Agreed there is massive variability in growth between 12 and 17 in girls, chuck in the hormonal ****tail of adolescents and it's an unpredictable journey for aspiring juniors, their families and coaches to navigate. I don't think too close a comparison is useful although as a general pattern Emma and Jack are not dissimilar in terms of the potential they showed as young teenagers and the relatively smooth evolution of their games, obviously on the men's side Jack will continue to add significant power and then consistency to his game until he is at least 24.

Emma's game isn't really based on power or size, she has been playing 18 yr olds in competition since she has been 13, but not beating them in the way Laura did at 14 with a big serving power based game. It has been a multifaceted development around a really solid fundamental base of co-ordination, attitude, speed and agility. As now apparent by her standing amongst elite 15 year olds although she will turn 16 very soon, she sits in a group of athletes that stand apart, they just gave the protoplasm that gives them the capacity to develop into top level professionals.

The major difference for her when compared with others in that small group is that she is or was indeed may still be given she has emerged to play at half term in full time school that demands a level of attainment to stay there, a bit like Dina Asher Smith she was always an outstanding athlete but really kicked on when she did nothing else but focus on athletics which was as late as this year. I feel she is nicely poised to take advantage of that as and when the time comes, she has probably also learnt a bit about how hard to push her body this summer and gained a bit more confidence that opportunities will come again ie. if playing will exacerbate injury just to step back and keep her powder dry.

Interesting what you say about her looking stronger. I haven't had chance to watch livestream yet - and have just clicked on now and it seems to be showing the wrong court???? - but I know we both saw her at Wimbly qualis and I thought she looked hugely stronger there than she did the year before in juniors (when she was still really quite a 'little' girl). So gym work must be paying off....
Her parents seem (quite rightly) to take her schooling seriously, as you say, and as she's born late in the year she's in a lower school year. I'm clueless with UK schooling - as she'll turn 16 this school year, does that mean she's got GCSEs next June?

Yes she appears to have grown a bit and like Katie Swan did at 15-16 is obviously in a well thought out strengthening and conditioning programme often winning points because of weight of shot on top of good length.

She would be year 11 which is the GCSE year in a school where the expectation would be 10-11 subjects straight A's. Now there are A* and A** may be even greater!!! That and a MD wildcard for Wimbledon no pressure! 2019 should be an easy year for her

Turned the 2nd set around, *4-3

No suprise - too good for 15k events. I'd like to see her step up to 25k. There are 2 domestic events coming up....

Julia Carrot wrote:

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Are we in danger if having the highest ranked 15 year old in the near future ?

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 No.

Technically, she might be for 1 week.