For Week 2 - a number of British juniors are playing in both Belgrade (Joel Pierleoni, Kylie Bilchev, Ranah Stoiber - Given Roach lost first round) and also in Israel (Harry Lazell, Matthew Rankin, Hep).
Kylie is top seed and Joel is 2nd seed in Belgrade.
Fifth seed, Harry Lazell, lost his R2 match 4-6 in the third (we've had a lot of three set losses here.....)
But good ol' Hep came though in two sets
She's into the QFs
(and yes, like you, Jon, I wondered about links to Israel - family? Or her trainer has family links there? Or winter tennis academy links? again, either her or coach?)
Genuine question. Why are all these players travelling internationally to compete in junior events considering the times and dangers we are all living in? I see lots of junior players are in Africa this week too. Is this necessary? How is it allowed considering the travel bans in place in the UK since lockdown?
Many people would answer that by saying they're only travel 'guidelines'. There's never been a ban. The government site says you 'must not' but it's listed as 'advice'.
Even the new 'ban' from the 18th only imposes the need for a negative test and home, on-your-honour, self-isolation.
Genuine question. Why are all these players travelling internationally to compete in junior events considering the times and dangers we are all living in? I see lots of junior players are in Africa this week too. Is this necessary? How is it allowed considering the travel bans in place in the UK since lockdown?
I totally agree and have almost posted a similar question several times. I thought the definition of elite athlete was over 16 and on pathway to professional sport. Some of those competing recently are under 16 and as for anyone being able to predict which juniors are on a pathway to be professional......The lta with their academies presumably like to think they can spot them but time will tell.
Many of those competing abroad recently are in the lta academies and on a related note the closed itf grade 5 tournaments in loughborough and stirling which got postponed from Nov, to jan to march (and first one now again postponed) seem like an attempt to give the academy players a leg up in the rankings and thus help to justify the academies and their success. I may just be cynical of course....
Reading the guidelines/classification for Elite athletes it says on an approved national pathway of the sports governing body. So I can understand how national academy players fall into this category. However out in Kenya right now I cant see any players that would qualify under that criteria as elite athletes. Some arguably not even top national players. Not sure of the process or if the lta are giving exemptions for these players or the academies they attend but seems a high risk in an attempt to gain easier points in events not as strong as those taking place in Europe.