Week 6 - ATP 500 - ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, Rotterdam, Netherlands (indoor hard)

Nix · Futures level

RE: Week 6 - ATP 500 - ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, Rotterdam, Netherlands (indoor hard)

emmsie69 · Top national player

Its a rant at anyone that questions a British citizens right to represent their country. Yes there are charlatans like Brydan but the vast majority that get it in the neck like Jo Konta legitimately represent their country. They are sports people and of course they want to achieve the absolute maximum so I don't see an issue with what Bedene did. He was quite frankly done over by the ITF and I don't blame him for his decisions.

Isca · Improver

emmsie69 wrote:
Its a rant at anyone that questions a British citizens right to represent their country. Yes there are charlatans like Brydan but the vast majority that get it in the neck like Jo Konta legitimately represent their country. They are sports people and of course they want to achieve the absolute maximum so I don't see an issue with what Bedene did. He was quite frankly done over by the ITF and I don't blame him for his decisions.

not defending Brydan but isn't his mother English?

Shhh · Challenger level

Hello Isca, I dont know if she is English, I do not doubt someone on here will know though. I post to say "Welcome" to the board.....couldn't just have you sneaking on like that ;)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Shhh wrote:
Hello Isca, I dont know if she is English, I do not doubt someone on here will know though. I post to say "Welcome" to the board.....couldn't just have you sneaking on like that ;)

biggrin biggrin

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Isca wrote:
emmsie69 wrote:
Its a rant at anyone that questions a British citizens right to represent their country. Yes there are charlatans like Brydan but the vast majority that get it in the neck like Jo Konta legitimately represent their country. They are sports people and of course they want to achieve the absolute maximum so I don't see an issue with what Bedene did. He was quite frankly done over by the ITF and I don't blame him for his decisions.
not defending Brydan but isn't his mother English?

As Shhh said, welcome to the board Isca. We always like new posters and new opinions. Hope you stay around and join in when you can.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Isca wrote:
emmsie69 wrote:
Its a rant at anyone that questions a British citizens right to represent their country. Yes there are charlatans like Brydan but the vast majority that get it in the neck like Jo Konta legitimately represent their country. They are sports people and of course they want to achieve the absolute maximum so I don't see an issue with what Bedene did. He was quite frankly done over by the ITF and I don't blame him for his decisions.
not defending Brydan but isn't his mother English?

Yes - extract from Wiki:

In April 2013, the LTA, the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, were informed of Klein's desire to switch his nationality from Australian to British through the International Tennis Federation. A month later, it was announced that Klein had completed his switch to playing under a British licence. Despite being born in Rockingham, Australia, his mother was from Manchester, England, and therefore Klein was able to switch allegiance.

Welcome, Isca.

Isca · Improver

thank you so much for the warm welcome smile

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Isca wrote:
thank you so much for the warm welcome

Indeed, welcome!

As an add, re Brydan, it has never been clear to me why he swapped - most of his play seems to be in Australia or Asia, I dont think he plays any of the GB events really and hasnt got his ranking anywhere near a level where he might play for the DC team etc. Other than getting some wild cards initially for grass court events (and would he not have got similar in Oz events if he had stuck as an Aussie), I am not clear how he benefitted?

Wasnt Cam initially a Kiwi representative and came over to GB vest around the same time? Cam has clearly integrated into the GB system much more and played on the teams, but having got his ranking up to a decent level perhaps that affords him more freedom and cash to be able to do that?

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Isca wrote:
thank you so much for the warm welcome
Indeed, welcome!

As an add, re Brydan, it has never been clear to me why he swapped - most of his play seems to be in Australia or Asia, I dont think he plays any of the GB events really and hasnt got his ranking anywhere near a level where he might play for the DC team etc. Other than getting some wild cards initially for grass court events (and would he not have got similar in Oz events if he had stuck as an Aussie), I am not clear how he benefitted?
Wasnt Cam initially a Kiwi representative and came over to GB vest around the same time? Cam has clearly integrated into the GB system much more and played on the teams, but having got his ranking up to a decent level perhaps that affords him more freedom and cash to be able to do that?

I have always had the sensation that Cam and indeed Aljaz, both desperately wanted to represent GB whereas with Brydan, it was nothing more than a "flag of convenience". In truth, I have never really taken to him and rarely comment (or follow) his matches.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I think it was pretty much purely a question of convenience for Cam too. (Which, personally, I don't have a problem with).

His parents have said they would have stayed with NZ if the NZ authorities had supported their son. But they were very angry the authorities didn't.

His mother is quoted as saying, that even though Cam was a great junior, the NZ federation did nothing and:

"We have been very disappointed with Tennis New Zealand's support of Cameron in the past."

They didn't give him hardly any funding and when they didn't pick him for a Davis Cup match (where the main guys couldn't play), his mum said:

"It was another sign that Tennis NZ weren't interested in Cameron, that they weren't interested in backing him," said Helen.

"We weren't disappointed, but it was like OK, this is where we're at, this is the reality of the situation, what can we do about it and where do we go from here?"

And their solution of where to go from here was the UK.

So, for Cam, I don't think he 'desperately' wanted to represent the UK - I think it was very much a question of self interest (which, again, I don't criticise - hard enough to make it as a tennis player)

For Aljaz, on the other hand, I do think he very much wanted to play for GB. He lived here already, for quite a long time, did all his tennis here, his girlfriend was here, his life was here.

I wonder what Jan Choinski's story is ..... I assume it's rather like Cam's but a little later down the road.

(And, yes, Brydan seems very much an Aussie and (probably?) would have stayed one if the media had ever got off his back about the racist incident)

seagull · Hall of fame

Back to the subject of Rotterdam I see that a win today for Dan would lift him into the top 30 for the first time. Good incentive.

EddietheEagle · County player

Clearly winnable given Evans current form and his adeptness indoors. Monfils though has actually won the majority of his handful of titles on indoor hard courts. I think it's a toss up.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

EddietheEagle wrote:
Clearly winnable given Evans current form and his adeptness indoors. Monfils though has actually won the majority of his handful of titles on indoor hard courts. I think it's a toss up.

Both seem in form. According to Jose Morgado tweets, surface is VERY slow, not sure if that plays into Dan's hands a little more to frustrate Monfils? We will see.

Jamie and Neal win the first set doubles, down a break in set 2. If they win, we will have 3 pairs with GB players in Race Top 8 (live), and Neal will equal his CH ranking of 27 in live standings. Lots of incentive.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

QF: (Q) Henri Kontinen & Jan-Lennard Struff (FIN/GER) CR 89 (31+58) defeated Jamie Murray & Neal Skupski CR 53 (25+28) by 5-7 6-1 [10-6] bleh