2019 Grass Court Season Entry Lists

Michael D · All-time great

RE: 2019 Grass Court Season Entry Lists

JonH · All-time great

Michael D wrote:
JonH wrote:
flamingowings wrote:
Queens & Halle got lucky in that Andy and Fed always play them, so always guaranteed one of the big 4. If you are one of the "big 5" believers, Stan's in the field for Queens so meets that.

I might try for Ilkley next year - it is that "bit" closer to home after all. I hope you enjoy it!
My parents bought them for me for Xmas, finals day tickets (still a third of the price of Queens normal tickets!). Idea was my wife would go with me but she politely reminded me she hated tennis, sports in general (someone remind me why I married her ! So she made me ask my Dad, who is going with me - which is nice and quite poignant. Many years ago , when I was around 16/17, I played Ilkley each year in the Open tournament held at end July/early August (now British Tour event). My Dad would take me each day to and from Wetherby to Ilkley, I'd sit around win a match or maybe two, get my butt kicked and go home. One year, he managed to sweet talk Simon Ickringill (Ilkley Head Pro at the time and 8 times Yorkshire champion) to partner me in the handicapped doubles event, which we managed to get to the semis in before our ridiculous handicap (we were giving 30 in every game) got the better of us. So being able to take him (he is now 78) to the finals is a nice thing to do. Now I remember why I married her
one for each of you!

smile back !

I noticed North Oxford has its British tour event on grass in 2 weeks. When do entry lists go out for that , does anyone know.

Oldest son lives near there but hes got his finals starting same week so doubt he will find time to pop and watch!

RedSquirrel · Satellite level

Entry deadline for North Oxford is on Monday, but you can see who's already entered: www3.lta.org.uk/Competitions/Competition/

JonH · All-time great

RedSquirrel wrote:
Entry deadline for North Oxford is on Monday, but you can see who's already entered: www3.lta.org.uk/Competitions/Competition/

Thanks RS, that's great. So mens has Watson, Hoyt, peniston, didn't yet see any big names on ladies side but I'm not as familiar.

Edit Emily Appleton is entered

-- Edited by JonH on Saturday 11th of May 2019 08:04:45 AM

the addict · Tennis legend

JonH wrote:
RedSquirrel wrote:
Entry deadline for North Oxford is on Monday, but you can see who's already entered: www3.lta.org.uk/Competitions/Competition/
Thanks RS, that's great. So mens has Watson, Hoyt, peniston, didn't yet see any big names on ladies side but I'm not as familiar.
Edit Emily Appleton is entered

-- Edited by JonH on Saturday 11th of May 2019 08:04:45 AM

Also Popescue, Allen, Hill, plus Richardson and Hutchinson back from college. It's a Tier 1, so I wouldn't expect to see any higher ranked players.

Edit - actually it is Erin Richardson who is entered, not Eden Richardson

-- Edited by the addict on Sunday 12th of May 2019 12:46:18 PM

JonH · All-time great

the addict wrote:
JonH wrote:
RedSquirrel wrote:
Entry deadline for North Oxford is on Monday, but you can see who's already entered: www3.lta.org.uk/Competitions/Competition/
Thanks RS, that's great. So mens has Watson, Hoyt, peniston, didn't yet see any big names on ladies side but I'm not as familiar.
Edit Emily Appleton is entered

-- Edited by JonH on Saturday 11th of May 2019 08:04:45 AM
Also Popescue, Allen, Hill, plus Richardson and Hutchinson back from college. It's a Tier 1, so I wouldn't expect to see any higher ranked players.

Still, a few players with ATP or wta rankings.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

I was just thinking, does anyone think Jo might enter Surbiton this year, or if she goes out of RG in R1 again, consider a WC?

It sounds strange, but Kanepi entered Ilkley with a ranking of 52 last year and was 46 by the time she played. Zheng and Zhang both played Anning 125k the other week in their home country, both making the final, and they are ranked similar to what Jo currently is, and we saw Wang Qiang enter IW 125k earlier in the year with a ranking of 18 (albeit coming back from missing a month).

In an ideal world, she'd reach R3 or R4 at RG and this post would be irrelevant, but she's 41 in this weeks rankings and probably unlikely to match her 105 points from last years Rome (although hopefully she can), so that ranking would likely go down with a R1 RG exit.

Obviously, Surbiton-Nottingham-Birmingham-Eastbourne-Wimbledon in succession would be a very tough schedule, but unlike last year where she was 13th seed at Eastbourne and had a bye in R1 and a nice enough R2 match up, this year she might not even get in directly, so far more chance of an earlier exit. The main reason would be to try and boost her ranking to sneak into the Wimbledon seeds and she'd really need to win it (140 points) for it to be significant, although 85 as the runner up would also put her into a net gain, and while it may sound unambitious, on paper it'll be easier to win 5 matches at Surbiton where you are the highest ranked player than it would be to win 3 matches at Eastbourne (where there are also less byes this year) to only get 100 points.

I'd be considering it as a realistic option personally.

the addict · Tennis legend

The Surbiton entry deadline is next Thursday, 16th May, so we'll soon find out. I reckon Ace should be employed as a scheduler for our girls !

