Boys & Girls: Australian Open, hard (Weeks 3/4)

DavidC · Tennis legend

Boys & Girls: Australian Open, hard (Weeks 3/4)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

DavidC wrote:
So Viktor misses out narrowly on adding to the 2 titles we have won here this century - both boys doubles (Liam Broady/Josh Ward-Hibbert and Graeme Dyce with Harri Heliovaara - better known for his recent partnership with Lloyd Glasspool). Katie Swan and Laura Robson (twice) have reached the girls singles final, but without any titles.

It is 5 years since anyone did the Traralgon/Aus Open double (Clara Tauson) but it could happen in both events this year. The girls final sees Emerson Jones (who beat Mimi's conqueror in straight sets) take on the top seed Renata Jamrichova while Rei Sakamoto is in the same position as Emerson, and he takes on surprise package Jan Kumstat, who knocked Charlie out earlier Both matches are on the Rod Laver arena

Boys Doubles SF

(5) Brunclik/Frydrych (CZE/GBR) d. Bigun/Leach (USA) 6-7(5) 6-3 [10-5]

F

Exsted/Woestendick (USA) d. (5) Brunclik/Frydrych (CZE/GBR) 6-3 7-5

Girls QF

(16) Iva Ivanova (BUL) d. (12) Mingge Xu 6-4 6-3

Doubles SF

Pastikova/Stusek (CZE/GER) d. (2) Klugman/Xu 6-3 1-6 [10-8]

What happened to Graham Dyce? I dont recall his name in the pro rank

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Friday 26th of January 2024 07:16:40 PM

DavidC · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
DavidC wrote:
So Viktor misses out narrowly on adding to the 2 titles we have won here this century - both boys doubles (Liam Broady/Josh Ward-Hibbert and Graeme Dyce with Harri Heliovaara - better known for his recent partnership with Lloyd Glasspool). Katie Swan and Laura Robson (twice) have reached the girls singles final, but without any titles.

.............
What happened to Graham Dyce? I dont recall his name in the pro rank

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Friday 26th of January 2024 07:16:40 PM

There is not much I can tell you about Graeme other than what I can observe from his tennis playing record. Despite the grand slam success his peak junior ranking was 30 and he didn't play pro ITFs after that year (2007) until a one-off season in 2013. He played some US collegiate tennis in the intervening years, but made little impact in the one year he played ITF Futures and i have no idea what happened subsequently.

Var · Club Coach

paulisi wrote:
There are lots coming through - Swansea in particular seem to have quite a few promising juniors.

Elizabeth Evans
Niall Pickerd - Barua

-- Edited by paulisi on Friday 26th of January 2024 05:46:33 PM

Isnt Niall meant to be the next Andy Murray? Are there any places where they could hold ITF events in Wales?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

For the LTA, overall, I think they will be just a little disappointed with the girls

It was a good showing but it could have been better - they would have certainly hoped for a little better

However, like always, it could have been a lot worse too

So, I think the scorecard will say: "satisfactory"

DavidC · Tennis legend

In the girls final Emerson Jones went out to a 4-1 lead and had a point for 5-1 before Renata Jamrichova took over, unflustered and backed by a powerful first serve. She only lost one more game taking it 6-4 6-1, with Emerson unable to find and execute a plan B.

The boys final was a high quality affair between a powerful server (Jan Kumstat - 25 aces) and an all-round athlete (Rei Sakomoto). The Czech lad, part of the team winning the junior Davis Cup last year, won the opener 6-3 before losing the second on the tiebreak 7-2. In the third set the Czech serve was under more pressure than previously, but he regularly came up with big serves on the break points. Rei finally broke through on his eighth break point of the set and served out to win 3-6 7-6(2) 7-5. Much to admire about both, but Kumstat was particularly impressive to me, as it was first Grand Slam and like Henry Searle he has a big enough game to suggest he can transition successfully eventually.

GAMEOVER · Pro player

Whilst looking at the junior tournament as a whole I notice that Maya Joint who defeated Isabelle in the 2nd round lost in the 3rd round in straight sets to the eventual junior winner. Yet she nearly made the main draw womens singles. She lost a close 3 set match in final qualifying to the later semi finalist Dayana Yastremska.

Spireman · Strong Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
For the LTA, overall, I think they will be just a little disappointed with the girls

It was a good showing but it could have been better - they would have certainly hoped for a little better

However, like always, it could have been a lot worse too

So, I think the scorecard will say: "satisfactory"

If Mimi makes it being from Wales then the lta academy etc will have done at least part of its job. It strikes me how many of our top players, and those coming through, are from Surrey, London, Kent etc. Dart, Burrage, Draper, Raducanu, Kartal, then Lacey and Klugman, and no doubt others. Obviously good luck to them but must be a lot of potential and talent in rest of country. With a sprinkling from Midlands and north...Evans, Boulter, Broady, then the learnt elsewhere group....Norrie, Choinski (and previously Robson and Konta). Miyazaki sort of Japan and London, not quite sure how long in UK for. But my point is how difficult it is to make it in tennis and much harder if from the further reaches of GB (always exceptions though eg AM).

Var · Club Coach

Spireman wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
For the LTA, overall, I think they will be just a little disappointed with the girls

It was a good showing but it could have been better - they would have certainly hoped for a little better

However, like always, it could have been a lot worse too

So, I think the scorecard will say: "satisfactory"
If Mimi makes it being from Wales then the lta academy etc will have done at least part of its job. It strikes me how many of our top players, and those coming through, are from Surrey, London, Kent etc. Dart, Burrage, Draper, Raducanu, Kartal, then Lacey and Klugman, and no doubt others. Obviously good luck to them but must be a lot of potential and talent in rest of country. With a sprinkling from Midlands and north...Evans, Boulter, Broady, then the learnt elsewhere group....Norrie, Choinski (and previously Robson and Konta). Miyazaki sort of Japan and London, not quite sure how long in UK for. But my point is how difficult it is to make it in tennis and much harder if from the further reaches of GB (always exceptions though eg AM).

Good point, but Wales in particular seem to be doing very well in spotting future young talent in a sport that we dont normally associate with the principality. Might be worth looking at what they are doing right at grass roots level? I now live in the Midlands, and there are younger kids playing on local courts, but they need the support early on or they lose interest and drift into other sports. Also a lack of good indoor facilities. Doesnt explain Wales success though.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Player of the Month votes now live

britishtennis.activeboard.com/t70367596/january-2024-player-of-the-month-vote-semifinal-group-1/

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Sunday 28th of January 2024 06:29:11 PM

the addict · Tennis legend

Some of you will be interested in following this.
Renata Jamrichova is playing in the W50 at Burnie this week, and has drawn Amarni Banks in the first round.