The road to the Australian Open

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

RE: The road to the Australian Open

emmsie69 · Top national player

I don't mind them going to next ranking. The players work hard to get into a position to play these tournaments and getting into the main draw of a slam is a reward for that..

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I've no problem with them going to the next ranked players - its obviously fair and deserved.

But there are 128 places that go on merit.

Wildcards are different - deliberately.

I agree with above - I'd like to see more creativity in their use.

The ITF has a big push on developing countries. There could be a wildcard for best developing country player (who hasn't qualified outright).

Top juniors etc is obvious. Anyone who's been majorly ill or injured.

AND more UK players - give one to Emma, to Jack...

Or - indeed - reciprocal arrangements.

(And definitely give the flippin' doubles wildcards to home players)

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Ace Ventura wrote:
All 8 MDWC's now confirmed:

USA - Vandeweghe
France - Parmentier
Asian / Pacific PO winner - Han
Aussie PO winner - Rodionova
Legendary former AO winner - Sharapova (Don't tell ROSAMUND)

Other discretionary picks:
Sharma
Hon
Cabrera

How many wild cards is Sharapova allowed to have?i

the addict · Tennis legend

ROSAMUND wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
All 8 MDWC's now confirmed:

USA - Vandeweghe
France - Parmentier
Asian / Pacific PO winner - Han
Aussie PO winner - Rodionova
Legendary former AO winner - Sharapova (Don't tell ROSAMUND)

Other discretionary picks:
Sharma
Hon
Cabrera

How many wild cards is Sharapova allowed to have?i

Unlimited WC's into slams, maximum of 6 into WTA tournaments - other restictions apply

emmsie69 · Top national player

Katie needs 12 to withdraw over the next few days to make it into qualies

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
I've no problem with them going to the next ranked players - its obviously fair and deserved.

But there are 128 places that go on merit.

Wildcards are different - deliberately.

I agree with above - I'd like to see more creativity in their use.

The ITF has a big push on developing countries. There could be a wildcard for best developing country player (who hasn't qualified outright).

Top juniors etc is obvious. Anyone who's been majorly ill or injured.

AND more UK players - give one to Emma, to Jack...

Or - indeed - reciprocal arrangements.

(And definitely give the flippin' doubles wildcards to home players)

Yep, can't have too many complaints about going next in, but it's not just the 3 other slams, it's basically every WTA tournament from Bogota/Guangzhou to Miami/Indian Wells, they all use all their wildcards, and it really is just Wimbledon who seem not to - those on the periphery will know that for 99% of tournaments, they haven't done enough to secure direct entry, so they can't really have any complaints themselves, and it is frustrating that for many of us, it the tournament that we care for the most that doesn't utilise them.

There were loads of potential candidates - Emma an obvious Brit. They could have given Katy one, and who knows, that extra week off quals may have been enough for her not to withdraw, or anyway, Wimbledon wouldn't have known she was injured having given her an initial QWC.

I mentioned these on the Wildcard thread at the time, but outside of Brits, you could have given one to Bolsova who had just made RG R4 (via qualifying), and was ranked in the 80s at the time of qualifying, so actually higher than those next in, and had done something noteworthy. Young Rybakina had just come through qualifying of that Dutch WTA grass event to make the semi finals, she continues to go from strength to strength, so if she goes even further, and becomes one of the best female players, then Wimbledon could have had a more special place in her heart after the unexpected WC, and that would bode well for the tournament. Even Lisicki, there's no doubt her stock, appeal, and unfortunately ability have all declined, so a MDWC was certainly not essential, but she had some absolutely legendary Wimbledon runs, and personally, she is the main reason why I got into women's tennis, and I'd imagine a few others will be in the same boat, I think there's a few others on here, so if you have 3 or 4 WCs to use, then one for nostalgic reasons won't harm.

To make it worse, I was quite pleased when Riske won Surbiton, or Linette won Manchester, to seemingly 'free up' a MDWC (for a Brit) but in hindsight, I'd much rather a Caty McNally or equivalent won one of the warm up events to secure a Wimbledon WC that way. I'll be less bothered about freeing them up this year, although with Emma progressing, Katie B (hopefully), Naiktha more of an established Brit, possibly Sam, and Jodie if she can hit the ground running, the Brits generally may be in a better position this year to get a MDWC, we can hope so anyway.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Ace Ventura wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
I've no problem with them going to the next ranked players - its obviously fair and deserved.

But there are 128 places that go on merit.

Wildcards are different - deliberately.

I agree with above - I'd like to see more creativity in their use.

The ITF has a big push on developing countries. There could be a wildcard for best developing country player (who hasn't qualified outright).

Top juniors etc is obvious. Anyone who's been majorly ill or injured.

AND more UK players - give one to Emma, to Jack...

Or - indeed - reciprocal arrangements.

(And definitely give the flippin' doubles wildcards to home players)

Yep, can't have too many complaints about going next in, but it's not just the 3 other slams, it's basically every WTA tournament from Bogota/Guangzhou to Miami/Indian Wells, they all use all their wildcards, and it really is just Wimbledon who seem not to - those on the periphery will know that for 99% of tournaments, they haven't done enough to secure direct entry, so they can't really have any complaints themselves, and it is frustrating that for many of us, it the tournament that we care for the most that doesn't utilise them.