JonH · All-time great

Ace Ventura wrote:
I was just thinking, does anyone think Jo might enter Surbiton this year, or if she goes out of RG in R1 again, consider a WC?

It sounds strange, but Kanepi entered Ilkley with a ranking of 52 last year and was 46 by the time she played. Zheng and Zhang both played Anning 125k the other week in their home country, both making the final, and they are ranked similar to what Jo currently is, and we saw Wang Qiang enter IW 125k earlier in the year with a ranking of 18 (albeit coming back from missing a month).

In an ideal world, she'd reach R3 or R4 at RG and this post would be irrelevant, but she's 41 in this weeks rankings and probably unlikely to match her 105 points from last years Rome (although hopefully she can), so that ranking would likely go down with a R1 RG exit.

Obviously, Surbiton-Nottingham-Birmingham-Eastbourne-Wimbledon in succession would be a very tough schedule, but unlike last year where she was 13th seed at Eastbourne and had a bye in R1 and a nice enough R2 match up, this year she might not even get in directly, so far more chance of an earlier exit. The main reason would be to try and boost her ranking to sneak into the Wimbledon seeds and she'd really need to win it (140 points) for it to be significant, although 85 as the runner up would also put her into a net gain, and while it may sound unambitious, on paper it'll be easier to win 5 matches at Surbiton where you are the highest ranked player than it would be to win 3 matches at Eastbourne (where there are also less byes this year) to only get 100 points.

I'd be considering it as a realistic option personally.

Out of interest ace, do you ever suffer from headaches before bed time? biggrin

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Haha, it was originally even longer as there were references to the likes of Bencic also playing at Ilkley, but ended up cutting it down.

I am looking forward to the seeing the Surbiton list in a few days, I don't think it'll include Jo, but it'll be interesting to see who does intend to play there - the initial list will obviously change once those still at RG (single's or double's) have been automatically withdrawn.

RedSquirrel · Satellite level

Jo will want to be fresh for Nottingham. Having been runner-up for the last two years she'll want to try and go one better this year. There's the risk that playing 5 matches in Surbiton will make her too tired to reach the final in Nottingham to defend her points, and what she gains in Surbiton if she were to win, she'd lose by going out in an earlier round in Nottingham. The risk-reward for me just isn't worth it.

She will make Eastbourne with the larger draw this year - I'm not sure whether it is 6 or 8 qualifiers (a 56/24 Premier doesn't seem to be accounted for in the rulebook) but either way , she will be ranked 42 on Monday for Eastbourne entry and there will be at least 43 direct entrants. Eastbourne doesn't affect Wimbledon seedings, which are announced on 26 June.

Its the WCs that interest me. Heather and Harriet, with additionally Katie Swan for Eastbourne are the obvious choices if Katie B is out. But I do wonder if to play all the WTA events would be best for their rankings, especially Harriet who is defending quite a few points. Birmingham, in particular, seems tough to get a win. I think I'd rather Harriet plays Ilkley than Birmingham, but then she might just relish the chance of causing an upset by beating a top 30 player.

flamingowings · All-time great

Bencic was coming back from injury though.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

flamingowings wrote:
Bencic was coming back from injury though.

Yep, was also going to be included in the extended version. She ended up retiring in her early round match and I was a bit gutted as I went down for the QFs, SFs and F so was hoping to see her play. She was in the 70's at the time.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

I don't think Jo will be entering Surbiton, As regards Jo and seedings at Grand Slams, most of the time she did not justify her seedings.She was seeded 10 times and only justified it on 3 occasons. She also reached the last 16 once as a qualifier and unseeded reached one Grand Slam semi final. In her last 6 Grand Slams she has only won 3 matches. I would love her to win 1 main match in Paris. Strangely enough she may have lost in her first 4 singles main draw matches in Paris but she did the same at Wimbledon.

paulisi · Tennis legend

RedSquirrel wrote:
Jo will want to be fresh for Nottingham. Having been runner-up for the last two years she'll want to try and go one better this year. There's the risk that playing 5 matches in Surbiton will make her too tired to reach the final in Nottingham to defend her points, and what she gains in Surbiton if she were to win, she'd lose by going out in an earlier round in Nottingham. The risk-reward for me just isn't worth it.

She will make Eastbourne with the larger draw this year - I'm not sure whether it is 6 or 8 qualifiers (a 56/24 Premier doesn't seem to be accounted for in the rulebook) but either way , she will be ranked 42 on Monday for Eastbourne entry and there will be at least 43 direct entrants. Eastbourne doesn't affect Wimbledon seedings, which are announced on 26 June.

Its the WCs that interest me. Heather and Harriet, with additionally Katie Swan for Eastbourne are the obvious choices if Katie B is out. But I do wonder if to play all the WTA events would be best for their rankings, especially Harriet who is defending quite a few points. Birmingham, in particular, seems tough to get a win. I think I'd rather Harriet plays Ilkley than Birmingham, but then she might just relish the chance of causing an upset by beating a top 30 player.

Ilkley tends to be loaded as well. Quite a few choose to play Birmingham qualifiers, it pays well and there is a decent chance of getting the odd win and some good points.

-- Edited by paulisi on Sunday 12th of May 2019 06:06:41 AM