Boys & Girls: U14/U12/U11 National Championships, Nottingham, hard (Week 33)

DavidC · Tennis legend

Boys & Girls: U14/U12/U11 National Championships, Nottingham, hard (Week 33)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

The U14 girls draw is very interesting.

This is 2009 and 2010 born players.

Obviously, there's Hollie Smart and Edie Griffiths, our top two (after Hannah Klugman)

And also Lara Savic, the other member of the LTA team, so presumably very highly thought of.

However, the highest ITF ranked player - by FAR - is Alisha Ndukwu
She is ITF 719, but unseeded, whereas the number one seed (Hollie) is only ITF 2956
However, it's true that all her points have come from a run of events in Africa (she has a Polish mother and Nigerian father) and the standard might have been somewhat weaker than most ITF events

Celine Ricaud is also an interesting name.

In the 2010-ers, though, there's also Rosie Cho who has just had a super run in the J30 Bradfield event (as well as at Tennis Europe events)

And Sevil Parviz who has been, I believe, the LTA's top pick in the 2010 born girls. She's seeded #3 here.

Daniella Britton is also an interesting name. And Annabel Wong was given a wildcard (having made the SFs at the recent TE event)

A lot of players I don't know though so there may well be some I've missed who should be mentioned.....

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

So, not entirely unexpected, Alisha Ndukwu's ITF ranking did indeed prove to be rather misleading, as she lost 2-6 1-6 to an unseeded girl, in the first round

The top two seeds (Hollie and Edie) had no problem

And nor did the other girls I'd mentioned - easy wins for Rosie, and Celine, and Sevil (the other couple still to play)

DavidC · Tennis legend

The under 14 boys are through to the semis - minus any of the top 4 seeds. Both remaining seeds are 2010 born, who contested the Junior Orange Bowl under 12 event last year

U14 Boys SF

Nate De Mariveles v (7) Niall Pickerd-Barua
Brandon Ratanavong v (5) Eric Lorimer

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I saw a bit of Brandon R's match - it was good to see a player being very physical on the court, putting in the effort, dynamic....

I actually thought Oluwajomiloju AMINU (who I believe goes by 'Mo') had a more interesting game than Lorimer who beat him, just, in a third-set TB. I think he'll grow into his game.

But, yep, curious that the two top seeds are out already.....

CaptainH · Improver

Agree some interesting tennis From the few matches Ive seen.

I do think results at this age are driven more by physical maturity than natural ability. I just hope the LTA performance team see it the same way. Sadly I suspect its all results driven rather than potential talent, but i hope to be proven wrong.

Great to see the bigger 2010s competing but I do wonder who will be at the top once theyve all reached maturity.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

CaptainH wrote:
Agree some interesting tennis From the few matches Ive seen.
I do think results at this age are driven more by physical maturity than natural ability. I just hope the LTA performance team see it the same way. Sadly I suspect its all results driven rather than potential talent, but i hope to be proven wrong.
Great to see the bigger 2010s competing but I do wonder who will be at the top once theyve all reached maturity.

Interesting

I think it's more driven by previous drilling, rather than physical maturity or talent

i.e. the ones who've had LOTS of lessons really stand out - and usually win

I don't think size makes that much difference at this age - or, put another way, the size issue will be ten times more important once they're 24, say.

There are so few top players under 5ft 8 (for men). And practically no champions. But if you look at the winners here in previous years, or Les Petits As, or whatever, then it's far more common for the little kids to do really well or win

I'd be interested to know what difference this event has on the bods - i.e. the fact that the top two seeds have lost already in U14 Boys, say, and given the players who've beaten them - what impact does that have (if any) on the LTA next year?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Rosie Cho (age 13) lost her first set 0-6 against a girl from Edinburgh

But did very well to take the second set 6-3 and then waltzed through the third set 6-0

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

The boys U14s semis are really well fought battles - although quite different

Eric Lorimer is only 2010, I see, although quite a tall lad, plays a technically very nice game, excellent defence, but doesn't put too much on the ball himself

Brandon Ratanavong is 2009 and quite athletic in build - also has a technially very good game, and a bit more weight of shot, a more penetrating serve ....

It's a real battle with Eric just, but just, on top at the moment 7-6 4-3

Both Niall Pickerd-Barua (who is also 2010) and Nate de Mariveles have technical issues - they both swat and slap at the ball too much. Lots of determination from both players though. And similarly close - 7-5 3-3 to Niall

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Tuesday 15th of August 2023 11:46:22 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

So, as none of our top U14s could play because of playing European Cup and - for some reason - the LTA starting the boys draw early - we now have two 2010-ers in the final, Eric and Niall.

Well done to both and wishing them a good final

DavidC · Tennis legend

In the under 14 girls the third member of the European Summer Cup team, Lara Savic, lost in round 1 to Martha Ground, but Hollie and Edie are yet to be troubled

U14 Girls QF

(1) Hollie Smart v (6) Celine Ricaud
Ophelia Korpanec Davies v (7) Daisy Wootton
(5) Rosie Cho v (WC) Annabel Wong
Martha Ground v (2) Edie Griffiths

U14 Boys SF

(7) Niall Pickerd-Barua d. Nate De Mariveles 7-5 6-4
(5) Eric Lorimer d. Brandon Ratanavong 7-6(4) 6-4

DavidC · Tennis legend

Niall is the 2023 Under 14 boys champion after a comfortable win over Eric. Hollie came through a competitive match with Celine, whilst Edie progressed more easily. As in the previous round Rosie came back from losing the opening set 6-0

U14 Girls QF

(1) Hollie Smart d. (6) Celine Ricaud 7-6(2) 6-4
Ophelia Korpanec Davies d. (7) Daisy Wootton 6-4 6-2
(5) Rosie Cho d. (WC) Annabel Wong 0-6 6-2 6-0
(2) Edie Griffiths d. Martha Ground 6-1 6-2

SF

(1) Hollie Smart v Ophelia Korpanec Davies
(5) Rosie Cho v (2) Edie Griffiths

U14 Boys F

(7) Niall Pickerd-Barua d. (5) Eric Lorimer 6-1 6-3

U11 Girls F

Ginny Chen v Sophia Cunninghame

U11 Boys F

Frederick Fabricius v Max Hodkinson

Mervatron2 · Futures level

I watched a few games of the Hollie vs Celine match. Some really good rallies. Hollie certainly is a hustler. Celine often dominated points but couldnt get the final ball away.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Mervatron2 wrote:
I watched a few games of the Hollie vs Celine match. Some really good rallies. Hollie certainly is a hustler. Celine often dominated points but couldnt get the final ball away.

Thanks, Merv

I didn't see any of the match but I was hoping that Celine would be competitive

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

This might be a bit specialist (or sad

) but I loved the U11 girls' final

Ginny Chen had been dominant up till now. And plays a very careful game, lots of high balls, rarely takes the ball on (although she's shown at times that she can but often makes errors)

But Sophia Cuninghame played a far more aggressive game, going for angles and corner, getting more pace, particulalry on her forehand, and serve too

And it's Sophia was won, in over three hours. And deservedly so, IMO.

Sophia def. Ginny 6-4 4-6 6-4