Looks like players have been told of awards, they are supposed to keep it quiet ahead of the official announcement but both van Ritjhoven (explicitly) and Serena(!) (impliedly) have said they are playing.
I thought the Serena thing was VERY cryptic - she could be talking about anything - a baby, a business deal, anything....
However, if she's got a wildcard, then that's great as far as I'm concerned
Less jumping for joy over Van Ritjhoven - he gets knocked out in R1 at Surbiton, has one great tournament, and then gets a wildcard to Wimbledon - what??? - it's all rather lost on me.....
I thought the Serena thing was VERY cryptic - she could be talking about anything - a baby, a business deal, anything....
However, if she's got a wildcard, then that's great as far as I'm concerned
Less jumping for joy over Van Ritjhoven - he gets knocked out in R1 at Surbiton, has one great tournament, and then gets a wildcard to Wimbledon - what??? - it's all rather lost on me.....
Jon called the van Rijthoven one. I was rather doubtful, thinking he had a "smidgen" of a chance once he'd won the s'Hertogenbosch final. I'm still a bit surprised.
based on today's WTA rankings and the wild cards already given out, if the top 11 players available enter, we could see:
1. Naiktha Bains
(Sam Murray - in Birmingham still?)
(Matilda Mutavdzic - not in the UK?!)
(Tara Moore - suspended)
(Mandy Carreras - not in the UK)
2 .Anna Brogan
3. Freya Christie
4. Lissey Barnett
5. Liz Maloney
6. Emilie Lindh??
(Maia Lumsden - in Ilkley still?)
7. Jasmine Conway
8. Emily Appleton
9. Alice Gillan
10. Emily Webley-Smith
11. Lauryn John-Baptiste
Does anyone expect those 11 to be in the line up or surprise appearances from those I have bracketed - or for it to be diluted (it already feels quite weak compared to the mens possible line up)
Maia doesn't need to as she has direct entry with he protected ranking, I believe. Hope we will see lots of others! Alice is still in Dominican Republic tho.
Jasmine is in Israel (playing today) as is Emilie Lindh.
Emily W-S is in Ilkley.
Alice Gillan is in the Dominican Republic.
Possibles are Emma Wilson, Isabelle Lacy, Danielle Daley, Holly Hutchinson and ALi Collins. Not sure whether they are all available to make up the numbers - and there are probably some unranked juniors as well.
Jasmine is in Israel (playing today) as is Emilie Lindh. Emily W-S is in Ilkley. Alice Gillan is in the Dominican Republic.
Possibles are Emma Wilson, Isabelle Lacy, Danielle Daley, Holly Hutchinson and ALi Collins. Not sure whether they are all available to make up the numbers - and there are probably some unranked juniors as well.
cool it looks like it could be quite diluted though as a field
Naiktha will need to withdraw from Ilkley doubles to play here. I would expect her to do that to be honest, would be strange not to take this opportunity given the qualifying prize money this year is pretty huge.
I'd expect to see:
Naiktha
Anna
Freya
Lissey
Liz
Emily A
Lauryn
Katy D (why not come back from injury here?!)
Emma
Isabelle
Dani
Imagine CD Freya will enter directly and it frees up a discretionary wildcard for the LTA to give out? Agree on Hep.
Sorry good point about Lauryn.
I don't mind the lower end of the playoffs being fairly weak. Not unusual, and a reflection both of initial awards (more than usual I think into qualifying?) and those in the 500-800 range who don't fancy their chances sticking to ITFs (not the decision I'd take but their careers).
I don't think Nell is NCAA top 100 in singles, and Holly left college some months ago (did play at Felixstowe though, so may be available).
I think Tennpar posted but Eden RIchardson , Holly Staff and Kylie Bilchev are the only NCAA top 100 ranked players we have, not sure if any of them are in the UK or might sign in for the NCAA spot (it has to be top 100)?
I'm assuming Ella and Isabelle Lacy will be the top two juniors having signed in (as Ranah doesn't need to)
So they will be here
And Freya has a wildcard already, I believe, from winning Felixstowe, so she doesn't need to be on the direct entry list
No idea about the NCAA listings but I note that Nell Miller and Holly Hutchinson are around - are they top 100?
Not sure that Lauryn is not still injured too - would be surprised to see her turn out
So, yes, it's going to go far down the list to fill those 11 spots
For the discretionary wildcard, I'm expecting that to go to Hephzibah Oluwadare
I assume that the DEs are accounted for first before the WCs. If so then the WCs that were available to any of the DEs will presumably go to whom failings or as additional discretionary WCs.