $60 k last year, which would not have been the logical starting out point in seniors!

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, I imagine lots of girls are entering here, there and everywhere and then as well as some qualifiers withdrawing alts lists belatedly fall apart more than ever before. But understandably this can not at all be predicted, particularly since so much is still new. And then as said even if you do become aware of a late opening there is such as the increased late expense.

I'm sorry that it must be so frustrating for players and family.

Michael D · All-time great

Yes, it is as though all the players are panicking right now, as so many are entering multiple tournaments even when they can reasonably expect to get into their top choice. Whether it is because of fewer tournaments, or just the lack of qualifying places - which is undoubtedly a major reason - draws have been so much stronger in the early stages of this year than last. Perhaps it will settle down a bit now, there are more tournaments scheduled over the next couple of weeks, and it will be easier for those aspiring to get onto ranking lists to find places somewhere.

JonH · All-time great

With last minute entries as TennisMom describes , how do travel visas work? Surely these can cause an issue particularly in some more exotic (ie non European) countries, and do the players get some sort of all encompassing sports visa or do they need to apply to each country as and when needed. ?

Michael D · All-time great

JonH wrote:
With last minute entries as TennisMom describes , how do travel visas work? Surely these can cause an issue particularly in some more exotic (ie non European) countries, and do the players get some sort of all encompassing sports visa or do they need to apply to each country as and when needed. ?

For Turkey you can get a visa on arrival, and I think Tunisia too. .. In general how it works for sports players I don't know, but the problems will be greater if you come from African or Asian countries.

RedSquirrel · Satellite level

According to the Spanish Fed the increase in qualifying to 32 only applies at 15K and 25K level. Women's 60K to 100K will remain a 24 qualifying draw.

Peter too · Tennis legend

We are seeing a number of players with good career highs having to play 15Ks to get back into tournaments at 25K and above. Serena Williams was out for more than a year from January 2017 to February 2018. If that happened today would we be seeing ex number 1 players fighting their way through 15Ks or is there some special rule to cover such cases?

the addict · Tennis legend

If they somehow don't qualify for a Special Ranking, then they would obviously lose points and drop right down the rankings - possibly right out altogether - and have to start again. But former number 1's (and other highly ranked players) would get wild cards easily, and it would only take a few wins for them to get high enough to get direct entry again. If only it was that easy ........

As you say, there are plenty of players with career highs better than 200 appearing in lower tier tournaments now - it must be really hard for the 400+ ranked players, who can't get into the 25k's.

Strongbow · All-time great

Peter too wrote:
We are seeing a number of players with good career highs having to play 15Ks to get back into tournaments at 25K and above. Serena Williams was out for more than a year from January 2017 to February 2018. If that happened today would we be seeing ex number 1 players fighting their way through 15Ks or is there some special rule to cover such cases?

These are the curent rules. It is going to change for both men and women. Arrange the following words into a sentence "ITF" "Piss-up" "Brewery".

indiana · Tennis legend

There has really been a quite stunning lack of joined up thinking about possible / probable effects of the way the transition tour was introduced.

I get the impression the independent working party's recommendations were virtually accepted en bloc without any real forensic examination of each part.

Slowly but surely changes are being made to negate some of the effects that could have been anticipated. But such is the scale of ineptitude there looks quite a way to go yet.

Yep re the ITF's organising capabilities in a brewery.

Strongbow · All-time great

A list of our 16 lowest ITF ranked women - none have scored a point this year - I think only 2 have played in 2019.