Let's hear it for the girls

First topic message reminder :

With three ladies in the draw and Robson surely in with a good chance of qualifying then it could be four British (OK Ukranian, Loatian, Guernsey/American and Australian via a couple of years in Singapore).

Anyway with such an array of talent surely British tennis will be celebrating more than just Andy come the second week of the Aussie open? In all seriousness, let's hope at least one of these girls makes it past the first couple of rounds.

After all, Andy shouldn't hog all the limelight. Should he?

Laura Robson has just been broken in the first game of the second set so a straight sets loss is on the cards. She is however making Jelena play as most games are ending up at 30 or 40.

Laura is now a double break down to Jelena 3-0 in the second set. Laura is playing competitively but not threatening much.

Anne Keothavong has lost the first set 6-0 to Mona Barthel.


Annes first set stats
% first serve 35%
first serve wins 17%
2nd serve wins 27%
Receiving points won 19%
unforced errors 3

Nore Staat I'm lost for words.

Has Keothavong lost yet?

Anne Keothavong loses to Mona Barthel 6-0 (retirement). The news is that she is suffering from food poisoning. So Murray is the only British player remaining in the singles tournament. One wonders what precautions were taken with regard to food - Australia is not known for dodgy food.

5 Brits out. I think the Baltacha result is much more frustrating given it was a lower ranked player she was up against.

Oh dear.

Business as usual I guess. Hope the LTA didn't spend too much money on Mrs. Murray's air fare (unless, of course, she's there to advise Ivan too).

disappointing from the Brits really. Watched Heather who just seemed unable to break up the rhythm of the rallies which was favouring Azarenka, while Laura was all over the place, making too many errors and tactically very poor. Didn't see Ward or Baltasha, but those results are not good at all.

MFC didn't see Watson but to be fair Azarenka was the form player going into the Auusie Open.

Robson was very disappointing. Still very one dimensional - big serve and forehand but too many double faults and her movement was no better than it was in previous slams.

Both of them had reality checks as to how far away they are from the top level. I honestly expected a little bit more from them but if they learn from their respective drubbings then maybe some good will come out of them.

Projected Rankings change after AO 2012
Elena Baltacha 59 (down 5): turns 29 in August
Anne Keothavong 87 (down 14): turns 29 in September
Heather Watson 110 (down 5): turns 20 in May
Laura Robson 117 (up 17): turns 18 January 21st
Naomi Broady 183 (up 11): turns 22 in February


James Ward 150 (up 11): turns 25 on Feb 9th
104 is about the cut-off ranking for automatic qualifying to the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. However the qualifying tournament itself allows up to 60 ranking points to be won (25 ranking points for the men).


The strategy should be that both Heather and Laura work towards potential breakthroughs aged 21 (say into the top 50), working on their skill sets, strength, stamina and movement. If they are brought through too quickly they might get disenchanted and lose motivation for the sport. This has happened to many young Brits in the past retiring in their early twenties.

It is important that their expectations are managed and that they work towards long term career goals - not short term goals. If you listen to what Ivan Lendl was saying about Murray - he was emphasing having a "long term" strategy. Heather Watsons loss is potentially dispiriting, and probably means that we are looking at the age of 22 for a potential breakthrough into the top 50 (a regular spot).

NS you're right in your summary of where they now lie.

Elena's peaked, Anne's passed her best and the new kids on the block got a lesson on how tough it is at the slam level.

Ward is fast discovering what Boggo could have told him (if he didn't) several years ago. Winning at Challenger level and playing in slams are two completely different things. The LTA were very quick to dispense with Boggo's services so at nearly 25 will they do the same with Ward? If he's going to crack the top 100 and potentially stay there it would mean a decent Queen's and/or winning a round or two at Wimbledon.

NS,

Superb analysis on the rankings. I think the BBC should hire you as the Tennis Correspondant as you put that bafoon Overend in the shade in terms of knowledge of the game at home.

I think if Ward continues his improvement, there is no reason why he can't get inside the top 100 even if it is brief. I don't think it is any disgrace if he can only feature in the top 150 for the rest of his career given the amount of hard work he has put into self improvement.

