British Tennis Forum

the addict · Tennis legend

Week 24 - WTA125 Lexus Ilkley Open Great Britain - Grass

Sheddie · administrator

Var wrote:
Not like Mimi. Maybe a bit under the weather? She usually fights hard. Marni pretty beatable opponent so I would say something not right.

Marni also shouldn't be underestimated on grass. Has a lot of power and I feel she could go further into the top 200 if she improves her movement. Right now, her main weakness is that her defence often isn't quite good enough.

Mimi has had an up and down 12 months but shown some real promise in the last couple of weeks, some great wins. With a game based more on court craft than raw power, it may take her a little longer to put the full package together, but she can get there.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

seagull wrote:
Marni wins 6-2 , 6-1

That result definitely complicates the WC race.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

dodrade wrote:
seagull wrote:
Marni wins 6-2 , 6-1
That result definitely complicates the WC race.

Marni is part of the Pro-Scholarship Programme - that's the top level of support for players outside the top-100

(Now, Mimi is too, but there's only 5 women in total)

But my point would be, if a 22 year-old player in your top group is not MD WC material, then I'm not sure they should be in the top group

(I can see it's slightly different for Mimi/Hannah i.e. juniors)

Danny1312 · Lower Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
dodrade wrote:
seagull wrote:
Marni wins 6-2 , 6-1
That result definitely complicates the WC race.
Marni is part of the Pro-Scholarship Programme - that's the top level of support for players outside the top-100
(Now, Mimi is too, but there's only 5 women in total)
But my point would be, if a 22 year-old player in your top group is not MD WC material, then I'm not sure they should be in the top group
(I can see it's slightly different for Mimi/Hannah i.e. juniors)

I would gamble that both will get MDWCs anyway... both having decent results so far. Marni in particular showed in Qualifying last year she is Good on grass very nearly qualified herself. And Mimi is bound to be inconsistent at her age but needs the exposure.

Var · Futures qualifying

Coup Droit wrote:
dodrade wrote:
seagull wrote:
Marni wins 6-2 , 6-1
That result definitely complicates the WC race.
Marni is part of the Pro-Scholarship Programme - that's the top level of support for players outside the top-100
(Now, Mimi is too, but there's only 5 women in total)
But my point would be, if a 22 year-old player in your top group is not MD WC material, then I'm not sure they should be in the top group
(I can see it's slightly different for Mimi/Hannah i.e. juniors)

It is tricky. Marhis career high is 235, she is now around 260, so dropped back. She hasnt won a main tour event. Does she have the ability to get into the top 100 with more drive and coaching? I dont know. She also was knocked out in the first round in Birmingham where Mimi got to the QFs. So Mimi has the slight edge on the grass courts so far. I would go with Mimi, but I am biased!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Var wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
dodrade wrote:
seagull wrote:
Marni wins 6-2 , 6-1
That result definitely complicates the WC race.
Marni is part of the Pro-Scholarship Programme - that's the top level of support for players outside the top-100
(Now, Mimi is too, but there's only 5 women in total)
But my point would be, if a 22 year-old player in your top group is not MD WC material, then I'm not sure they should be in the top group
(I can see it's slightly different for Mimi/Hannah i.e. juniors)

It is tricky. Marhis career high is 235, she is now around 260, so dropped back. She hasnt won a main tour event. Does she have the ability to get into the top 100 with more drive and coaching? I dont know. She also was knocked out in the first round in Birmingham where Mimi got to the QFs. So Mimi has the slight edge on the grass courts so far. I would go with Mimi, but I am biased!

I don't disagree but your argument would mean simply that Marni shouldn't be in the Pro-Scholarship programme in the first place - which may well be true, I wasn't opining on that (as my US friend says smile )

My point was that, given she IS in the PSP this year, then a MD WC seems to be part of the package - i.e. why did they choose her six months ago if they don't think she has a chance of top-100?

Now, I realise there's been the same situation in previous years but ....