There were loads of potential candidates - Emma an obvious Brit. They could have given Katy one, and who knows, that extra week off quals may have been enough for her not to withdraw, or anyway, Wimbledon wouldn't have known she was injured having given her an initial QWC.

I mentioned these on the Wildcard thread at the time, but outside of Brits, you could have given one to Bolsova who had just made RG R4 (via qualifying), and was ranked in the 80s at the time of qualifying, so actually higher than those next in, and had done something noteworthy. Young Rybakina had just come through qualifying of that Dutch WTA grass event to make the semi finals, she continues to go from strength to strength, so if she goes even further, and becomes one of the best female players, then Wimbledon could have had a more special place in her heart after the unexpected WC, and that would bode well for the tournament. Even Lisicki, there's no doubt her stock, appeal, and unfortunately ability have all declined, so a MDWC was certainly not essential, but she had some absolutely legendary Wimbledon runs, and personally, she is the main reason why I got into women's tennis, and I'd imagine a few others will be in the same boat, I think there's a few others on here, so if you have 3 or 4 WCs to use, then one for nostalgic reasons won't harm.

To make it worse, I was quite pleased when Riske won Surbiton, or Linette won Manchester, to seemingly 'free up' a MDWC (for a Brit) but in hindsight, I'd much rather a Caty McNally or equivalent won one of the warm up events to secure a Wimbledon WC that way. I'll be less bothered about freeing them up this year, although with Emma progressing, Katie B (hopefully), Naiktha more of an established Brit, possibly Sam, and Jodie if she can hit the ground running, the Brits generally may be in a better position this year to get a MDWC, we can hope so anyway.

You mention Sabine Lisicki here.I remember going to Elton John/Billie Jean King's charity event at the RAH in 2014 and one of the reasons I went was to see Sabine play. I later saw her play at Wimbledon in 2016 when she beat Sam Stosur and served 12 aces and no double faults. It is the last match she ever won at Grand Slam. Some people may differ over this but I feel Sabine defeating Aggie Radwanska in the semi final 2013 won Wimbledon for Marion Bartoli.

indiana · Tennis legend

I am contractually obliged to say that of course some people think that the Slams should give no MD WCs other than say earned through particular tournaments or series.

Will say no more just now.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Read on the tennis forum website(not keen on this website as comments do not relate to tennis) but Jo has pulled out of Adelaide. This does not look good one feels.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Read on the tennis forum website(not keen on this website as comments do not relate to tennis) but Jo has pulled out of Adelaide. This does not look good one feels.

wolf · Tennis legend

Ace Ventura wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Given we dont always give out all the WC options , we should aim at some reciprocal deals with other slams to get a brit into them.
We'd benefit the most from the arrangement, but as it's down to the AELTC, rather than the LTA (unlike the 3 other slams), it'll never happen. It always annoys me when they hand WCs back - even if they didn't go to Brit's, I'd prefer them to use a bit imagination rather than simply going next in. As it turned out, only Dart, Swan and Niculescu were given them last year with 5 going in via their ranking.

It has happened before, with Elena Baltacha & Anne Keothavong getting main draw and qualifying wild cards respectively in 2003.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/time-to-go-british-pleads-pickard-137967.html%3famp

For the record, I'm glad we don't participate in this. It might benefit us but it is wrong to give players 2 wild cards a season into Grand Slams.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

The article mentions Jane O'Donoghue- what ever became of her ?

Status Quo · Intermediate Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
The article mentions Jane O'Donoghue- what ever became of her ?

Various tennis officialdom/trainer roles (WTA/LTA etc)

This, brief interview for La Manga, from March 2016 (that's her in the thumbnail)

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Given we dont always give out all the WC options , we should aim at some reciprocal deals with other slams to get a brit into them.
We'd benefit the most from the arrangement, but as it's down to the AELTC, rather than the LTA (unlike the 3 other slams), it'll never happen. It always annoys me when they hand WCs back - even if they didn't go to Brit's, I'd prefer them to use a bit imagination rather than simply going next in. As it turned out, only Dart, Swan and Niculescu were given them last year with 5 going in via their ranking.
It has happened before, with Elena Baltacha & Anne Keothavong getting main draw and qualifying wild cards respectively in 2003.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/time-to-go-british-pleads-pickard-137967.html%3famp
For the record, I'm glad we don't participate in this. It might benefit us but it is wrong to give players 2 wild cards a season into Grand Slams.

Very interesting, I wasn't aware of that as it was before my time. Looks like the LTA were heavily involved in that, whereas now they seemingly have less and less influence - they were sitting down with the Wimbledon selection committee last year to recommend players, yet ends up with just Swan and Dart getting in. I wonder why that little deal just lasted one year? Whether it was always just intended as a one off, or whether they got some backlash, or just didn't think it was worthwhile. Looks like the whole Aussie/French/US thing started around 2008.

Some, including a few on here, are against any slam WCs full stop, nevermind 2, so I guess it's all subjective. Pri Hon seems to have benefited a lot on the Aussie side where it's just been hand picked, as opposed to some sort of play-off decider like TA used to put on for the French Open WC.