Next big thing in Wheelchair game is the BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Sardinia, starts 27th Sept.

There are 4 events - mens, womens, quads and juniors. 

Mens - 16 teams and GB are top seeds. Other teams could be dangerous but that seeding is borne out by the rankings so high hopes here

Womens - 12 teams and we are seeded 3 behind NL and Japan. Again, the rankings support that and anything better than 3rd would be a real triumph.

Quads - 8 teams and we are seeded 4th. Australia are missing from the event, though and from my reading of the rankings, I think we actually have a decent chance of getting perhaps a silver medal here

Juniors - 8 teams; it must be mixed boys and girls , and we are seeded 2nd. I am not exactly sure of the format but looking at rankings, I reckon we must be neck and neck with Australia as top seeds in this one.

ETA - last time, the juniors was in fact boys only, so it may be that it is actually a bit like the quads, theoretically unisex and the strongest regardless of sex, but in reality mainly boys (all boys?) in the teams

So, chances of medals across all formats and maybe a chance of 1 or even 2 finals and a title or two

www.itftennis.com/en/tournament/bnp-paribas-world-team-cup/ita/2021/wc-wwtc-ita-01a-2021/draws-and-results/

www.itftennis.com/media/5075/2021-direct-entries-after-vilamoura.pdf

ETA - this didnt age well as our seedings have dropped as

some of our top players arent here 

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Friday 24th of September 2021 01:24:20 PM

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 25th of September 2021 07:09:13 AM

Team cup seedings:

Juniors we are 4th www.itftennis.com/media/6401/bnp-paribas-world-team-cup-junior-seeding.pdf

Quads we are 3rd www.itftennis.com/media/6403/bnp-paribas-world-team-cup-quad-seeding.pdf although that seems fortunate and we are missing Andy Lapthorne our top player

Womens we are 3rd www.itftennis.com/media/6404/bnp-paribas-world-team-cup-womens-seeding.pdf top 2 seem well ahead of rest so dogfight for bronze and we are
Missing Jordanne Whiley as well, our top player


Mens we are 6th seeds and missing Alfie Hewett our top player www.itftennis.com/media/6402/bnp-paribas-world-team-cup-mens-seeding.pdf

Seem to be a fair few top players missing and it feels like anything
More than a couple of bronze medals would be a big success

As well as the World Team Cup which starts Monday, next months Masters fields are out:

Mens - Alfie and Gordon singles, Dermot Bailey joins them in doubles

Womens - no singles, just Lucy Shuker in doubles

Quads - Andy Lapthorne in singles and he is joined by Tony Cotterill in doubles.

Main surprise is Jordanne Whiley missing from this event as well as the world team cup, hope she is ok.

www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/entries-announced-for-2021-wheelchair-tennis-masters-events/

It seems Andy Lapthorne is indeed playing, here is our squad line ups

Womens -

TEAM (3)
SHUKER L.
OOSTHUIZEN C.
BREAKWELL A.

Quads

TEAM (4)
LAPTHORNE A.
COTTERILL A.
SHAW J.
SLADE G.

Juniors

TEAM (4)
WARD D.
BISHOP R.
BARTRAM B.
JOSHUA J.

As mentioned, we are out of the mens, reason why not clear to me yet

odays update:

Womens - destroyed Mexico for the loss of just 2 games across 6 sets, 3-0 win. Hard to lose only 2 games! www.irenico.it/irenico/ges_torneo_wtc2020/tabelloni/gest/riepilogo_situazione.asp

Juniors - beat France 3-0 losing 8 games across 6 sets, not bad! www.irenico.it/irenico/ges_torneo_wtc2020/tabelloni/gest/riepilogo_situazione.asp

Quads - however, not all good - Netherlands knocked us into the stands, 3-0 and losing just 3 games across the 6 sets www.irenico.it/irenico/ges_torneo_wtc2020/tabelloni/gest/riepilogo_situazione.asp

Not really a day of close action!

Our record is now 1-0 in womens and juniors and we are at 1-1 in quads. FOr some reason, although named , Andy Lapthorne hasnt played yet; so not sure if he is just on the list but isnt actively playing - clearly it would make a big difference in quads if he did play

In the World Team Cup today

Juniors - another crushing win over NL, this time, 2-0 for the loss of 5 games over 2 sets. Doubles still to be played but it should guarantee us a semis place. Well done team

Quads - sadly we lost to South Africa so our weakened team without Andy Lapthorne playing ended up 3rd in the group and we will return home empty handed

Womens - better news here, a battling win in the doubles (11-9 in MTB) makes a 2-1 win over Germany and means we top the group and go into the semis.

So our womens and juniors teams are into the semis, in line with seedings but well done nonetheless.

Good luck to the teams in the last 4!


www.irenico.it/irenico/ges_torneo_wtc2020/tabelloni/gest/visual_girone_new.asp

Britains womens team play Japan tomorrow- big gap in rankings and Japan will be clear favourites in this semi.