Week 26 - Wimbledon - London (grass) - women's main draw

DF · Tennis legend

Week 26 - Wimbledon - London (grass) - women's main draw

seagull · Hall of fame

DF wrote:
Weather forecast for today appears to be rain from 12 onwards in Wimbledon. I do hope that we get some play on other courts as well as the Centre Court.

Showers from 12-2. Not all day

TTMan · Intermediate Club Player

The pressures on Jo must be enormous. Does she call it a day because of her knee and Covid stuff? Does she follow her dream of supporting GB at the Olympics or follow Cam and go for points on the US swing, she certainly needs them. The Nottingham title suggests she still has the ability to continue a viable career but it's now much more of an uphill struggle. On the other hand, her private life looks to be in a good place to take retirement. Will be interesting to see what follows.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

HarryGem wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
What absolutel rotten luck for Jo. When they are so strict, and rightfully so in my opinion with maintenance of the players bubble why oh why are they letting full capacity crowds in for finals weekend? Should the roof have to he closed i have visions of it being a super spreader event, endangering players and their teams also.
I think the answer to your very valid question lies in two things.
1 Money
2 The event is part of the Government's series of test events to examine how we can try to get back to some kind of normality. With relatively high levels of vaccination and few if any overseas visitors we simply have to try to find out what we can do or we're going to be stuck in our houses for a long long time. The only thing I question is why everyone doesn't have to undergo a negative test 48 hours pre visit rather than just the un-vaccinated as even those vaccinated can carry the virus? I was fortunate to be at the FA Cup final, also a test event, where this was a requirement and there were virtually no infections among the 20 thousand plus attendees recorded after the event.

HarryGem, thank you for your reply. In respect of my worry about roof closure, at the moment the weather looks good for finals weekend to hopefully that won't be needed which really makes a big difference from it effectively being an very risky indoor event to slightly safer outdoor event.

I didn't know it was a designated 'test event'. It is still very much underplayed that those vaccinated can still carry and probably transmit the virus and like you say, negative tests really should be mandatory also. However, I do have great doubts about the reliability of records of negative tests since home testing (NHS) kits are self reported. Yes, the result is recorded officially by the NHS, and you receive a message from them confirming you had a negative result, but the test result is submitted by the individual - you just have to answer positive or negative when you submit your result, so surely it is depends on the honesty of the individual. I was really surprised by this when I received my own pack of NHS tests - the system is truly flawed it seems to me. It could have been much more sophisticated and more foolproof I would have thought.

HarryGem · Club Coach

TTMan wrote:
The pressures on Jo must be enormous. Does she call it a day because of her knee and Covid stuff? Does she follow her dream of supporting GB at the Olympics or follow Cam and go for points on the US swing, she certainly needs them. The Nottingham title suggests she still has the ability to continue a viable career but it's now much more of an uphill struggle. On the other hand, her private life looks to be in a good place to take retirement. Will be interesting to see what follows.

I actually wonder if the opposite may now becoming true in terms of pressure. The Olympics is surely a no brainer and only a few weeks away now. She won't get another chance probably so surely she will take part as long as she is fit and covid free.

Her private life is in a great place, I'm assuming she's not too short of a bob or two. As to her career in tennis, I think the last few weeks are an indication as to the future. She's nothing to prove to anyone and the drive to play week in week out whilst preserving her knee condition probably isn't really there.

Yes she showed some form and it was great to see her win Nottingham but we do need to put it into some context in that she was clearly the best player by a mile. Does she want todrag herself round the lower rated WTA tournaments just to maintain some points? I'm not sure how keen she is on travelling even without covid when her knee probably precludes he from playing week in week out in any case.

One thing is certain when she does hang up her racquet she'll leave a big hole at the top of GB tennis which doesn't look close to being filled in.

She could give the Olympics and the US open a go without any real pressure as expectations will be low in any case. Sometimes events such as this make decisions easier to make but we'll have to wait and see.

-- Edited by HarryGem on Monday 28th of June 2021 10:01:08 AM

-- Edited by HarryGem on Monday 28th of June 2021 10:02:20 AM

DF · Tennis legend

Doesn't look like they are going to play promptly in order to get some play before the expected rain.

HarryGem · Club Coach

Julia Carrot wrote:
HarryGem wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
What absolutel rotten luck for Jo. When they are so strict, and rightfully so in my opinion with maintenance of the players bubble why oh why are they letting full capacity crowds in for finals weekend? Should the roof have to he closed i have visions of it being a super spreader event, endangering players and their teams also.
I think the answer to your very valid question lies in two things.
1 Money
2 The event is part of the Government's series of test events to examine how we can try to get back to some kind of normality. With relatively high levels of vaccination and few if any overseas visitors we simply have to try to find out what we can do or we're going to be stuck in our houses for a long long time. The only thing I question is why everyone doesn't have to undergo a negative test 48 hours pre visit rather than just the un-vaccinated as even those vaccinated can carry the virus? I was fortunate to be at the FA Cup final, also a test event, where this was a requirement and there were virtually no infections among the 20 thousand plus attendees recorded after the event.
HarryGem, thank you for your reply. In respect of my worry about roof closure, at the moment the weather looks good for finals weekend to hopefully that won't be needed which really makes a big difference from it effectively being an very risky indoor event to slightly safer outdoor event.

