QR1: Georgina Hays (GBR) UNR [17 yo] v Andrea Roots (EST) UNR
This is both players first pro match of the year. Gigi is still looking for her third counter for a WTA ranking. Her social media suggests she's currently based in Saujon on the French Atlantic coast (For those not aware, she's lived in France since age 2, after moving there from Auckland, New Zealand where she was born)
I'm wondering why she is still under the GB flag. I'm assuming a parents influence as sheseemingly has no connection to GB
Yeah - interesting
She was born in NZ, moved to France, then to Florida, then back to France
And there's been a huge hoo-hah in France when, in 2022, there was a France3 video (rather like a BBC one), reckoning she was going to be WTA top 10, bigging her up, etc etc
In 2019, she said she was applying for French citizenship but that it was taking a long time and proving difficult
But given that the French were giving her no help, nor the English (which she said was a problem), it's a little strange that she hasn't switched to France (you'd have thought the citizenship thing would have cleared by now - it most certainly will when she turns 18 if she still wants to)
I'm wondering why she is still under the GB flag. I'm assuming a parents influence as sheseemingly has no connection to GB
Yeah - interesting
She was born in NZ, moved to France, then to Florida, then back to France
And there's been a huge hoo-hah in France when, in 2022, there was a France3 video (rather like a BBC one), reckoning she was going to be WTA top 10, bigging her up, etc etc
In 2019, she said she was applying for French citizenship but that it was taking a long time and proving difficult
But given that the French were giving her no help, nor the English (which she said was a problem), it's a little strange that she hasn't switched to France (you'd have thought the citizenship thing would have cleared by now - it most certainly will when she turns 18 if she still wants to)
If she's potentially that good shouldn't the LTA be trying to keep her?
To be completely honest, I'm not sure she IS that good.
And that was rather the feeling in the 'hoo-hah' that followed the television slot on her - a lot of French tennis people saying, 'really? and who arranged this publicity stunt? we've got other players her age miles better'
(I've never seen her play, not even on livestream, so I have no idea but the results certainly aren't that good)
Gigi said in the interview that the LTA weren't supporting her because she didn't live in GB. But I'm not sure that's right .....
