British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

2025 PLAYER OF THE SEASON VOTE - ROUND ONE, GROUP A

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I was impressed by the breakthrough Alicia made this year and also the seasons Megan and Mimi had. But for me, Joe and Neal had such a great grand slam and big event year. Two runners up titles in Paris and New York and also in Turin. They get my vote

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

And mine is the 4th vote in - remember if YOU vote, do tell us who and why. Thank you !

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

If Id been asked around April who would win this , no one could have persuaded me it wouldnt be Jack - here we are 9 months later.

Lambda · Top national player

Alicia gets my vote. She's had an excellent year.

After being hampered by a hip injury for a couple of years that required surgery she finally was able to play freely and show what she was capable of her in her final semester in college. Being the single consistent success story in a Florida team in crisis in their worst season ever, she held the team together and finished her college career on a 11 match win streak in the toughest women's conference in US college. Playing at No 2 she went from unranked at the beginning of March to her college career high of 44 by the end of the season (which for her was April). During the spring semester she won 17 matches and lost just 2 matches. On top of that she finished the college season ranked 16 in doubles with her doubles partner of the spring semester.

Then immediately after her university commencement ceremony she embarked on a highly successful start to her pro career. Playing her first ITF event of the year in mid-May, she played 20 events in 28 weeks to the beginning of December. She reached the final in only her 2nd event. She went on to play 3 W15 finals winning 2 of them in an incredible 11 match win streak in September. She also won a W35 in August to give her 3 singles titles and a 72% win rate with 46 wins and 18 losses in pro play. She went from unranked in mid-May to 439 by the end of the year (career high of 438 in mid December).

Of the 20 singles events she played doubles in 18 of them, reaching the final in 8 of them and winning 6 titles (2 W15s, 3 W35s and 1 W50), going unranked at the end of May to a career high of 283 at the end of the year.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Thanks Lambda - I also wanted to apologise as Id asked you via a PM (and Annas Dad) to give me some overview and stats on Alicia, which you did but then I didnt use them. I had fully intended to but then the composition of the 28 participants threw that idea out slightly and I ended up deciding it was easier to let folks do their own thinking.

And youre certainly done that! As always, of course!

If anyone else voting wants to say anything about their thought process and vote intentions, the colour is really interesting and adds to this process, so please follow Lambdas lead - in part of not in whole!

Lambda · Top national player

Alicia is up against some strong candidates and forum favourites so I suspect will struggle to pick up many votes. Its the combination of what she did in college while everything around her was falling apart, which can not be understated, coupled with how shes made the most of the start of her pro career that did it for me. I expected her to be the leader of the college graduates this year but shes still well ahead of where l expected her to be.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Lambda wrote:
Alicia is up against some strong candidates and forum favourites so I suspect will struggle to pick up many votes. Its the combination of what she did in college while everything around her was falling apart, which can not be understated, coupled with how shes made the most of the start of her pro career that did it for me. I expected her to be the leader of the college graduates this year but shes still well ahead of where l expected her to be.

I actually think Alicia has a decent draw, this group is quite wide open in my opinion, I think she has a decent chance of a top 3 place in this group.

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Saturday 3rd of January 2026 08:52:34 AM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Vote timer set for 8.54am Monday.

Tanaqui · County player

Lambda's excellent write up has persuaded me to vote for Alicia after initially considering Joe and Neal. Who also had a great year but I feel didn't perform beyond expectations the way Alicia did!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Thanks Tanaqui, yes those narrative write ups do help and persuade!

Var · Futures level

Ive gone for Mimi. I admire her progress and transition to seniors. Building her success on firm foundations. As juniors battle with the physical demands of the game, I would rather herald strong
steady progress than a meteoric rise and fall.

-- Edited by Var on Saturday 3rd of January 2026 07:21:07 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

13 votes in and Mimi has some decent support so far.

Remember - top 3 plus ties progress.

indiana · Tennis legend

Mimi here for me.

A year of very good overall progression through the year for the 18 yo. In singles she rose to WR 234 from WR 517 at the end of last year, the highlight in her 21 senior tournaments being winning the Wrexham W100 ( singles and doubles ). In doubles she finished the year WR 244. She also signed off from juniors by reaching the singles SF at Wimbledon.

Alicia has had a really good year too, and did start in May in seniors from unranked, though from that very good spring college form ( and Lambda has highlighted her college tribulations and latter great success ). However in seniors, looking at the year as a whole with respective ages and end of year singles ranking from a similar number of total tournaments, I definitely go for Mimi.

Mention too certainly for Joe & Neal's year.

Sheddie · administrator

Completely agree Indy - voted for Mimi too