Morning, CD. Mika has been playing tennis since the age of 5 - every day and her parents have targeted tennis as a career. Other sports were mainly at school - she hasn't had time to play anything but tennis, given the amount of hours she practises. She was at Reed Tennis School too re coaches.
Morning, CD. Mika has been playing tennis since the age of 5 - every day and her parents have targeted tennis as a career. Other sports were mainly at school - she hasn't had time to play anything but tennis, given the amount of hours she practises. She was at Reed Tennis School too re coaches.
Interesting. To be honest, that's what I thought. I'd written before that she seems very 'schooled' to me.
But then the commentator on the U16 nationals was making a real big deal about the fact that she was pursuing multi sports and had only recently decided to focus on tennis. So I thought I must be wrong and went with the official version.
Glad to know, TW18, that it's not me going mad. But unfortunate for Mika, in a way, because it then eliminates the commentator's implied argument that she's got a lot of uproom. So I won't change my juniors Word file
Goes to prove perseverance and hours on court can, actually, matter more than natural talent. Apart from Hannah, of course, who always had that naturalness on court, since very young. Hannah played a lot of serious hockey too.
Goes to prove perseverance and hours on court can, actually, matter more than natural talent. Apart from Hannah, of course, who always had that naturalness on court, since very young. Hannah played a lot of serious hockey too.
Oh, definitely. Tennis is quite a technical sport - you need to lay the foundations - very difficult to step into it, green, so to speak. But natural talent alongside training is the best
I'm a strong believer in keeping some level of multi-sports. Even if it's similar. i.e. Federer used to play squash every week. Lots of the French boys certainly did high-level football for a period of time.
Very impressed today watching Mika beat an in-form Kay Dunne today, 1 and 3, at the Roehampton 50k. Fairly brutal clean winners off both wings, and led 4-0 in the second, and just overhit a bit as the finishing tape swung into view.
From comments above, seems that both she and Hannah Klugman go to the same Reed tennis school?
This should give them the chance to play each other on a very regular basis - and given that they are currently the youngest 2 players in the WTA top 1000, then they could hardly dream of finding better practice partners; and that does seem to possibly already having an effect on their progression.
Best of 365 H2H for the school U16 tennis trophy over the next 12 months, then continue the rivalry in Grand Slam finals.
Very impressed today watching Mika beat an in-form Kay Dunne today, 1 and 3, at the Roehampton 50k. Fairly brutal clean winners off both wings, and led 4-0 in the second, and just overhit a bit as the finishing tape swung into view.
From comments above, seems that both she and Hannah Klugman go to the same Reed tennis school?
This should give them the chance to play each other on a very regular basis - and given that they are currently the youngest 2 players in the WTA top 1000, then they could hardly dream of finding better practice partners; and that does seem to possibly already having an effect on their progression.
Best of 365 H2H for the school U16 tennis trophy over the next 12 months, then continue the rivalry in Grand Slam finals.
Hannah has now quit Reed's school and is doing schooling by correspondence
And I believe Mika is at the Loughborough academy, no?
But, yes, I was there today and Mika was certainly terribly impressive
If I remember correctly, Mika used to be at St Benedict's in Ealing, and is now based in Loughborough. I think Hannah was at Wimbledon High School for normal studies, but used the facilities at Reed's on the weekend.
An impressive rise from Mika. So many exciting prospects - fingers crossed they can stay healthy and injury free and eventually make a good full transition to seniors.
(Also, thank you for highlighting the achievements of the juniors and sharing your "inside knowledge", CD. It's much appreciated by those of us who don't know much about this side of the game.)
So many exciting prospects - fingers crossed they can stay healthy and injury free and eventually make a good full transition to seniors.
