Week 43 - WTA 500 - Tokyo, Japan (outdoor hard)

the addict · Tennis legend

Week 43 - WTA 500 - Tokyo, Japan (outdoor hard)

Sheddie · administrator

Peter too wrote:
I think that was the first time I have seen Mika, and she was playing at a far higher standard than I expected. She was hitting winners off her service, forehand and backhand and she is fast about the court so she all all the ingredients to be a very good player. From today's performance certainly a top 100 player before too long.

Same that was the first time I'd watched Mika play and was quite frankly blown away by the quality of her tennis for a 15 year old, especially playing against a home favourite. Got a little tight when serving for the match as expected - never easy closing out against a player like Uchijima who gets so many balls back.

But from the general quality of her serving and ball striking - I'm going to go out on a limb and say that she's going to be a top 10 player.

I've previously been most excited about Hannah Klugman from this next generation of teenagers, but I'd actually say that Mika has a higher ceiling. More power and she already has the serve of a top WTA player (Hannah's serve lacks a bit of consistency imo).

Haven't been that blown away by watching a British junior since I happened upon some YouTube highlights of a 15 year old Jack Draper playing his first futures main draw match back in 2017.

wales1994 · County player

Peter too wrote:
I think that was the first time I have seen Mika, and she was playing at a far higher standard than I expected. She was hitting winners off her service, forehand and backhand and she is fast about the court so she all all the ingredients to be a very good player. From today's performance certainly a top 100 player before too long.

I think often for youngsters we see they have weapons, and Mika definitely has plenty of those! But the points that really impressed me were the ones where she turned on the back foot defence into attack - there were multiple points where I thought 'how on earth did she manage that!?'

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

For me the really key thing is the phenomenal progress that she's made over the past 18-24 months
Previously she was a youngster with very strong groundshots
But she needed a lot of time for those shots, she needed to be A1 in position, otherwise the ball went all over the place
Equally, she used to only play certain patterns of play, every time it went outside of those patterns, she was completely lost
But ever since moving to Loughborough, she's just come on leaps and bounds (obviously the previous coach lay the foundations, not taking that away from the man, even if I don't particularly like him

)
And now, as she's getting older, with the new team, she's really addressed the problem areas, while also really committing to her strengths
As you say, it's a delight to watch
Her hero is Maria Sharapova - it doesn't half show in her play

thegingerlightbulb · Intermediate Club Player

She now seems to be the most promising of the three (from Klugman, Xu and herself). Last year, I would have said Klugman led the way, followed by Xu and then Mika. Now I feel Klugman has fallen a little behind the other two, but nonetheless really exciting times in British tennis for our female players

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

thegingerlightbulb wrote:
She now seems to be the most promising of the three (from Klugman, Xu and herself). Last year, I would have said Klugman led the way, followed by Xu and then Mika. Now I feel Klugman has fallen a little behind the other two, but nonetheless really exciting times in British tennis for our female players

Mika's had the best year, yes, I agree

Although her adult Wimbledon match was really disappointing - which might have done her a favour - the press certainly weren't all over her :)

But I don't think 'most promising' changes every 6 months

No junior will ever progress competely linearly

And it really doesn't matter in what order you put the three in, or if you give Mimi a minus point to begin with because she's a year older

But, yes, they're a great trio

thegingerlightbulb · Intermediate Club Player

Fair enough, but with youngsters you can never tell how they are going to develop. I remember a few years ago we had Edmund another guy (I can't remember his name now) but it was the other guy that everyone was excited about and yet, as a singles player, he completely fell away and never got near the top 100- although he did have a good doubles career. I also remember their being two Asian twins people got quite excited about that never really progressed. Hopefully, all three can reach the higher echelons of the game, but certainly Mika seems best placed right now

SuperT · Futures level

Of course you never know what the future holds and whether promising careers might be disrupted by injury, illness, loss of form etc etc. However with 3 such promising teenagers surely it's not too much to hope that at least one of them will reach their potential, and I'd be really happy whoever that is. If all 3 make the top 100 then that really will be a bonus.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, they will progress at different rates, they will no doubt concentrate on different development aspects at different times, and and there will be such as study interruptions.

To me linear overall progress certainly before 17 / 18 yo would be strange, so most particularly with Hannah and Mika. I really don't particularly care who seems ahead at the younger ages. Yes, as a bit of a statto I look at results and rankings for them as well. But what matters is that they should remain committed to developing through their junior into senior years. All 3 are currently very exciting prospects.

Var · Pro player

I hate to bring this into this discussion, but it will also be determined by the fittest and who stays injury free. One bad injury will significantly impede progress, however as Sonay and Katie have proved, class will out eventually, although in Lauras case unfortunately that was the end of what could have been a glittering career.

-- Edited by Var on Tuesday 22nd of October 2024 03:53:13 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Var wrote:
I hate to bring this into this discussion, but it will also be determined by the fittest and who stays injury free. One bad injury will significantly impede progress, however as Sonay and Katie have proved, class will out eventually, although in Lauras case unfortunately that was the end of what could have been a glittering career.

-- Edited by Var on Tuesday 22nd of October 2024 03:53:13 PM

It started off as who was the most 'promising' though, which obviously has nothing to do with injuries, which is a matter of who manages to achieve their promise, rather than the promise in the first place

But yes, every country has a whole heap of players who are sidelined, often permanently, by injury

The UK has seemed worse in some regards - the story of the lack of physios at Loughborough was just criminal (and it came from the parent of one of the players, so definitely true).

But I think/hope/pray that the LTA have realised this now

However, as you say, Var, in the absolute sense, the haphazard nature of life and injury will definiely be a big factor in the mix for who does best eventually

9vicman · Satellite level

thegingerlightbulb wrote:
Fair enough, but with youngsters you can never tell how they are going to develop. I remember a few years ago we had Edmund another guy (I can't remember his name now) but it was the other guy that everyone was excited about and yet, as a singles player, he completely fell away and never got near the top 100- although he did have a good doubles career. I also remember their being two Asian twins people got quite excited about that never really progressed. Hopefully, all three can reach the higher echelons of the game, but certainly Mika seems best placed right now

I think you're referring to Luke Bambridge and sisters (rather than twins) Jessica and Jennifer Ren.

wolf · Tennis legend

L16: (9) Katie Boulter WR 33 vs (LL) Kyoka Okamura (JPN) WR 271

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
L16: (9) Katie Boulter WR 33 vs (LL) Kyoka Okamura (JPN) WR 271

This is the weakest WTA 500 I can recall!

seagull · Hall of fame

Bit harsh putting Katie on first tomorrow when she was last on today.