I know I soudn like a broken record but it's just ridiculous to have these spaces free in the draw when players say 'oh it's so expensive to travel' and 'the LTA only give wildcards to their favourites' etc etc
The spaces are there.......

telstar wrote:

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paulisi wrote:

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I see Hollie Smart has a QWC  - she is younger than Hannah Klugman....

Qualifying draw not full. Lots of GB juniors

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 Yes it's pretty extraordinary. Nos 26, 31, 43, 45 and 46 on the alternates list have all got places. I thought you didn't have to sign up in person but could just call. If so why don't others sign up?

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There's not much point phoning to sign in on the off chance they may scrape in, if they can't get there for the start of play. Sunderland is out of the way with a long journey for most players and it would mean travelling late into the night or early morning, or if relying on public transport on a Saturday night/Sunday morning, not getting there until early afternoon. There's no guarantee a request to be scheduled last would be granted.
It is a valid question for those from the region who would not have an excuse of not being able to get there for the start of play. I can only think of 2 girls from the Northumberland and Durham & Cleveland regions that aren't here that I would expect to see if fit and available. One is based at the LU NTA and I think has a long term injury, or at least I haven't seen her name for a few months,and the other, who is on the acceptance list and I had been hoping would get a qWC, I see is in the SF of the 18U National Tour in Corby today.

I know some will say it's a chance for players who only compete domestically to get a rare chance at international competition, but if there's 50-odd on the alternates list is phoning to sign in really something you'd think about doing? And wouldn't they have to be registered with the ITF, which I'd imagine they wouldn't be?

All that said. I note there's a few at the very top of the alternates who would have known for a day or two that they would get in, but they aren't in the draw. If they knew it was too late for them to make arrangements to play, they should have withdrawn to make it clearer to those below there was a more likely opportunity to play.

Wildcards look like Isabelle Lacey, Alice Gillan, Danielle Daley and one other.
Freya seems to have sneaked into the main draw.

A pity there doesn't seem to be any streaming available for the qualifying matches; I was looking forward to seeing how Hollie Smart and Sophie Bekker get on.

Coup Droit wrote:

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I take your point, Lamdba

But, on the other hand, last week there were several BYEs too in the quali draw, so it was a very good indication that a lot of people on the list weren't turning up. And you've got a similar regional pull, it's not like you've suddenly switched to the NTC, where Glasgow's numbers would be irrelevant.

Also, some people will know each other, or know someone who knows someone. It's easy to make a couple of phone calls. When you find out that X and Y above you definitely aren't going, that also tips the balance.

Given that, I think it's perfectly reasonable to spread the net wider than Cumberland. Manchester is only about 130 miles away (2.5 hours away by car) (according to Google). Edinburgh is 131. Sheffield is 106 miles. . That's no real distance. Of course there will be some families who can't afford to so that on the off-chance. But there are lots of families who can't afford tennis, full stop. For the majority of tennis-playing families, 120 miles is not a huge investment. It's up to them, of course, and it's no problem but, for decent juniors, college contenders, uni players, coaches, the opportunity is there is they want it (which seemingly they don't)

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 A few points I want to make here ...it seems to me that the timing of this event could do with being something like mid December to allow some of the US college players to play. This would certainly fill up the gaps in qualifying and increase the standard overall. That is surely what we want so the event is stronger and those who are in it would be tested more,   and no gaps! As put on the general thread in US college signings section there are 87 GB women at college there at D1 programs. This includes quite a few who have had wins in rounds of w15, w25 events in the past, some who've had itf or wta rankings, also some ex academy players now, and at least two ex national champions at u16 or u18 level. It includes probably the majority of the top women players born 2002, 2003, 2004 and now some 2005. We all know the lta will pick up anyone GB who comes through however, and this may include some us college players (as has happened in men's) but they could be helped. Keep the pyramid as broad and deep as possible! I know we are now looking at 2007, 8 and 9 players coming through but the US college players are only 18 to 21, hardly old! Alternatively maybe try to make the UK uni system more similar to the US system so more of our better players stay here. Would need funding also a change in ethos so sport comes first and academics fits round it.

Also I don't understand why itf and pro events have such secrecy about who is in and who isn't, which makes it impossible for players and parents to plan possible travel, accommodation etc. And it just seems odd that anyone can take last minute WC into events if they haven't entered or have withdrawn, at this level.

Lambda wrote:

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Jaquelyn Ogunwale is also missing from qualifying and may have a WC. It wouldn't surprise me though if Mika Stojsavljevic turns up with a WC, even though she's not entered.

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 Is it possible Harriet might take a WC now she's had to pull out form the Midland 125?