Week 15 - ITF W25+H - Calvi, France Hard

Peter too · Tennis legend

Week 15 - ITF W25+H - Calvi, France Hard

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

OK - so why does Matilda want to play a 25k on hard courts in France when she could play a 25k on hard courts in Britain?

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

I guess Calvi will be slightly more exotic than Nottingham, but I wonder why MM chose this over the GB event. She may have an opportunity in R1 depending on which Q she draws, but generally, you'd think the smaller the event the better for her at the moment. I don't think she's played a pro event in the UK outside of a couple of grass events last year.

Edit - similar minds CD.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Sunday 10th of April 2022 04:29:06 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

Because she'd potentially play and lose to another British youngster on a substantially lower funding package than her and this removes the risk of any unpleasant embarrassment?

Lambda · Challenger level

Is she still based at the Rafa Nadal Academy? Perhaps its easier/cheaper to get to Corsica from Majorca than to get to Nottingham?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

PaulM wrote:
Because she'd potentially play and lose to another British youngster on a substantially lower funding package than her and this removes the risk of any unpleasant embarrassment?

I 'like' your thinking Paul......All too possible......:(

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Sunday 10th of April 2022 07:36:48 PM

Tennisdad_101 · Lower Club Player

She has been at the NTC on the PSP for a while I think. Not sure who coaches her though.

Lambda · Challenger level

I know Matilda was on the PSP last year, but she doesn't appear to be this year, which I'm surprised about. She doesn't appear to be on any LTA programs.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
PaulM wrote:
Because she'd potentially play and lose to another British youngster on a substantially lower funding package than her and this removes the risk of any unpleasant embarrassment?
I 'like' your thinking Paul......All too possible......:(

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Sunday 10th of April 2022 07:36:48 PM

Its an unfair comment and I'm sure not the case, the French event comes with Hospitality and therefore offers more points which might have been a factor. But it has been a 'thing' in the past with highly funded top British juniors avoiding domestic tournaments

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Do you really think a little bit of hospitality makes a big difference to someone her age, her profile, who's been travelling to South Africa, and South America in recent months? Or even the fractional higher points? (In early rounds, where she's likely to be)

Of course, maybe her current coach has connections there. Or she's travelling with a group. But....

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Sunday 10th of April 2022 10:24:44 PM

Strongbow · All-time great

As Paulisi said it comes with hospitality (£200 ?) and extra points - also keeps the LTA sweet as she's not taking the place of another GBR player. Bet the accomodation costs are lower there. Depends on the strength of the field - time will tell.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

Lambda wrote:
I know Matilda was on the PSP last year, but she doesn't appear to be this year, which I'm surprised about. She doesn't appear to be on any LTA programs.

It's almost as if she's avoiding coming back to Blighty. Could there be a risk of defection?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

dodrade wrote:
Lambda wrote:
I know Matilda was on the PSP last year, but she doesn't appear to be this year, which I'm surprised about. She doesn't appear to be on any LTA programs.
It's almost as if she's avoiding coming back to Blighty. Could there be a risk of defection?

Her dad is from Serbia and her mother from Montenegro, and it's true she was partly over there as a youngster, being at an academy in Serbia for a little time. And I got the impression from the LTA site that her parents moved back there at some time, but I'm not sure. But I can't see her defecting there....

However, the family may be more based there now than here and so the UK is not a natural choice (and may also have fallen out with the LTA, who knows....)

NB she was also at the Kim Clijsters academy for a while, as well as then the Rafa Nadal one.

Drawing a qualifier here has to be a result

She's had the most awful start to the year

Played 5 events and lost easily in the first round of 4 of them and won her one match by retirement (although late on).

Curious about your point, Lambda, of not being on any LTA programme lists - will be interesting to see what happens in the grass season

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Monday 11th of April 2022 07:40:34 AM

Lambda · Challenger level

As junior girls player of the year, junior player of the year last year and nominee for junior player of the year this year it is a bit puzzling why she wouldn't be supported by the LTA. But at the end of February when announcing the nominees for the LTA awards she was on the PSP, so perhaps the LTA have made a mistake in omitting her from the list on the website?

ETA: I do, however, note Ivona Horvat stopped being her performance coach in February.

-- Edited by Lambda on Monday 11th of April 2022 08:09:05 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

R1: MUTAVDZIC, Matilda (GBR) 439 (CH=421 2022) v (q) Tess Sugnaux (SUI) 675 (CH 413)

Tess has been around for quite a while, she's 27, and you always see her name in the European draws.

She was in the UK early on this year - lost to Jodie easily and also lost to Emma Wilson, by a whisker, at Glasgow. Hasn't had a great year - got a rap sheet a bit like Matilda's in fact....