We will need 1, 2, 3 or 4 wildcards. So if we need 1 or 2 I will have two groups of players( not 1 as we have more than 20 nominations) ,3 will be 3 groups and 4 will be 4.
Ill use the numbers Tanaqui gave to draw the groups if we have 2 groups; Brendans numbers for 3 groups; and SuperT numbers for 4 groups.
Draws wont be made until after the weekend and November PoM voting is closed and we then know how many wildcards we need!
1. Jan Choinski - gained over 100 places in the rankings up to a CH 126 winning his second challenger title along the way.
2. Julian Cash - a new career high inside the top 50, thanks to 5 challenger titles (at 75, 100 x 2 and 125 x 2 level), together with numerous other finals, including his first 3 ATP250 finals (all with different partners). And all that despite the ending of a long-term successful partnership mid-season.
3. Max Lendrum - 12 years old. Another Welsh up and coming potential star of the future.Coached by Francesca Lewis at Swansea (Mimis old stamping ground). Max beat the number one seed Frederick Fabricus to take the National U12 title at the Lexus indoor chamionship in Bolton in October - his first national chamionship title. Achieved without dropping a set and followed up by reaching the boys double final in the same event.
4. Viktor Frydrych - 17 years old for winning his first ITF U18 J300 event in Beijing in October this year. Moving nicely up the junior ranking to mid 50s. Another up and coming star from Colwyn Bay in North Wales.As Chris Lewis Tennis Wales noted, from Viktor first practise sessions at Colwyn Bay they knew he had potential.
5. Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid - Alfie is already qualified individually for Player of the Season but as a pair, Alfie and Gordon are the real deal - winners of Australian, French and Wimbledon slams this year, the are the worlds top pair with 9 titles overall this season - Gordon alongside Joe Salisbury is the only slam winner not in the PoS qualfiers so far, so this gives him a chance to right that wrong as part of this dominating pair. Also won the Wheelchair Masters title to cap a great season as world champions.
6. Emily Appleton - for her dedication and progress up the rankings. Although Emily's schedule is largely dictated by doubles she has managed to improve her singles ranking to 386 on 31 Oct (and a career high 368 a couple of weeks earlier) from 793 on 31 Oct last year. She's also improved her doubles ranking to 139 from 194. She's done this by playing week in week out having played 28 singles events and 34 doubles events during 2023 to date.
7. Katy Dunne - for returning to tennis after facing illness and injury and being very close to giving up. Playing competitive tennis and being open about all the hurdles she and other tennis players have to face
8. Dan Cox - Dan largely goes unheralded and plugs away at the ITF level. But for those of you who remember, hes become our King of Grass - this year he won the most grass court matches of all Brits; but he also did it last year. And deserves credit for that!
9. Danielle Daley - topped the UKPL league standings this season, including winning the UKPL event in week 3. Overall top points scorer on the women's league circuit
10. Louis Bowden - topped the UKPL league standings this season, including winning the UKPL events in weeks 4 and 6. Didn't play Finals week, but had the best league season of all men's players.
11. Maia Lumsden - nominated here just in case Heather manages to pip her for GB#1 in doubles by making up the 90 point difference. Tremendous year, coming from WR219 at the start of the year to WR74, winning 6 titles in the process, as well as reaching the quarter finals at Wimbledon, losing to the now WR1 & 2 pair.
12. Jack Draper - for reaching his first ATP tour final (beating WR 27 and 28 on the way) and climbing back up the rankings after injury troubles and falling to a ranking low of 123 in August.
13. Holly Hutchinson and Madeleine Brooks. Since starting to play together in April they have improved their doubles rankings from a combined 1925 (1073+852) to 573 (286+287) reaching 7 semi-finals and two finals - but still to win their first title
14. Jamie Murray - won 4 doubles titles this season and achieved a ranking of around 16 or 17 which is better than half of last year and his best ranking in 5 years. Impressive all round return.
15. Heather Watson - won WTA 250 title in Poland (July), w/ Yanina Wickmayer, and RU in Nottingham (June) with Harriet. Also, doubles RU in a WTA125 in Mexico, in October, and won an ITF40 in the same month
16 - Emily Webley Smith for keeping on, keeping on. I don't follow her much though but I know she's somewhat of a stalwart, keeps plugging away and I knows she just had her equipment stolen and I think a parent was unwell and she took time off?
17. Jack Pinnington-Jones - ranked #3 in the US College rankings. As per the college thread "became just the second ITA National Fall Championships finalist in the TCU program's 49-year history. He is the first TCU player to reach a national singles final since 1982. Pinnington's performance cemented him among the sport's rising amateur starts. The London native concluded the fall season with a 12-3 singles record. Seven of his wins were against ranked opponents. All but two of his victrices were sweeps".
18. Angelica Blake - had her strongest year yet at Stanford as they reached team semi finals where she and Amelia Rajecki were locked at 1 set all when the team match ended. Was 36-7 for the year. 15 wins in a row March to May. 12 ranked wins including players ranked 3,5 and 8. Won All American status. Chosen by NCAA committee as position 3 in NCAA All tournament team .Quarter finalist in NCAA singles championships beating 3 seeded players . Achieved no 14 in college D1 rankings. Has suffered with an injury that has kept her out of past 2 months events.
19. Toby Samuel - from relatively few tour appearances, Toby has shown real further progression. In singles he entered the top 500 with a November CH of 404, reaching QR2 at Wimbledon and being a winner and a RU in domestic M25s. In doubles he has a November CH 254, reaching MD R2 at Wimbledon ( with Connor Thomson ) and winning ATP Challenger 75 Drummondville ( with Andre Goransson ).
20. Ciara Moore - for topping the season long British Tour leaderboard, and comfortably as well.
21. Marcus Walters - for topping the season long British Tour leaderboard, taking the lead by winning the last counting event of the season.
22. Amarni Banks - progressed this season to the fringes of the top 300 and into the GB top 10. Gave huge indications of what more may be possible if she can stay fit and well in the Shrewsbury W100 where she reached the final, beating 3 top 200 players on the way.
23.Emilie Lindh for reaching a CH of 442 last week. On 16th July she was ranked 678, so thats a rise of 236 places in 4 months. For the past couple of years she has played consistently in far flung low level tournaments with no help from wild cards that Im aware of. Her recent good form and rise feels like a reward for hard work and perseverance.
Groups all now drawn using the numbers above for each of the scenarios for 1,2 , 3 or 4 wildcards! Subject to random adjustments should players qualify for POS between now and the vote!
any additional nominations will be added to the drawn groups as they arise. Nominations still close on 30th November Thanks folks!
-- Edited by JonH comes home on Sunday 26th of November 2023 04:53:31 PM
Too late to add to the Wild Cards, but I do think Annabel Croft should be getting a mention somewhere on this Board !!
Hi Julia - its not too late to add to the wildcards in terms of the timing, close is end November and I lifted the limit of 20 players a few days ago. So v happy if you want to add someone to the list, just by midnight Thursday please !
now - you may have meant adding Annabel and too late in terms of her playing career?! I dont think we can include her really as a player although others may disagree with that and I wont reject her nomination if she is nominated. Im sort of for letting the voters decide so if you wanted to nominate her that is your call. But as she isnt a player, it is probably a stretch !
Anyway, if youve nominees youd like to add by Thursday midnight , or anyone else who is thinking of it, please go ahead and do so!