Para tennis 2024 thread

AnnaM · Junior player

RE: Para tennis 2024 thread

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

AnnaM wrote:
Tanaqui wrote:
Just a reminder that Anna is in the running for Player of the Month thanks to her performance in the AO PWII event.
https://britishtennis.activeboard.com/t70371794/january-2024-player-of-the-month-vote-final/

Thank you for the nomination and votes for Anna. We have just arrived at Heathrow and it was a nice surprise.

Another bit of the story was giving us a laugh on the way home. Even though Anna was injured and feeling unwell, she basically played singles on the doubles court. The first doubles match was too close and was a nail-biting three setter Apart from serves and returns, Anna set her partner 12 feet behind the baseline for the 2nd and 3rd match. She then did 95% of the work. Her partner was pleased it netted her a title and the opposition hated it.

Haha, good story !

in case you wish to vote in the poll for player of the month, for Anna or anyone else,(! - one vote only per person!) the vote is here

https://britishtennis.activeboard.com/t70371794/january-2024-player-of-the-month-vote-final/?page=3

Tanaqui · Club Coach

AnnaM wrote:
Another bit of the story was giving us a laugh on the way home. Even though Anna was injured and feeling unwell, she basically played singles on the doubles court. The first doubles match was too close and was a nail-biting three setter Apart from serves and returns, Anna set her partner 12 feet behind the baseline for the 2nd and 3rd match. She then did 95% of the work. Her partner was pleased it netted her a title and the opposition hated it.

Excellent tactics! I had been wondering how the doubles worked out, given the way the pairs were created and that Anna was playing at a much higher standard than anyone else.

Also glad to hear you have all arrived home safely and the nomination for Player of the Month was very well deserved.

AnnaM · Junior player

Tanaqui wrote:
Excellent tactics! I had been wondering how the doubles worked out, given the way the pairs were created and that Anna was playing at a much higher standard than anyone else.
Also glad to hear you have all arrived home safely and the nomination for Player of the Month was very well deserved.

Thank you!

Some article links

https://www.lta.org.uk/fan-zone/australian-open/news/anna-mcbride-and-esah-hayat-lift-titles-at-the-australian-open-pwii-championships-and-dhoh-championships/

https://www.stir.ac.uk/news/2024/january-2024-news/tennis-scholar-takes-singles-and-doubles-titles-at-australian-open/?fbclid=IwAR1aNRb7GxTKKdJnGbOAy6mvheSoJAyphgnwjwQoZAL6jq5y6ZME_C6kynQ

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Does Anna ever play non para events at all, at county level maybe or British Tour? I imagine the chance to compete with better players is quite limited, given she is top of the category she plays in?

AnnaM · Junior player

JonH comes home wrote:
Does Anna ever play non para events at all, at county level maybe or British Tour? I imagine the chance to compete with better players is quite limited, given she is top of the category she plays in?

Anna plays the majority of her tennis at a decent level of mainstream. Usually British Tour's, grade 3's etc. She would not be the player she is without always playing at a good level.in Junior Nationals, ITF's etc.

Anna is only just into this category and her level is affected by playing these events too often. It takes a few weeks, sometimes months of work to recover her level if she is not pushed in matches. This is especially the case where she has to spend an extended period away as well.

So in general she only plays the events that are really important, such as Global, World Games and the AO. Or are a Road to Wimbledon qualifying events.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Nice video from Monte Carlo of Sinner playing with a young man with cerebral palsy

x.com/arthurdelaye/status/1776678913537716627

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Not sure if AnnaMs dad can give us an update, be interested to hear of any updates from the world of paratennis, any recent results or events, or events coming up?!

AnnaM · Junior player

JonH comes home wrote:
Not sure if AnnaMs dad can give us an update, be interested to hear of any updates from the world of paratennis, any recent results or events, or events coming up?!

Hi,

It has been a busy time with end of year exams, work etc, UNI matches and we all caught Covid a week ago. So one problem followed by another. Hopefully, we are all getting better and there will be no repeat of Anna's long Covid from last year.

But the positive things are:

Anna won the Nottinghamshire LTA Special achievement award in March. Even though she is now lives in Scotland.

Last month Anna qualified for the Road to Wimbledon which takes place in mid August at an event in Redbridge. There are a few BT grass events for her to get some match practice on grass this summer.

She had her picture taken with Andy Murray at the NTC last month.

The GB players for the World Tennis Championships in France should be announced soon. As defending champion you would hope that Anna is selected. https://www.virtus.sport/eventsvs/2024-world-tennis-championship

There is a possibility that GB's three best men and Anna could be involved in some sort of exhibition matches at Queens around the 21st or 22nd of June. I will let you know if this comes off.

In the meantime I have been following/voting the threads and player of the month.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Thanks Annas dad! Im literally taking off in a plane in Miami for 10 hours so will read properly later tomorrow!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Will keep an eye out for the world champs squad announcement and fingers crossed, and the queens exhibition would be exciting.

I think North Oxford is the first BT grass event, is she playing that one?

Great picture with Andy!

Tanaqui · Club Coach

Thanks for the update, AnnaM's dad! Hope you all recover quickly from Covid, congratulations on the achievements so far, and wishing Anna all the best for the coming months and tournaments.

AnnaM · Junior player

Thanks all.

Anna is in the Oxford event, but her lack of recent training and the zero grass courts near us in Scotland means she will most likely get to play just one, as best two qualification matches. Which we don't mind. As long as it is not raining, playing matches on a grass court is a great experience.

AnnaM · Junior player

Anna had to miss the grass court events due to a long standing back issue from an injury 6 years ago. Which has recently got worse. A chiropractor is now working with her and has worked out her problems and on how to fix them. Hopefully, she will be OK for the Queens event next week. She has spent the last two weeks at Soto instead. The warm dry weather here has helped a lot and she has been able to train.

The LTA have finally published the Queens article that we have been waiting for. Anna the world number one woman is to compete against men ranked number one, two, three, four and six. It will be a six player KO with a consolation match for 1st round losers. So a lot depends on the draw and it is obviously tough to play against the top men. But Anna has always wanted to compete against the men and is looking forward to it.

There is also to be a box group doubles event with three teams. I am not sure on how they will decide the pairings. GB V OZ, or based on UTR, or something else.

www.lta.org.uk/fan-zone/cinch-championships/news/2024-wheelchair-and-learning-disability-exhibitions-set-to-shine-spotlight-on-disability-tennis/

Anna's dad

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Thats great news re Queens and how exciting and what an opportunity for Anna. Hope her back clears up in good time and will follow her progress!