I didn't know it was a designated 'test event'. It is still very much underplayed that those vaccinated can still carry and probably transmit the virus and like you say, negative tests really should be mandatory also. However, I do have great doubts about the reliability of records of negative tests since home testing (NHS) kits are self reported. Yes, the result is recorded officially by the NHS, and you receive a message from them confirming you had a negative result, but the test result is submitted by the individual - you just have to answer positive or negative when you submit your result, so surely it is depends on the honesty of the individual. I was really surprised by this when I received my own pack of NHS tests - the system is truly flawed it seems to me. It could have been much more sophisticated and more foolproof I would have thought.

Julia. I agree with much of what you say and we're going a bit off topic here so I'll just say that the tests done for attendees at the FA Cup final were the same as done at home but you HAD to get it done at a centre and the results were emailed and texted to you half an hour later. I see no reason why this couldn't have been applied here too though the numbers involved are far greater.

Still I'm hoping to be there on Friday with my son and am looking forwards to doing something normal again. But with my weather record I'd bank on rain on Friday, just like Birmingham!

Julia Carrot · All-time great

HarryGem wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
HarryGem wrote:
Julia Carrot wrote:
What absolutel rotten luck for Jo. When they are so strict, and rightfully so in my opinion with maintenance of the players bubble why oh why are they letting full capacity crowds in for finals weekend? Should the roof have to he closed i have visions of it being a super spreader event, endangering players and their teams also.
I think the answer to your very valid question lies in two things.
1 Money
2 The event is part of the Government's series of test events to examine how we can try to get back to some kind of normality. With relatively high levels of vaccination and few if any overseas visitors we simply have to try to find out what we can do or we're going to be stuck in our houses for a long long time. The only thing I question is why everyone doesn't have to undergo a negative test 48 hours pre visit rather than just the un-vaccinated as even those vaccinated can carry the virus? I was fortunate to be at the FA Cup final, also a test event, where this was a requirement and there were virtually no infections among the 20 thousand plus attendees recorded after the event.
HarryGem, thank you for your reply. In respect of my worry about roof closure, at the moment the weather looks good for finals weekend to hopefully that won't be needed which really makes a big difference from it effectively being an very risky indoor event to slightly safer outdoor event.

I didn't know it was a designated 'test event'. It is still very much underplayed that those vaccinated can still carry and probably transmit the virus and like you say, negative tests really should be mandatory also. However, I do have great doubts about the reliability of records of negative tests since home testing (NHS) kits are self reported. Yes, the result is recorded officially by the NHS, and you receive a message from them confirming you had a negative result, but the test result is submitted by the individual - you just have to answer positive or negative when you submit your result, so surely it is depends on the honesty of the individual. I was really surprised by this when I received my own pack of NHS tests - the system is truly flawed it seems to me. It could have been much more sophisticated and more foolproof I would have thought.
Julia. I agree with much of what you say and we're going a bit off topic here so I'll just say that the tests done for attendees at the FA Cup final were the same as done at home but you HAD to get it done at a centre and the results were emailed and texted to you half an hour later. I see no reason why this couldn't have been applied here too though the numbers involved are far greater.
Still I'm hoping to be there on Friday with my son and am looking forwards to doing something normal again. But with my weather record I'd bank on rain on Friday, just like Birmingham!

Harry, thanks for that information about the tests being done at a centre - I do find that reassuring. I hope you and your son have an absolutely wonderful time on Friday - the forecast is just great for Friday. Please share some of the flavour of your visit for those of us not making it this year. Envious !!!

the addict · Tennis legend

They've just taken the net down on Court 3, so anybody's guess when play might start. No sign f the covers coming out though.

DF · Tennis legend

So ... no play before 12.

DF · Tennis legend

Putting covers on the outside courts now

seagull · Hall of fame

So probably nothing before 2 looking at forecast. Not a great start - looks pretty empty around the grounds.

PaulM · Tennis legend

I suspect Jo will play through to next year, and perhaps retire after Wimbledon. It would certainly be a shame for her not to get a proper Wimbledon goodbye after all the great moments she has delivered.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

PaulM wrote:
I suspect Jo will play through to next year, and perhaps retire after Wimbledon. It would certainly be a shame for her not to get a proper Wimbledon goodbye after all the great moments she has delivered.

Such an absolute bummer for Jo this year though. There are only three named people in her team, is there any indication as to who has the virus?

the addict · Tennis legend

Julia Carrot wrote:
PaulM wrote:
I suspect Jo will play through to next year, and perhaps retire after Wimbledon. It would certainly be a shame for her not to get a proper Wimbledon goodbye after all the great moments she has delivered.
Such an absolute bummer for Jo this year though. There are only three named people in her team, is there any indication as to who has the virus?

Haven't seen anything yet. Have to wait and see if she splits with anyone - fiance, coach or trainer wink