Boys & Girls: J4 Liverpool (Northern Vision Liverpool International), United Kingdom - Hard, indoor (Week 46)

paulisi · Tennis legend

Boys & Girls: J4 Liverpool (Northern Vision Liverpool International), United Kingdom - Hard, indoor (Week 46)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Tx for the heads up, paulisi.

Now also on the site.

Abby lost in close three sets, so well done to her.

Talia lost 4 & 4, which will be a disappointment.

Giulia is a name that we mentioned earlier this year when she suddenly appeared in ITFs, and chalked up some very good runs, in Stirling, Edinburgh, and then in Finland. She's obviously a very decent player. Am following with interest....

And Isabelle is obviously second seed, and probably still underranked, with two titles in recent months, and some other very good results.

The boys has the 1st, 2nd and 4th seed in the last 4. And Henry Searle. So well done to him for being the outlier

Nix · Futures level

Coup Droit wrote:
Tx for the heads up, paulisi.

Now also on the site.

Abby lost in close three sets, so well done to her.

Talia lost 4 & 4, which will be a disappointment.

Giulia is a name that we mentioned earlier this year when she suddenly appeared in ITFs, and chalked up some very good runs, in Stirling, Edinburgh, and then in Finland. She's obviously a very decent player. Am following with interest....

And Isabelle is obviously second seed, and probably still underranked, with two titles in recent months, and some other very good results.

The boys has the 1st, 2nd and 4th seed in the last 4. And Henry Searle. So well done to him for being the outlier

Out of interest CD, is there a massive jump to the next level? I've been watching Isabelle Lacy's progress asI thought she did really well in the match she played at junior Wimbledon (even though she lost) and also as her sister is in my son's extended friendship group, which adds another bit of interest.

Her recent results are indeed pretty impressive but I wondered if J3 would be too much of a gap?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Up until covid times, there was quite a shortage of J3s.

I've no idea why - David may well know better.

But you'd get tons of J5s and J4s (sort of grouped together, not a huge difference between them). And quite a lot of J2s and J1s and above (similar). And only a smattering of J3 in the middle.

It seems to me (not really backed up by figures, and I may well be wrong) that there have been more J3s recently.

However, yes, a lot of the J3s are a big step up.

This week, say, the J4 at Liverpool (girls) has 3 in the top 500, and 9 in the top 800.

The J3 in Israel has 3 in the top 200, and 15 in the top 400.

It's a HUGE difference.

Mind you, there's a big difference - the J3 in Canada is a fair bit weaker.

Isabelle has a slight problem, too, in that her coach has to take the group where the group fits best. So there will always be a player at the top, say, (i.e. Isabelle) who could maybe move up, and a player at the bottom who should probably be a in lower event, but it fits the majority of the group. (I got the feeling they were there as a group in Finland, and it makes sense, far more fun, far better idea)>

But, yes, she impressed on TV in summer. And her results have been good since then, and getting better. Only 2006. Most certainly one to watch.....

Nix · Futures level

Thanks for that CD. I didn't realise that they coached and travelled as a group, so I can see how that might limit opportunities for the outliers.

Also, I guess while you might beat one top 400 player, it gets harder if you have a series of more difficult matches.

Let's hope she continues to progress!

paulisi · Tennis legend

No reason why they cannot split the group out.

Rankings are all over the place with covid , so difficult to judge how good a level the competition is at any grade.

Example : Charlie Camus has won 4 back to back G5's only become his ranking dictated he wouldn't get into anything higher. He may well win this week. I suspect in the new year, he will be playing G3 or higher regularly.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

There are many reasons why it doesn't make sense to split the group out. Especially if there's just one player a bit above.

Studies have shown that in girls tennis in particular, planning and working in team environments is usually far more successful, especially for younger players. It's not to say that the best player can't ever do a higher ranked event, but it's not only cost effective but also tennis effective to stay as a group at first. There is peer teaching too, the ability to watch your teammates and learn from their competitive matches (something UK players lack as they play so few actual team events). And it's got to be fun. Travelling as one person with a coach can be really stressful and gloomy for a 14 year old.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
There are many reasons why it doesn't make sense to split the group out. Especially if there's just one player a bit above.

Studies have shown that in girls tennis in particular, planning and working in team environments is usually far more successful, especially for younger players. It's not to say that the best player can't ever do a higher ranked event, but it's not only cost effective but also tennis effective to stay as a group at first. There is peer teaching too, the ability to watch your teammates and learn from their competitive matches (something UK players lack as they play so few actual team events). And it's got to be fun. Travelling as one person with a coach can be really stressful and gloomy for a 14 year old.

It can be gloomy for a 56 year old as well, believe me - travelling not playing tennis

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You're not wrong, Jon

Just to update the doubles, in the boy's SF we have:

Freddy and Billy Blaydes v Luca Pow and Henry Searle (always nice when siblings play together

)

Oliver Hague & Kyle McKay v George Russell & Max Relic

So that's GB x 8, and all wrapped up for team GB

In the girls SF, it's:

Talia & Given v POL/SVK

Issey & FRA v Isabelle & Giulia

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Henry Searle (2006) has been another name who has been quietly clocking up wins and points, and making a statement

Today's win, over Phoenix (the top seed), in two quite easy sets, is a big victory

In the other semi, Luca Pow put out Charlie Camus (AUS), last week's winner, easily.

So it's Luca v Henry in the final, an all GB affair, with Luca (presumably) being the decent favourite.

In the girls SF, Giulia's run came to an end, against the French girl.

But Isabelle won at a saunter, 0 & 2

paulisi · Tennis legend

Isabelle is set to fly up the rankings with good singles and doubles points.

I'd expect her to play get into a higher level tournament(G3 & G2) quite easily if she chooses to do so.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I agree, it'd be lovely to see her try some higher ones.

Though it may be next year, now.

She lost her doubles SF very easily (with Giulia)

So, even if she wins the singles titles here, she'll only just get somewhere near the top 300.

However, that should make the main draw of most J2s, and J3s. She needs to be MD, to make it worthwhile, really.

And obviously, next year she'll have a big jump up (as will all the others 2004 and younger) as all the 2003s are removed.

So she'll be perfectly set up to attack the top events.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Dubs results:

Girls SF:

Issey & Astrid (FRA) def. Isabelle & Giulia 6-0 6-3

Talia & Given def. POL/SVK 6-3 2-6 10-8

Big well done to Talia and Given, in a clutch MTB. Means we have one winner guaranteed.

Boys SF:

Billy & Freddy Blaydes def. (2) Luca & Henry 6-3 7-5

Max Relic & George def. Kyle M & Oliver Hague 6-3 6-3

I have a soft spot for the Blaydes boys (they put me in mind of Marcus Willis). So, sorry Max and George, but I'm rooting for them.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Congratulations to Luca Pow on winning the boys singles
Isabelle lost her final and the Blaydes won the doubles title

-- Edited by paulisi on Friday 19th of November 2021 02:06:41 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Girls' FINAL: Astrid Lew Van Foon (2005) JWR 668 def. Isabelle Lacy (2006) JWR 384 7-6(3) 6-3

Astrid is a year older but a lot lower ranked than Isabelle but won in two sets. She's a decent junior as far as the FFT is concerned but not one of their top picks. It's one of the problems of junior rankings.

Boys' FINAL

: Luca Pow (2005) JWR 391 def. Henry Searle (2006) JWR 884 6-4 6-4

Boys Dubs FINAL: Billy and Freddy Blaydes def. Max Relic & George Russell 6-3 6-2