British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

Lambda wrote:

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Oh go on then, I'll play this year. It's quite difficult this year with established players having regressed in 2025 and talented Juniors going full time pro and college players coming through. I know I don't have to explain my thinking or give my also rans but there is no fun in it for me in Just posting a list of names and numbers. I hope it's still clear to theaddict what my entry is. So the wooden spoon entry is

Emma R 26
Sonay k 53
Katie B 76
Fran J 94
Mimi X 128
Jodie B 136
Mika S 146
Harriet D 149
Hev W 180
Hannah K 220
Sub: Katie S 176

Top 10 thinking : I had 13 short-listed players and unusually for me I've gone quite optimistic but only through undecisiveness. There are 2 uncertainties in who makes the top 10 for me. Who, of the established players that regressed in 2025, will continue to regress and who will turn it around. And the biggest question mark is over Kate Swan; a fully fit and unhindered Katie can be 80-120 next year but that ship has sailed so it's more a question of can her body hold up in which case 150-170 is possible. But I haven't seen enough evidence it can. Of the established players I'm sure some will continue to regress and some will turn it around but I couldn't decide who would do what so I've given them all the benefit of the doubt.

Near-misses: Katie S 225 or retired. As comments in other threads in recent weeks have alluded to I'm in the camp that isn't convinced that Katie can sustain a long enough run to climb the rankings much farther and indeed I have my doubts as to whether she can continue her career past the summer. I very much hope she proves me wrong and I will put her as my sub with a top 200 ranking in case she does.
Alicia D 235 Just crowded out by me giving the benefit of the doubt to too many established women. Very real possibility of a top 10 finish.
Lily M 330 I like Lily but she is the only one I didn't give the benefit of the doubt to.

Long-listing : Marni I Just don't see her getting ahead of any in my short list except perhaps Lily. Millie R has plateaued and I think has reached or is near her peak without a radical change in coaching she cannot afford. Sofia J I want to see have a long and succesful career, but based in Washington DC has played a very sparse US only schedule sofar since graduating. She needs to follow Liss's strategy and camp out in Monastir for a few months interrupted only for a few GB tourneys. Plus I think she still has a lot of development to do before she is capable of a GB top 10 finish. Angelica B has the potential to be top 300, but hasn't played since the summer and I don't know if she is injured or decided not to pursue a pro career. Vic A cannot top my top 10 and I think she's nearing her peak and to be honest has already exceeded my expectations.

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 Thanks Lambda for this. I am struggling with deciding on a final list! My issue, as with you, is that things in the womens game seem to be more in flux, more so than in previous years. My main issue is KatieB. I had Katie B at around 40 on my first list, new coach in the offing, a good training block in Alicante but a lot of folks on the board seem to have her outside the top 100. Very difficult!