India J100:

Allegra K Davies has won her first two rounds in this event, including beating the second seed

Germany J60:

Tamara Kuti won her R1 match

India J100:

Allegra K Davies continues her good run, beating the 7th seed in the quarters

Belgium, J60

R2 win for Kyle McKay

R2 loss for Flora Johnson


Germany, J60

R2 loss for Tamara Kuti

J100, Sweden:

QFs: Scotland's Charlie Robertson continues his great run (and proving the LTA wrong) whilst Henry lost by a whisker against the top seed, and Viktor lost far more easily

I might be slightly barking up the wrong tree but there was a story (in The Times, I think) about how Charlie has had to battle really hard to get any recognition whatsoever, how his parents had to sell their business to pay for his coaching and travel etc, how the top bods had no interest.....

Now the lad is doing well, suddenly they're all interested.......

Which, I guess, is good, finally .....but what about all the other equally talented ones who the LTA had no interest in, who didn't have parents who were willing to go quite so far, other kids to consider, etc etc etc

(As an aside, Charlie - from photos - seems pretty small for his age - I do wonder if that's one of the reasons....)

LordBrownof wrote:

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Thanks. I guess it's hard not to accept the help in the end. They are the key to unlocking so much opportunity, but I'm sure it's accepted through gritted teeth!

Size might be an issue, although we have plenty of players - juniors and seniors - who are considered "small" for tennis players (Gusic-Wan, Fery, Mchugh). It may have just been one coach's opinion at the time. I know from my Dad (who was a Prem League Scout) that you don't get them all right!

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 100% 

To me, and based on my time in the French system a while back, the key thing is to have a pyramid system.

So you've got the ones you've detected early as being the most promising who get the most help. Logical.

BUT you've got a layer beneath who get some help, and maybe a layer below that gets a a little help.

This allows for more fluidity between layers - i.e. your middle level lad might suddenly come on leaps and bounds and show himself worthy of top level help. And that's well possible because, as you say, it's hard to say deifnitively AND you've kept the door open. 

If you only have elite level and nothing else, then the middle and lower level will most likely stagnate, often give up, and then there's no hope. 

In France, we did it as national level, regional level and county level (and then there was also a sort of layer below, done mainly at club level).

J100, Sweden:

Charlie lost quite easily in the semis, against the top seed

But Viktor is into the doubles final later today (playing with the top singles guy who beat Charlie) so fingers crossed for him/them