Girls: 2023 U16/U18 Junior National Championships, NTC, acrylic (Weeks 14/15)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Girls: 2023 U16/U18 Junior National Championships, NTC, acrylic (Weeks 14/15)

TW18 · Lower Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
LordBrownof wrote:
Calling their own lines in a national championships??
I know - it's ridiculous, in my view.
In France, the national championships are not only for young players but also for young umpires - i.e. you use your best junior umpires, who are then overseen by the Umpiring commission, and it's part of their training.
Works really well....
Dani refused to play at one moment when yet another of her balls was called out by Mika (a couple of her calls were definitely dodgy). And the official had to come. Flora was very stressed at the end of the second set and lost it over her ball that Allegra called out (and was clearly out, IMO), but it was probably the stress that did it. I think Hannah and Heidi replayed a point when they couldn't agree - which wasn't right as the ball was in and Heidi was very well placed to see it, and Hannah was miles away. etc. etc. etc.

Ridiculous playing without umpires. As Coup Droit says, very good idea to use young umpires. Mika is renowed for calling balls out when they aren't. Kids are often too afraid of their parents to lose. I once had a conversation with an LTA performance coach who told me that is what the LTA want....players who will do anything to get their result. It's a 'quality' they are looking for. Go figure.

DF · Tennis legend

No wonder players like Mimi, Eva, Isabelle, Ella have opted to play adult tennis this week instead of enduring this again

Densher · Intermediate Club Player

Incompetence and poor planning by the LTA!? Well, now I have seen everything.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Densher wrote:
Incompetence and poor planning by the LTA!? Well, now I have seen everything.

It's not poor planning - it's a deliberate policy.

They claim it's part of the 'teaching players how to be autonomous' - which could translate as 'teaching them how to cheat'

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

DF wrote:
No wonder players like Mimi, Eva, Isabelle, Ella have opted to play adult tennis this week instead of enduring this again

Eva, Isabelle and Ella are too old

It's only U16 this week

I think they'll all be back next week for U18s

DavidC · Tennis legend

U16 QF

(1) Hephzibah Oluwadare v (Q) Lois Newberry
(Q) Flora Johnson v Mika Stojsavljevic
Tegan Bush v (4) Ciara Moore
(LL) Molly Robinson v (2) Hannah Klugman

Nix · Futures level

Coup Droit wrote:
Densher wrote:
Incompetence and poor planning by the LTA!? Well, now I have seen everything.
It's not poor planning - it's a deliberate policy.
They claim it's part of the 'teaching players how to be autonomous' - which could translate as 'teaching them how to cheat'

What a stupid idea. Why on earth would you want to risk the better player on the day losing because of a few bad calls at crucial moments. I was amazed to see no umpires too. I can't stand this idea of building resilience through adversity. Often unfairness does the opposite. You obviously don't want to mollycoddle young players but having umpires isn't that!

twentytoone · Intermediate Club Player

Just to note eva shaw has been given a wildcard into main draw of 18u girls singles. Good to see her playing

LordBrownof · Futures level

I would go as far as suggesting that teaching kids truthfulness and fairness is, in fact, building character...

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

It's not surprising that the couple of kids who are known for being stingy on the linecalls are also those who are coached by people of the same mentality

Ridiculous

But not all that unusual

About 20 years ago in France, the system was that the person who won the regional championship qualified automatically for the nationals. BUT this was before everything was online and easy to check.
So, when the 'oik' happened to win the regionals, and not the favoured golden girl, the parents of the country bumpkin were told that the system was different this year, that it was being done by draw (and their child had - oh so unfortunately - lost in the draw), or there were no nationals, or whatever - basically just huge porkies so the favoured one would go

It's not that different......

Mr Gib · Improver

Thanks For the explaination. I think I am just surprised that the premier National has a field of 44. Its not a very big pool.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Mr Gib wrote:
Thanks For the explaination. I think I am just surprised that the premier National has a field of 44. Its not a very big pool.

Yes, but you don't want a huge range in level - it means there are lots of meaningless matches which are dispiriting for the weaker players and a waste of time for the better players.

So, IMO, a feed-up system is best, where just the higher ranked players are in the main draw, with qualis for the other spots - AS LONG AS it's accessible to everyone to get the ranking points necessary to actually be one of those higher ranked players.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
Mr Gib wrote:
Thanks For the explaination. I think I am just surprised that the premier National has a field of 44. Its not a very big pool.
Yes, but you don't want a huge range in level - it means there are lots of meaningless matches which are dispiriting for the weaker players and a waste of time for the better players.
So, IMO, a feed-up system is best, where just the higher ranked players are in the main draw, with qualis for the other spots - AS LONG AS it's accessible to everyone to get the ranking points necessary to actually be one of those higher ranked players.

Same for the seniors when they took place in the 80s or so, and were a big deal for a while. They had a 32 full draw and am sure they moved to a smaller draw like this due to imbalance in entry. Cam Norrie v Josh Goodger say (our 32nd man) or Emma versus Abigail Amos, with all due respect to them, wouldnt serve any worthwhile purpose!

Shhh · Challenger level

The automatic line calls we see in big tournaments now, how expensive would this be to install on a few courts to be used throughout the year for tournaments such as this? It is out National Tennis Centre after all. I am not talking big screens for replays, just the system in place on the court? The cost must be falling all the time so, I am sure it is still expensive but the profits that Wimbeldon hands over are massive.