I agree with Watson and Robson being work in progress. Broady still has time on her side to improve further.

Think Keothavong and Baltacha may call time on their careers in the next 18 months.

This is Laura's first tournament back from injury and she had three good wins in qualifying. Injuries are another factor that can stop a young player from progressing - especially if they try to do too much early on. They need to be developed without being "broken". Eleanor Dean now aged 16 was a much discussed potential top 30 senior player when aged 13/14 - but her progress has been beset by injury.

lg didn't want to appear too critical of Ward given his obvious improvement but the LTA's belittling of Bogdanovic for his perceived failings are still too fresh in the memory. As you say anywhere near the top 100 would also be a good return.

NS for tennis correspondent? No, he'd be wasted that role. Also the BBC employing someone as knowledgable and impartial? That would be a first!

ps I think "djloveyou" and "priesty" (I think Priesty might have left) follow the British scene much more closely than I do. I tend to read the news and watch a few matches on tv (rather than actually going to the tournaments).

The only reason Bogdanovic annoys me is because he was given Gilbert after he parted ways with Andy and yet despite having such an experienced coach on board, showed no improvement at all. Such an appointment made without having to charge him a penny should've given him some much needed ummmpppph and it didn't. I don't think Ward or any other player on the LTA books at that time would've wasted such an opportunity. He has had 8 Wimbledon wildcards and a top coach at the expense of the LTA and wasted it. I agree the LTA should not have castigated him so publically while he was still active, but should've actually sat Alex down and said right where have we failed you after the investment put into your development? Least that way upcoming youngsters such as Golding and Broady are not failed by the LTA in the same manner.

I don't think the LTA handled the situation with Bogdanovic very well, but to be fair to them, he had been given plenty of chances (several more than Ward has been given) to show some ability to compete at GS level and he had palpably failed. Ward deserves significant credit for even travelling to Aus and getting through the qualis given his level.

Of the girls, I'm still of the opinion that Robson has the potential to be a top 32 player and to mount the occasional challenge to the elite players, because she naturally has the weight of shot needed to overwhelm an opponent. OK, so she needs to work on movement (which can be improved with the correct training) and on consistency, but again that should improve with time.

Watson I think is a really 'nice' player - moves well, has nicely produced shots but is simply a bit lightweight and she doesn't have enough variation to overcome the limitations that imposes on her game. Of the little I saw of the Azarenka match, she just didn't have a way to hurt a hard-hitting opponent during the baseline rallies, and that is never going to be enough to beat the top girls.

lg can't argue that Boggo didn't exactly help his own cause.

Widening this to the current crop of youngsters I sincerely hope though that the LTA try to be supportive (rather than interfering - there is a difference) and that they don't hang the likes of Robson and Golding out to dry as quickly as they did with Alex without considering the consequences.

Lisa Whybourn 18 months ago had just turned 19 and was ranked 284. But she pushed it too much got injured and she is now ranked 475 - turns 21 this May.

Anna Fitzpatrick got to a ranking of 318 aged 19 and 2 months but never kicked on from there - she turns 23 this april ranked 462.

One of the complaints I have seen regarding bringing potential juniors through is the lack of support given to the coaches at the lower level. I have heard stories saying that top juniors are forced to move away from their "lower level" coaches - to a higher level coaching centre. Here they get lost in a homogenising / alienating system (culture) - and lose motivation. One cannot under estimate the value of personal relationships in the coaching system.

NS that's because the LTA will only give them funding if they follow their prescribed route through their academies.

Broady and Golding don't and that's why they don't get huge wads of LTA cash.

newballs wrote:Ward is fast discovering what Boggo could have told him (if he didn't) several years ago. Winning at Challenger level and playing in slams are two completely different things. The LTA were very quick to dispense with Boggo's services so at nearly 25 will they do the same with Ward? If he's going to crack the top 100 and potentially stay there it would mean a decent Queen's and/or winning a round or two at Wimbledon.

Who would GB have as the second Davis Cup player then???