Would have been looking for Jodie to win that sort of content really, but still hopeful she can spring a surprise in Melbourne.
I'm a big fan of Jodie and follow her probably more than any other British player. At her very best I think that She could probably beat anyone up to around the top 30. I just think that at the moment however her game is too inconsistent to regularly expect her to beat players in the top 100. Hopefully that will come this year and she has a couple of very good days at the AO
Well, Ive just caught up on some of the tournaments over the past week and I was very surprised seeing Marni here in Australia. However let me just put this out there as we might be able to shed some light on the situation. When I was at Shrewsbury towards the end of last year, I first thought Marni was being coached by Katie O,Brian.
I wasnt going to mention this but After her first match I think against Katie Dunne I seen a heated discussion between Jeremy Bates and Marni s coach and I picked up on Marni s coach having an Australian accent but because at the time I thought it was Katie OBrien, I just thought it might have been a well travelled tennis players accent also, I thought why would Jeremy be arguing with Katie OBrien when they both work for the Lta.
The one thing I did hear from the conversation was that Marni had only received 1 wild card for Shrewsbury all year, when she should have been entitled to more also I didnt get a good feel for Jeremy Bates as he seemed a little rude and I get the feeling he is not a big fan of Marni Banks just by the way he was during the conversation.
Later on in the week, I watched a couple of the replays on YouTube, and when the camera went to Marins coach it was clear that this was not Katie OBrien.
I know Marni has travelled to Australia before and played in the Adelaide tournament, and various people asked if she had Australian contacts.
Im guessing she either has family or friends over there or her Coach is from there.
Any ideas guys?
Jeremy Bates being rude about a 'non-favourite'?
Jeremy Bates in a heated discussion with someone who doesn't agree with him?
And the non-favourite not getting the requisite wildcards?
Jeremy Bates was in Glasgow in the Autumn he was there with Harriet. He ignored the rest of the players
Oh Lord, don't get me going...... (too late )
I've been at SO many events - often juniors - where he has completely ignored the young GB kids who were not part of his cohort
It drove me mad !
There was even one where one of the non-elite youngsters had just had an amazing upset win. The kid walked past Jeremy, all excited and buzzy still. And Bates just turned away. He couldn't even say a little 'well done'.
I used to (part-time) work for a French FFT guy who was similar and I went absolutely out of my way to change that approach. I was more junior, obviously, but got completely under his skin at first by insisting on being all chummy with ALL the French kids and their parents, not just the chosen ones. Until he reluctantly admitted that it had unexpected (unexpected to him, that is) benefits - i.e. the Presidents of the clubs of the best 'non-elite' kids were suddenly now more cooperative about other stuff, and the North African military guy (long story) who had been causing problems, about his 'star', now decided he could work with the authorities after all. A little bit of friendliness and 'niceness' goes a long way, Jezza
Why did I have a feeling this would get a response about Jeremy Bates (especially from CD ) when the intention was to try and find out who marnis coach was and if anybody knew her Australian connections.
Well just for the record, he didnt look very comfortable in the Marni vs Harriet match as Harriet was giving him quite a bit of stick during the match.
I remember cheering for him on the TV when I think he got to the last eight of Wimbledon. I vaguely remember something happening on a very important point like somebody sneezing , cheering or coughing in the crowd and then he double faulted. Or something like that (Was that you in the crowd by any chance CD?)
I cant remember exactly what happened as I was very young.
Jeremy Bates was in Glasgow in the Autumn he was there with Harriet. He ignored the rest of the players
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Is he Harriets full-time coach and does this mean that he has quit his role with the Lta?
Does anybody know if he is with Harriet down in Australia?