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Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Week 30 – ITF W35 - Aldershot, Great Britain - Hard

sammmm · Strong Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
sammmm wrote:
the addict wrote:
Main draw (Brits only)

R1:- Sophie Bekker (GBR) UNR [WC] v Clara Vlasselaer (BEL) WR686

R1:- Rina Saigo (JPN) WR324 [4] v Sophia Hurrion (GBR) UNR [Q]
R1:- Angella Okutoyi (KEN) WR515 v Kristina Paskauskas (GBR) UNR [Q]

R1:- Hannah Klugman (GBR) WR374 [5] v Ruby Cooling (GBR) WR919 [WC]
R1:- Monika Ekstrand (USA) WR924 v Alice Gillan (GBR) WR641

R1:- Naiktha Bains (GBR) [6] v Jaquelyn Ogunwale (GBR) [LL]
R1:- Sabine Rutlauka (LAT) WR709 [Q] v Indianna Spink (GBR) WR605

R1:- Savannah Dada-Mascoll (GBR) UNR [WC] v Brooke Black (GBR) WR818 [WC]
R1:- Emily Appleton (GBR) WR512 v Katarina Kuzmova (SVK) WR278 [2] Unfortunate for both players !

A big shame that one of Savannah and Brooke is going to miss out on points, same with Ruby drawing Hannah who I think has a great chance of winning the title
Yes, but on a glass half-full approach, at least one of them in each case will actually get points - after all, Sav and Brooke could both have played foreign players, and then lost, in R1 and then nobody would get points (well, the peskies would, but that's not what we want)

True, I just don't like it as much when it's two of our younger players who are trying to progress, I don't mind so much when it's Naiktha v Jacquelyn for example

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

sammmm wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
sammmm wrote:
the addict wrote:
Main draw (Brits only)

R1:- Sophie Bekker (GBR) UNR [WC] v Clara Vlasselaer (BEL) WR686

R1:- Rina Saigo (JPN) WR324 [4] v Sophia Hurrion (GBR) UNR [Q]
R1:- Angella Okutoyi (KEN) WR515 v Kristina Paskauskas (GBR) UNR [Q]

R1:- Hannah Klugman (GBR) WR374 [5] v Ruby Cooling (GBR) WR919 [WC]
R1:- Monika Ekstrand (USA) WR924 v Alice Gillan (GBR) WR641

R1:- Naiktha Bains (GBR) [6] v Jaquelyn Ogunwale (GBR) [LL]
R1:- Sabine Rutlauka (LAT) WR709 [Q] v Indianna Spink (GBR) WR605

R1:- Savannah Dada-Mascoll (GBR) UNR [WC] v Brooke Black (GBR) WR818 [WC]
R1:- Emily Appleton (GBR) WR512 v Katarina Kuzmova (SVK) WR278 [2] Unfortunate for both players !

A big shame that one of Savannah and Brooke is going to miss out on points, same with Ruby drawing Hannah who I think has a great chance of winning the title
Yes, but on a glass half-full approach, at least one of them in each case will actually get points - after all, Sav and Brooke could both have played foreign players, and then lost, in R1 and then nobody would get points (well, the peskies would, but that's not what we want)
True, I just don't like it as much when it's two of our younger players who are trying to progress, I don't mind so much when it's Naiktha v Jacquelyn for example

OK but bit unfair on Jaquelyn smile She's no different from Savannah - Jaqui's only 21 smile

sammmm · Strong Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
sammmm wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
sammmm wrote:
the addict wrote:
Main draw (Brits only)

R1:- Sophie Bekker (GBR) UNR [WC] v Clara Vlasselaer (BEL) WR686

R1:- Rina Saigo (JPN) WR324 [4] v Sophia Hurrion (GBR) UNR [Q]
R1:- Angella Okutoyi (KEN) WR515 v Kristina Paskauskas (GBR) UNR [Q]

R1:- Hannah Klugman (GBR) WR374 [5] v Ruby Cooling (GBR) WR919 [WC]
R1:- Monika Ekstrand (USA) WR924 v Alice Gillan (GBR) WR641

R1:- Naiktha Bains (GBR) [6] v Jaquelyn Ogunwale (GBR) [LL]
R1:- Sabine Rutlauka (LAT) WR709 [Q] v Indianna Spink (GBR) WR605

R1:- Savannah Dada-Mascoll (GBR) UNR [WC] v Brooke Black (GBR) WR818 [WC]
R1:- Emily Appleton (GBR) WR512 v Katarina Kuzmova (SVK) WR278 [2] Unfortunate for both players !