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

At the moment Marni ranks as 8th on the ranking list of players yet to win a WTA tour match. Remember back in January 2020 unranked she played in qualifying in Adelaide and took Kasatkina then ranked 68 to 3 sets.

Blue_Belle · County player

GAMEOVER wrote:
At the moment Marni ranks as 8th on the ranking list of players yet to win a WTA tour match. Remember back in January 2020 unranked she played in qualifying in Adelaide and took Kasatkina then ranked 68 to 3 sets.

January 2020 is a long time ago now.

Var · Futures qualifying

Coup Droit wrote:
Var wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
dodrade wrote:
seagull wrote:
Marni wins 6-2 , 6-1
That result definitely complicates the WC race.
Marni is part of the Pro-Scholarship Programme - that's the top level of support for players outside the top-100
(Now, Mimi is too, but there's only 5 women in total)
But my point would be, if a 22 year-old player in your top group is not MD WC material, then I'm not sure they should be in the top group
(I can see it's slightly different for Mimi/Hannah i.e. juniors)

It is tricky. Marhis career high is 235, she is now around 260, so dropped back. She hasnt won a main tour event. Does she have the ability to get into the top 100 with more drive and coaching? I dont know. She also was knocked out in the first round in Birmingham where Mimi got to the QFs. So Mimi has the slight edge on the grass courts so far. I would go with Mimi, but I am biased!
I don't disagree but your argument would mean simply that Marni shouldn't be in the Pro-Scholarship programme in the first place - which may well be true, I wasn't opining on that (as my US friend says )
My point was that, given she IS in the PSP this year, then a MD WC seems to be part of the package - i.e. why did they choose her six months ago if they don't think she has a chance of top-100?
Now, I realise there's been the same situation in previous years but ....

I think you are right CD and I wont open that can of worms. Maybe though, when she was a junior there weren't so many bright prospects? Anyway I can see now how the institutionalism within the LTA hampers their ability to deviate from pre- determined outcomes in their Pro- scholarship programme.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

In giving wildcards or extending invites to join things like the PSP or any other programme, are the LTA hampered in any way by their structure? Are they answerable for public money in some way? I am just thinking if they are, does this mean their criteria need to be very much "objective" based on clear criteria ie this ranking by this date, this level of prior performance - things that maybe wouldnt hamper other countries who are less concerned about scrutiny?

I am thinking that in terms of the role of instinct, the gut feel of powers that be that someone will make it but they maybe arent there yet - and that this hinders them taking a chance and thus we miss out?

Or is this bumkum?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I don;t think there's a big public money issue here

They only get about £2m a year from Sports England

And made a touch over £100m in total in the last year I saw

And I don't think it has to be objecive criteria anyhow - in fact, I'm against it

BUT if you count the LTA as a hybrid public body (which it probably isn't, after the racing case but that was a while ago) you could then say that its decisions are open to judicial review - which is a procedural thing, not on merits, but it does mean that real or apparent bias etc must not be part of the decision making process

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 12th of June 2025 09:43:43 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

Emily's L16 match here on Centre against Rebecca Marino from 11 am gets the British grass court interest going for the day.

Emily and Rebecca are due to team up later in the day, for a doubles QF against the top seeds, Harriet & Maia.

Edit: there is actually already British interest in 's Hertogenbosch where Dan Evans has lost the first set 5-7 to the 2nd seed, Ugo Humbert.

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 12th of June 2025 10:15:49 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Eden Silva has also kicked off in her doubles

More British grass interest

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
I don;t think there's a big public money issue here

They only get about £2m a year from Sports England

And made a touch over £100m in total in the last year I saw

And I don't think it has to be objecive criteria anyhow - in fact, I'm against it

BUT if you count the LTA as a hybrid public body (which it probably isn't, after the racing case but that was a while ago) you could then say that its decisions are open to judicial review - which is a procedural thing, not on merits, but it does mean that real or apparent bias etc must not be part of the decision making process

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 12th of June 2025 09:43:43 AM

That all makes sense and is clear, thanks CD