Boys & Girls: US Open, hard (week 36)

Lambda · Challenger qualifying

RE: Boys & Girls: US Open, hard (week 36)

twentytoone · Intermediate Club Player

Well done mika

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Lambda wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:

JonH comes home wrote:
dodrade wrote:
Great stuff! When I first heard about Mika on this forum there was some suggestion IIRC that she was overly favoured by the LTA but she's certainly proving her potential now.
I recall that discussion as well, maybe 12/18 months ago!
Yes, I think there were some people whose daughters used to beat Mika who didn't receive the same help - which is always difficult to explain to parents (and can be open to abuse by the authorities) - it's saying we go by potential (in our eyes), not by results, it's the tennis that matters, not the score
I wasn't in that camp but I put my hand up completely to saying she looked rather 'taught', that she had a lot of problems when the ball came in a schema of play outside her comfort zone, she wasn't the most natural ball player, or runner, say.
But I remember saying that Maria Sharapova was exactly the same in that regard - indeed, their games are very similar and it wasn't at all surprising to read that Mika was inspired by Maria and tried to base her game on hers
David Brewer (I think the commentators say it is) should also have his credit here too - he's taken her on as Mika moved to Loughborough this year - and the change in her game has been really marked. Not the basics obviously, but he's helped so much in working on the weaknesses while giving her the confidence to really focus on her power.
Indeed, the change in venues is interesting. I honestly think that Hannah Klugman has suffered, having made the move in Jan to be fulltime at the NTC (and I can see why, given the set-up there). Conversely, having moved away, to Loughborough, Mika has come into ther own. Mind you, they're both/all very young still, there's a long way to go.
But that first set against Iva Jovic will go down in history, I think. The best set of tennis, against the clear favourite, I've ever seen.
Everything I've seen that's come from the LTA since she's been at LUNTA has said that Jocelyn Rae was her coach. Anyway whoever it is, they know who they are and I agree they deserve credit too.

I'd always understood that she worked with Joss but that Joss wasn't the main coach

It's difficult obviously as they work with several at the academy - indeed that's the benefit of that sort of system - you're in an environment with lots of different inputs

The ITF big article about Mika states "Stojsavljevic collapsed in a heap of joy before rushing over to hug LTA coach Katie OBrien (her main coach at home is David Brewer)."

https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/stojsavljevic-15-ends-dream-week-with-us-open-girls-title/

Which is also what the commentators said, and the Colette article (although their source may be the same)

Of course, it's also true that Mika might have spent 90% of her time working with Joss and just as she got near the title, Mr Brewer suddenyly woke up and started claiming her - won't be the first time something like that would have happened

But, yes, one waty or another, the W35 title, the ultra close miss at Junior Wimbly, the win here - it's all been a very good year for Mika and you can really see that there's clarity about what she's aiming to do - well done to her family and her coaching set-up

Tennpar · Strong Club Player

I managed to miss all the excitement - fantastic result for Mika. Thought it might be too soon for a slam win & very happy to be proved wrong smile

Well done to Mimi too, a more expected semi-finalist.

Pleased to see Charlie make a SF too.

Agree that NTC has never seemed a fun place for youngsters to be, and tbh it feels a bit spooky to adults too..

Var · Pro player

Coup Droit wrote:
Hardly sad - that's life - she lost in R2 in a match she shouldn't have lost - that's on her - she can't be 'sad' about it

She was always going to lose that spot - she should be glad she lost it to a GB player (for the moment)

Its me. I just want them all to win, they are so young.

dodrade · Satellite level

Coup Droit wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
dodrade wrote:
Great stuff! When I first heard about Mika on this forum there was some suggestion IIRC that she was overly favoured by the LTA but she's certainly proving her potential now.
I recall that discussion as well, maybe 12/18 months ago!
Yes, I think there were some people whose daughters used to beat Mika who didn't receive the same help - which is always difficult to explain to parents (and can be open to abuse by the authorities) - it's saying we go by potential (in our eyes), not by results, it's the tennis that matters, not the score
I wasn't in that camp but I put my hand up completely to saying she looked rather 'taught', that she had a lot of problems when the ball came in a schema of play outside her comfort zone, she wasn't the most natural ball player, or runner, say.
But I remember saying that Maria Sharapova was exactly the same in that regard - indeed, their games are very similar and it wasn't at all surprising to read that Mika was inspired by Maria and tried to base her game on hers
David Brewer (I think the commentators say it is) should also have his credit here too - he's taken her on as Mika moved to Loughborough this year - and the change in her game has been really marked. Not the basics obviously, but he's helped so much in working on the weaknesses while giving her the confidence to really focus on her power.
Indeed, the change in venues is interesting. I honestly think that Hannah Klugman has suffered, having made the move in Jan to be fulltime at the NTC (and I can see why, given the set-up there). Conversely, having moved away, to Loughborough, Mika has come into ther own. Mind you, they're both/all very young still, there's a long way to go.
But that first set against Iva Jovic will go down in history, I think. The best set of tennis, against the clear favourite, I've ever seen.

Should Hannah perhaps consider going to Loughborough as well?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

From The Times

available for all here: https://archive.md/FHUgD#selection-1563.0-1567.537

Best statistic

A quick look through the end-of-tournament statistics on Sunday night brought up another encouraging sign for British tennis. The top three serve speeds in the girls singles were all recorded by players from this country: Mimi Xu, 16, hit the fastest at 116mph; Hannah Klugman, 15, followed with 114mph; and Stojsavljevic hit a serve of 113mph in her final. These are faster than the top speeds recorded by 98 professional players in the womens singles draw. Clearly, this trio of promising teenage prospects are pushing each other on.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Anyone know when the field is finalised for the World Junior Tour Finals? Event starts a month from tomorrow, presumably they will finalise the list pretty soon?

DavidC · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Anyone know when the field is finalised for the World Junior Tour Finals? Event starts a month from tomorrow, presumably they will finalise the list pretty soon?

It depends on what you mean by finalised. Players can withdraw at any time, but the official withdrawal deadline is I think 2 weeks before, like other tournaments, so expect an announcement from the ITF about who they expect to take part, at the beginning of October

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

DavidC wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Anyone know when the field is finalised for the World Junior Tour Finals? Event starts a month from tomorrow, presumably they will finalise the list pretty soon?
It depends on what you mean by finalised. Players can withdraw at any time, but the official withdrawal deadline is I think 2 weeks before, like other tournaments, so expect an announcement from the ITF about who they expect to take part, at the beginning of October

Thanks David!

paulisi · Tennis legend

Charlie and Mika are our two entrants.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
Charlie and Mika are our two entrants.

The full fields are in this link

https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/line-up-revealed-2024-itf-world-tennis-tour-junior-finals/

DavidC · Tennis legend

The last of the girls (Kristina Penickova) was 11th in the qualification rankings, so Mimi (9th) would have made it if she had wanted to, but Hannah (13th) would have just been the reserve.