QR1:- Sarah Beth Grey (GBR) WR422 (CH277 in 2022) [Q15] def Jessika Maleckova (CZE) WR438 (CH191 in 2016) 6-2 6-1
QR1:- Emily Appleton (GBR) WR438 (CH368 in October 2023) LOST TO Dalayna Hewett (USA) WR453 (CH401 in September 2022) 1-6 2-6
QR2:- Sarah Beth Grey (GBR) WR422 (CH277 in 2022) [Q15] v Sinja Kraus (AUS) WR200 [Q1]
QR2:- Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR250 [Q4] v Dalayna Hewett (USA) WR453 (CH401 in September 2022)
Ive never really been a big fan of the doubles, although I really enjoyed being at Wimbledon to witness Jonathan Marray win the mens doubles with Nielsen in 2012 as I was at the Serena Williams vs Radwanska final earlier in the day.
I have noticed over the past 2 years that more British girls have started to play doubles a lot more and I was wondering maybe if this was because some are starting to struggle on the singles side or is it just a good backup plan just in case they exit out of singles early or is it maybe for the extra prize money?
Playing doubles is really good for enhancing your net play however it seems a lot of our girls only start to play doubles when they hit a wall with their singles rankings.
Also, you dont see Boulter, Jody, Harriet, Emma, Sonay , Marni, Hannah K playing much doubles, but theyre singles ranking seems to be going swiftly in the right direction.
Any thoughts ??
I do watch quite a bit of doubles when I get the chance and actually saw most of our top 10 playing at Surbiton last year. It does seem that the lower ranked singles players will play doubles whenever they get the chance and there are quite a few that pick their tournaments based on the doubles and playe singles qualifying if they make the cut. The prize money at ITF's is poor for doubles though so it is more for extra court time than for cash !
As for the players you mention.
Katie hardly ever plays doubles although she used to play a little pre-pandemic. Jody and Harriet do play quite often and are ranked 147 and 151. Sonay and Marni rarely play doubles and Emma has only one match on her WTA record. And of course Hannah is very much a junior but does play junior doubles all the time with considerable success.
Thank you for your insight on this TA.
I would like to see more of our girls playing more doubles, although I probably wouldnt be watching it but also I would like to see more of our girls also committing to a good Claycourt season. I get the feeling they dip their toe into the clay season, and then just prepare for the Grass court season, which is understandable with it being in the UK.
It seems to me that a lot of the international girls commit to the Claycourt season and then when they turn up in the UK for the Grass court season, they look way off the standard, but by the time Wimbledon comes round they have fully adapted and ready to go deep into the competition.
And on the flipside our girls dont really bother with the Claycourt season and prepare early for the Grass court season and may get a few decent wins at Edgbaston, Nottingham or Eastbourne, but then have an early exit when Wimbledon comes round (besides boulter).
Harriet is entered in the main draw. Lissey (+ Detiuc), Emily+Freya, Beth+Liv all on the acceptance list for doubles
WOW! Beth and Liv back together! Looks like the Liv and Lissey partnership is finito!
It does look as if Lissey/Liv is over for now. It's good to see Beth and Liv back together and they have win 9 doubles titles together (Beth has 21, Liv has 19 of which 7 were with Lissey who has 18). Emily has 16 and Freya has 20 so altogether this group of GB women has been very succesful over the last few years.
Our top two pairs play their doubles later today. A reminder of the points on offer for doubles:-
W 75, F 49, SF 29, QF 16, L16 1
Lissey - lowest counter is 29 with two spares of 29
Liv - lowest counter is 29 with one spare
Emily - lowest counter is 30 with two spare at 29
Freya - lowest counter is 29 with one spare
Beth - lowest counter is 18 with two spares