Nominations 

1. Zech Hamrouni - won the J100 title in Loughborough for his first title in singles at this level, previously won a J30 in 2023. Will rise over 100 places to top 300 with this win. And apparently a nice guy as well!

2. Daniela Piani - capping off a breakout year by winning her fourth J100 title of 2024, at Loughborough. This takes her to a new CH of JWR 123 (having started the year JWR 262.)

3. Jodie Burrage - for winning the W100 in Dubai and reaching the the semi-final in the doubles (with Freya Christie). The W100 title is her best by some distance (her previous best title was a W60.) During the tournament, she only lost one set. In the final, she beat the number 1 seed, an in-form Kudermetova who had just reached a new CH. Jodie's wins here will take her back into the top 200 in singles and top 250 in doubles. In addition to being excellent results in themselves, Jodie has shown a lot of improved mental toughness: when she's had moments of getting frustrated, she's been able to settle down, figure out hiow to counter what's annoying her and turn sets around.

4. Stefan Cooper - age 28 - just won his first ITF title - the doubles at the M15 in Mexico. They also serve who only stand and wait. (And he's quite a fun guy to watch)

5. Hannah Klugman - defending her title from 2023, Hannah reached the semifinal of the J500 Orange Bowl event; winning her opening three matches in 3 sets, she then beat the 7th seed before losing a 3 set semi. Good effort and fought hard all week.

6. Eliz Maloney - for winning the British Tour Masters at Loughborough. After a disappointing singles season Eliz avanged previous defeats by Hep Oluwadare to come back from a 1-4 deficit to win 8 successive games and finish with an excellent 4 and 3 victory. Eliz was also part of the UK Students team who won silver in France at the beginning of the month

7. Emily Webley-Smith - at age 40, Emily has just re-entered the top-400 in doubles

8. Ewen Lumsden - winning the TS Open Tour Finals with a win over top seed Hamish Stewart having, the previous week, reached the final of the British Tour Masters - two excellent domestic weeks for Ewen, well done to him. 

 

 

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indiana wrote:

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JonH comes home wrote:

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I sort of feel like I wish Id closed the month down earlier! Its like waiting for Xmas! Come on Rudolph, get your nose lit up and lets get going!

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 Ha, sit back, relax and just let it run. Even forget about it for a week or so! ( I'd be happy to post the odd reminder to folk ).

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  nah, its cool - its the lack of action to follow! I mean, ITF Round One doubles in Doha at M15 level, doesnt really cut it, right?

Canda wrote:

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Dont we celebrate players achievements at all levels? M15 doubles is first steps on ladder on ladder for some of these players.

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 Quite right - and my comment wasnt in the context of worthiness for player of the month, more in terms of my personal level of interest and engagement in tennis , where M15 doubles tends not to really register with me, as a general rule! 

JonH comes home wrote:

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Nominations 

1. Zech Hamrouni - won the J100 title in Loughborough for his first title in singles at this level, previously won a J30 in 2023. Will rise over 100 places to top 300 with this win. And apparently a nice guy as well!

2. Daniela Piani - capping off a breakout year by winning her fourth J100 title of 2024, at Loughborough. This takes her to a new CH of JWR 123 (having started the year JWR 262.)

3. Jodie Burrage - for winning the W100 in Dubai and reaching the the semi-final in the doubles (with Freya Christie). The W100 title is her best by some distance (her previous best title was a W60.) During the tournament, she only lost one set. In the final, she beat the number 1 seed, an in-form Kudermetova who had just reached a new CH. Jodie's wins here will take her back into the top 200 in singles and top 250 in doubles. In addition to being excellent results in themselves, Jodie has shown a lot of improved mental toughness: when she's had moments of getting frustrated, she's been able to settle down, figure out hiow to counter what's annoying her and turn sets around.

4. Stefan Cooper - age 28 - just won his first ITF title - the doubles at the M15 in Mexico. They also serve who only stand and wait. (And he's quite a fun guy to watch)

5. Hannah Klugman - defending her title from 2023, Hannah reached the semifinal of the J500 Orange Bowl event; winning her opening three matches in 3 sets, she then beat the 7th seed before losing a 3 set semi. Good effort and fought hard all week.

6. Eliz Maloney - for winning the British Tour Masters at Loughborough. After a disappointing singles season Eliz avanged previous defeats by Hep Oluwadare to come back from a 1-4 deficit to win 8 successive games and finish with an excellent 4 and 3 victory. Eliz was also part of the UK Students team who won silver in France at the beginning of the month

7. Emily Webley-Smith - at age 40, Emily has just re-entered the top-400 in doubles

8. Ewen Lumsden - winning the TS Open Tour Finals with a win over top seed Hamish Stewart having, the previous week, reached the final of the British Tour Masters - two excellent domestic weeks for Ewen, well done to him. 

 As well as Ryan, Matt and Matt/Tom still in this week, Giles, Emile, Millen (Bali) and Jizel (Ahmedabad) line up next week. 

Note - nominations will close 29th December and voting will start as per original plan, 29th Dec to 31st December close  

indiana wrote:

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I really like these PoM, PoS and WC threads and votes.

What I often don't get, Jon, is that having set out timetables and deadlines many months in advance, and repeating them ( presumably to help give folk as much info as possible ) then much closer to the deadlines ( when that info is more important ) you are so often tempted to change them.

Last month's PoM thread had a bit of a confusion at the end, partly because of a misinterpreted result but exacerbated by the late hurry to close the thread and.set up the vote.

I would agree this month and the final week are much quieter and very unlikely to be any real issue. But I still kind of ask why change? You have set out an overall timetable in the PoM / PoS overview thread which accommodates the 29th December close for these PoM nominations and then vote.

Maybe for 2025, general Sunday ( possibly overnight into Monday our time ) closing dates for PoM nominations and not before Monday starts to voting ( rather than variable Sunday times for each )?

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 And you know what, Indy, you are right. I change them sometimes as my plans change in terms of "life" - I dont really need to on this occasion, sometimes I change them as I get fed up waiting.

But it generally doesnt make sense and is whimsical!

And I am nothing if not flexible - the idea of a Sunday nominations close and Monday voting start, as a structured process, works for me. Agreed. 

And, on this occasion, no reason why I shouldnt go back to the original plan, more that I was getting bored and pressing on.

So, point well taken and I will delete the previous note!