A big shame that one of Savannah and Brooke is going to miss out on points, same with Ruby drawing Hannah who I think has a great chance of winning the title
Yes, but on a glass half-full approach, at least one of them in each case will actually get points - after all, Sav and Brooke could both have played foreign players, and then lost, in R1 and then nobody would get points (well, the peskies would, but that's not what we want)
True, I just don't like it as much when it's two of our younger players who are trying to progress, I don't mind so much when it's Naiktha v Jacquelyn for example
OK but bit unfair on Jaquelyn She's no different from Savannah - Jaqui's only 21

I used that as an example because Naiktha is well into her career and I generally prefer the younger more up and coming players to do better (not a slight on Jaquelyn I promise!)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Oh, I see

The other side is that the younger ones (Hannah being a prime example) have zillions more chances, given funding, and wildcards, etc

And therefore one point, or one event with potential more points, really doesn't make much difference to her

Whereas a good run for Naiktha, say, or Alice Gillan, can be a real game changer for the year - and both have plenty of years to come (if they wish and have the funding to do so)

It's important, in my view, for younger players to see that older players are supported and can make a living, otherwise many will drop out if they don't make it big instantly - which the vast majority won't

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sophie Bekker has made it one set all, winning set 2 with only losing one game

Sophie is quite a 'character'

- and good on her, why not ?

sammmm · Strong Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
Oh, I see

The other side is that the younger ones (Hannah being a prime example) have zillions more chances, given funding, and wildcards, etc

And therefore one point, or one event with potential more points, really doesn't make much difference to her

Whereas a good run for Naiktha, say, or Alice Gillan, can be a real game changer for the year - and both have plenty of years to come (if they wish and have the funding to do so)

It's important, in my view, for younger players to see that older players are supported and can make a living, otherwise many will drop out if they don't make it big instantly - which the vast majority won't

That's a very fair point, we want players to feel like they don't need to rush and players naturally develop at their own pace. I guess with people like Alice or Emily App, they're lateish twenties and haven't gone much beyond WR350 so you wonder if their time to break through has gone (as harsh as it feels to say that)

Edit: I also realise that players are playing longer now though and many more are going the college route

-- Edited by sammmm on Tuesday 28th of July 2026 10:54:15 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes, its a balance

But Emily App is only 26 now

And Alice 27

Statistically, a woman's peak wta ranking is at 26.9 years (when I saw it last, is pretty constant)

So, giving a bit of room for margin, it seems to me that having a system that works at least up until age 30 or so is appropriate, although it seems logical to weight it towards the younger end

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sophie let the third set get away from her right at the start - which is rather common, unfortunately

And then was never really going to come back, although she didn't collapse

Alice's result is more disappointing, although her opponent was playing rather well, I thought

But two losses

Brooke defeated Sav, and that seemed fair, from what I saw.

I don't quite see what there is to get excited about in Sav's game, but I might be missing something

Lambda_ · Junior player

the addict wrote:
R1:- Angella Okutoyi (KEN) v Kristina Paskauskas (GBR) [Q]
Angella is a bit of a Brit basher. Of the 9 singles matches* against Brits Angella has played in the last year, only Kristina's sister has a victory against her. Hopefully she's passed some tips on. I read that Angella has been based in London since graduating in May.
*Given Roach, Millie Bisset, Erin Pearce, Gabia Paskauskas (x2), Ella Mcdonald (x3) (all in US College) and Indi Spink a couple of weeks ago in Nottingham

sammmm · Strong Club Player

Brooke let the lead slip a couple of times with very poor service games but always looked capable of troubling Savannah on her serve. Brooke had the heavier shots and she was particularly impressive when taking the ball out of the air after Savannah played a loopy recovery shot, rarely missed a drive volley (though did miss a couple of bad volleys at the net)

sammmm · Strong Club Player

Hannah in control against Ruby now a set and a break up. Hannah has been overpowering Ruby from the back of the court and targeting Ruby's forehand side

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Hannah beat Ruby 6-2 6-0

Ruby's first match for a while so can't have been easy

But nice to see Hannah playing well, and hitting through her shots

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sophie Hurrion lost rather brutallly but not entirely unexpecedly, given the difference in ranking / level

the addict · Tennis legend

R1:- Sophie Bekker (GBR) UNR [WC] lost to Clara Vlasselaer (BEL) WR686 3-6 6-1 2-6
R1:- Rina Saigo (JPN) WR324 [4] def Sophia Hurrion (GBR) UNR [Q] 6-1 6-0
R1:- Hannah Klugman (GBR) WR374 [5] def Ruby Cooling (GBR) WR919 [WC] 6-2 6-0
R1:- Monika Ekstrand (USA) WR924 def Alice Gillan (GBR) WR641 7-6(5) 6-4
R1:- Indianna Spink (GBR) WR605 def Sabine Rutlauka (LAT) WR709 [Q] 6-2 4-6 6-4
R1:- Brooke Black (GBR) WR818 [WC] def Savannah Dada-Mascoll (GBR) UNR [WC] 7-5 6-4