Week 48 - ITF ($25K) - Pune, India Hard

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Week 48 - ITF ($25K) - Pune, India Hard

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Unfortunately for most mere mortals to get to the very top at Tennis it is a combination of natural talent which takes you so far and then being hardwired for success in terms of work ethic, the ranking system is an objective assessment as to where you sit in relation to your peers. If those above are all more talented, better coached, resourced and also work harder than you do the situation is out of your control.

I didnt expect either Harriet or Katy to break the top 100 or Naomi for that matter. Naomi who got things right for a bit with a good set up playing to her strengths has and hopefully Harriet will prove me wrong. Only Katy knows where she sits and if a more puritanical approach is likely to achieve her goals then she has some choices to make. For most of those at the very top its intrinsic.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

This 'larking around' insinuations is a bit ironic, I think.

Katy has a reputation amongst the other tennis players as being one of the hardest workers out there. Everything I've heard - and seen, which goes hand in hand with steven saying a couple of years back how much work in the gym she'd been doing because, for such a slight frame, she'd suddenly become quite 'cut' - backs this up.

Her brother seems the same. They both just love training.

(NB Harriet, indeed, is another who falls into this camp).

THere are a few others who - in my mind - are far more in the 'larking around' camp.

I've no idea about Katy's recent results but I don't think lack of work ethic is the problem.

(And, yes, I never had Katy in my top picks either)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Just to mention that Duke Meadows' player, Mariam Bolkzadze (GEO) came SO close to knocking out the top seed, losing 4-6 in the third.

Mariam has been soaring up the rankings in the last couple of years, now age 20 and WTA 355.

(I never rated her much when I saw her as a junior - sorry, Mariam !!!)

Great job at Duke Meadows, and great for the other players there to have her as part of the training squad.

the addict · Tennis legend

Comprehensive defeat for Katy and Beth

QF: Katy DUNNE (GBR)/Sarah Beth GREY (GBR) [2] 379 (158+221) LOST TO Sharon FICHMAN (CAN)/Katarzyna PITER (POL) 597 (389+208) 3-6 0-6 confuse

Only one hold of serve in the first set - by their opponents. K&B only won 8 points in the second set.

SuperT · Futures qualifying

I've always been under the impression that Katy does work really hard in training - amongst other things, I seem to remember Heather singling her out for praise a couple of years ago. I have always had the feeling that she really loves everything about the tennis lifestyle. And whilst she trains hard and competes to win on the court, she also enjoys a life off court, socialising and having fun with her mates, so perhaps she isn't quite as single minded as some of the top players. Is that a reason to criticise her? I'm not so sure. She seems like a lovely girl and really happy and who's to say that giving up the things she enjoys would actually work for her? Everyone's different, so I wish her well and hope she achieves what SHE wants from her career.