So here we go, the player of the month poll. 12 players listed below. Vote this month will last for 3 days so until Thursday Oct 6th at 10 am!!
I wont be pushing this one so much, a couple of updates a day max. As ever, if folks could comment when they vote it makes it more interesting and also prompts others to maybe take a look.
Several new names below and some old regulars as well!
1. Harriet Dart - for getting her first win against a top 10 player in 7 attempts and also making R2 at the US Open for the first time.
2. Jack Draper - For his excellent win over FAA in straight sets in the US Open and continuing an excellent year
3. Neal Skupski - for reaching US Open final and being live ranked no. 1, and number 3 as the month ends.
4. Joe Salisbury - for retaining the US Open title and protecting his Nş1 ranking as the month ends.
5. Stuart Parker - winning the Nonthaburi 3 Challenger, having never previously been in a main draw at that level.
6. Ben Bartram - winning the US Open Junior wheelchair singles and doubles titles, the first ever grand slam titles played for at junior level.
7. Alfie Hewett - winning the US Open singles for his 6th singles grand slam, winning one each season for 6 years. Backed it up by winning Series 1 level Sardinia Open
8. Katie Swan - reaching her first WTA250 semi-final, which will take her to GB #3 and a new CH of 131. Takes her winning streak to 8 consecutive matches
9. Freya Christie/Ali Collins for their doubles title at the W80+H at Le Neubourg
10. Hamish Stewart - winning the Mexico 15k title - in doubles - only his third ever doubles pro event (and runner-up by a whisker the week after)
11. Alex Maggs - winning the USA 15k title - in doubles - despite being a wildcard - and in his first (!) ITF adult event
12. Jade Cole - winning both the singles and the doubles title in the junior event in Togo, J5
Ok, This was quite an open month. Personally, I felt that it had to be a slam winner in the month when we had a few slam winners. I looked at Joe, Alfie and Ben
Joe did really well to win his slam title and it is hard not to give it to someone winning a senior title. Ben did really well to not only win his junior singles wheelchair but also the junior doubles; But Alfie stood out for me - he won his 6th singles slam in a 16 draw event, beat the world number one in the process and moved himself back to number one in the world and then backed it up by winning the second biggest event in September in Sardinia.
So Alfie Hewett gets my vote and, I hope, gets a lot more votes as well!!
Thanks for the early votes folks, I will do an update morning, later afternoon and evening over the next few days with voting progress. Interested to see how this weeks vote goes, given the extra time, will the voting rhythm change and will we get more votes as the 3 days progress?
10 votes in so far, spread across 6 players at this stage.
A little slower than usual but probably due to it being the working day still and maybe some folks taking advantage of the extra time allowed this month!
I will do one more update on voting before close of the day.
Again, please say who you vote for if you do vote and I would personally love to hear why as it is interesting to read!