Harriet showing up for the pay cheque, no clay prep, just straight in and what will be will be. I think a few of the Men should have done the same.
Which men? They are all there in qualifying?
I think emmsie means a few of the men who aren't very strong on clay should have ingored the clay preparation events, just turned up for RG qualis, played a match, got the pay cheque and been back on hard the week after. (i.e. they haven't had much success in the lead up events)
Harriet showing up for the pay cheque, no clay prep, just straight in and what will be will be. I think a few of the Men should have done the same.
Which men? They are all there in qualifying?
I think emmsie means a few of the men who aren't very strong on clay should have ingored the clay preparation events, just turned up for RG qualis, played a match, got the pay cheque and been back on hard the week after. (i.e. they haven't had much success in the lead up events)
Not only that but wouldn't the transition from Hard to Grass be easier too.
Points wise it hasn't worked out too well for Harriet, she got a bit unlucky drawing Taylah early on twice but the strategy was a good one and I think a few men would have benefitted (and it might have made it easier for the AELTC giving out WCs)
Do you know of any reaction from overlooked much higher ranked players regarding such 'brave' choices? And what French tennis fans think?
And what sort of success have such young WCs had in previous years?
The reaction from the overlooked much higher ranked players is pretty much as you'd expect
A fair bit of griping
But it's not a surprise
Last year, them all being a year younger obviously, Ksenia, Daphnée, Eleejah and another real youngster, Cindy Langlais, all got wildcards into qualis
The FFT, as far as I know, does not have any matrix or specific criteria, and does not make any promise that it's 'fair' - i.e. it's not based on ranking, never has been, so the others can claim it's not fair, but they can't claim they've been hoodwinked, they knew it wouldn't be 'fair'
The FFT believe in giving youngsters a big boost (which sounds lovely but it isn't producing great results - certainly not in the women - so maybe it's not as good as all that).
And they also like 'honouring' old-timers - which is rather nice (unless it goes on, year in year out, to the same person)
They've also got such a big wodge of middling players that there will always be some who are left out so that makes it easier in a way....
(Alice Tubello getting a MD one is very much a 'merited' one as she was nowhere about 2 months ago and still isn't that highly ranked but has had a great run on clay, in several events, recently).
