Eden is obviously 99% sure of winning this. But I like Lilly Moulds tennis. I saw her early summer and she was the only one of the batch who stood out a little. I also thought her tennis will evolve well into adult tennis. Which is not to overstate it or her.....but if I were the LTA I would rate her over some of the others, for sure.
The problem is, though, not knowing the players or their set-up. It's such a crucial part. What their plans are, where tennis rates in their priorities, how much help they're getting, where the family are coming from.....
But in terms of pure tennis, yes, Lilly is an interesting player.
in general we got nothing coming through
let alone an establish stedy regular pipeline
one every few years aint near good enough for a country with rich and means and the organisers rolling in money
we so far behind everyone
but folks here always make excuses about wether or infrastructure or something that mean we cant even expect or hope to expect suces as tho its stupid to even try to get ourselves together and compete
depresing but never gonna change cos we expect and reward mediocrety
It is a very good group of still pretty young players in the top 8 of the GB rankings that have this year progressed really well in the world rankings to the extent that purely in combined rankings of our top 10 it has at one stage been the best combined rankings in many many years, averaging just over 190 and still in the 190s. I am optimistic about good further progress from a number within that relatively young group. So it will be interesting to follow them, good and there in reasonable number
But indeed what has followed has been very bare with such as Fran and Emma coming through alone with numbers sorely lacking, though the bit older Jodie looks to be progressing forward at more of the hoped for pace. And I don't see much likely coming out of the current US College group with Emily Arbuthnott having gone backwards in ITF singles results this year.
Has to be concerning and currently contrasting with our boys.
-- Edited by indiana on Sunday 4th of November 2018 04:53:19 PM
I don't think anyone's making excuses, TomT. The overall level and depth of tennis in the UK is really poor. But sometimes you just have to focus on the good bits because otherwise you'd jump off a cliff (figuratively speaking). And thankfully there are a few good bits in there.....
but concentrate on good just sweep it under the rug or leve the elephant stil very much in the room and nobody mention it and people do make excuse i here them talk about how bad our wether is and so we cant expect to do so good as say czech who have tiny relative population and much less money
and they got the same wether and who also dont have tennis as #1 sport (ice hockey, football, handball drain there top talent)
but concentrate on good just sweep it under the rug or leve the elephant stil very much in the room and nobody mention it and people do make excuse i here them talk about how bad our wether is and so we cant expect to do so good as say czech who have tiny relative population and much less money
and they got the same wether and who also dont have tennis as #1 sport (ice hockey, football, handball drain there top talent)
what gives? we got no ambition any more? or we just so use to failiure it now just expected? galows humor we cant never change it?
You are very harsh Tom T.
Tennis is still seen as elitist and expensive in this country and we will never get the depth you desire without significant cheap indoor facilities and being way down in terms of popularity compared to Football/cricket/rugby/hockey and netball.
As for nothing coming through - Emma R and Fran Jones are both juniors. The boys have a batch coming through and there are more ready - Anton, Connor, Harry W etc
If you look even further down, we have loads of talent with u13's and some 14 year olds
In addition to this most juniors are going down the US college route and will come to prominence at 22/23
I often think on the forum when the phrase "very harsh" is used it is in response to something with more than an element of truth.
I mentioned Fran and Emma as well. Very good though they are that's 2 girls from the 3 years of 2000 borns to 2002 borns. So to me there is no other way of looking at it than that is overall a poor few years of producing talent on the girls' side.
Of course there is the issue of the other more mainstream sports and the ingrained culture and still real elements of elitism, which means many of the potentially best will never even start out.
And there is a certain cyclical nature. We had that group that have developed into the senior GB top 10 and then a drout. With the boys, Jay of course stands out from the 1998 born and there are a good number ranked from that year if well below his level. But 1999 has Finn Bass and Paul Jubb and 2000 Aidan McHugh, and noone else from these 2 years with more than 3 ranking points. So pretty poor years in numbers before the very promising, and indeed already producing 2001 borns, both in such as Jack and George but also numbers behind them.
As I mentioned before I am not convinced about how far these at US Colleges will go in seniors. I'm not seeing the real potential there. And bringing in 13 and 14 yos is just too early, with so much that can happen. Some will inevitably not come through.
Overall, particularly currently with our junior girls it is not good. There are some mitigating circumstances but hiding overmuch behind these and making out all is well or just has to be accepted doesn't help things get better.