A big welcome to the professional rankings for 19 year-old, Alicia Dudeney
03/10/22 - WTA 1221
(with 8 points)
A tall, slender girl, she's always had a good serve and strong groundshots.
And did particularly well at junior Wimbledon (the grass suiting her). She made the QFs in 2021.
But she was always rather gangly on the court as a junior, and a touch slow.
Her time at US college (Florida Gators) has done her the power of good - SO much more athletic, more speed, more endurance in points, better technique too - in short, some really nice tennis and obviously all heading in the right direction
Alicia completed her time at Florida with a career record of 89-36 in singles and 86-40 in doubles. In her 1st year, she defeated Mary Stoiana in the SF of the SEC Championships. While Stoiana went on to become the best player in college tennis in subsequent seasons, Alicia's trajectory regrettably was hampered by injuries causing her to play lower down the order than the role she was expected to play following her successful 1st year, particularly during her 3rd year.
Returning to full fitness for the start of her final year, she reached the NCAA doubles semi-final with Rachel Gailis, adding to the QF she reached in her 2nd year. In the last ITA rankings before the NCAAs she is ranked 48 in singles - the 2nd highest British woman and her career highest ranking - and has 2 entries in the doubles rankings at 15 (with Rachel Gailis) and 19 (with Bente Spee who she played with during the spring season) - these are the 2nd and 3rd highest rankings for a British woman this season. She finished her 1st, 2nd and final years ranked in the top 25 in doubles.
She finished her final year in singles on an 11 match win streak playing at No 2 and leads the team for wins this season (by a long way) in singles and doubles with a 23-8 record in singles and 24-10 record in doubles. Her performance this year was recognised by the opposition coaches across her conference as they voted her to receive All-SEC 1st team honours. To provide context of the achievement, the SEC is the strongest women's conference in Div 1 college tennis and includes 4 of the top 5 ranked women and 8 of the top 16 teams.
Leaving college behind, she's entered for some W15s later this month but a long way down the alt list.
Enjoyed watching her as a teenager - that was some thundering serve - and still remember her run to the QFs in Junior Wimbeldon - the last British girl standing, I seem to remember
- and still remember her run to the QFs in Junior Wimbeldon - the last British girl standing, I seem to remember
