GB Player Watch

First topic message reminder :

Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins have reached the final of the Malaysia Open by beating No. 1 seeds Frystenberg and Matkowski.

Also both Laura Robson and Heather Watson have made it through opening qualifying rounds at China Open.

Well done to all

It's only a guideline.

As Edmund is young, he doesn't fall into the 'waste of tax payers money, useless waste of space' category for about another year or so.

Evans is firmly in that category so they have to be careful what they offer him.

Evans has played well at Queens, but I guess the committee take the whole year into consideration when awarding wildcards - guess it could still maybe take one?

I think it is absolutely right that Edmunds is given the opportunity - he holds the USO boys doubles title, and the French Open doubles with his partner, played a competitive match at Queens (judging by the scoreline!) with a player ranked several hundred places higher and has won challenger tournaments this year - he should be introduced to the big stage as part of his development.

He's never won a challenger. He's bagged a couple of futures this year, and they weren't particularly easy ones.

I think it's good that he's got one, particularly has he's likely to get the 'one for the future' treatment this year even if he loses (which is more than likely).

The media (and British tennis 'fans') will probably only give him one chance until he's 'yet another disappointment' though.

My mistake dj - thought I'd heard that on the beeb this week that it was challenger tournaments.  Just seen in the Independent that Queens was his debut on the main tour.

Thank you both   I don't have any issue with Edmund's wildcard at all and was just wondering why they didn't follow their own guidelines.  Hopefully he gets a kind draw.

There is an exception for promising juniors - so the rule doesn't apply to Edmund.

The Special Juan wrote:Thank you both   I don't have any issue with Edmund's wildcard at all and was just wondering why they didn't follow their own guidelines.  Hopefully he gets a kind draw.

I hope so too!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jun/11/kyle-edmund-andy-murray-queens

I didn't see the match at Queen's, but the above article suggests that it was a very good performance.  Let's hope we will all have another British player to be excited about in a few years!

News of an epic choke (or injury I suppose) in the Wimbledon wildcard play-offs. Willis was leading Milton 7-6 5-2 40-0 and lost 7-6 5-7 0-6

The Special Juan wrote:News of an epic choke (or injury I suppose) in the Wimbledon wildcard play-offs.  Willis was leading Milton 7-6 5-2 40-0 and lost 7-6 5-7 0-6

Think that was the other way around. Willis ended up beating Milton.

Ah thanks DJ, I misread it then

BTW, Kyle Edmund had a decent opening win over De Schepper today...ranked some 360 places above him!

Yep, fantastic result for young Kyle Edmund, beating a top 100 guy so early in his senior career.

Gilles Simon next up for him. Will be fascinating to see just how well Kyle copes when facing an opponent of an altogether higher quality .....

I wonder if team Mobson would consider entering the Wimbledon Mixed Doubles if they were offered a wildcard considering their Olympic heroics. I hope they do!!

Kyle Edmund is playing Gilles Simon in Eastbourne atm - with serve so far.  Why, oh why is Eurosport currently showing Dodig's defeat of Raonic which happened earlier today, and completely ignoring this match

Simon just broken to lead 4-3!

Edmund breaks straight back. 4-4

Just seen that on ATP site - brilliant!

Simon serving to save the set at 4-5.

Remember, Simon has an ankle problem so Edmund's in with a very good chance of an upset today.

And Kyle Edmund passes up a set point as Simon holds to take it to 5-5.

Tiebreak

Boooo!!!  Simon takes the tiebreak 7-5.

Shame, Kedders loses in two tiebreaks to Simon. I hope he gets a kind draw at Wimbledon (or Murray).

So near yet so far. This little run should propel him inside the top 400 in the rankings.

I wish they had broadcast the match!  It sounds as if Edmunds gave a very good account of himself over the No 17 player - shame to lose it on two tiebreaks, but it sounds as if he is going to be a real hope for the future.

Just watched extended highlights on Eurosport. Edmund did really well, and has a lot of assets. Fantastic first serve, and a pretty good second serve. Really nice inside out forehand. A good slice, particularly down the line, very Murray esq. 

His depth is good, and he is a powerful lad. 

Things to work on: his movement needs a bit of work, he changes direction a bit slowly. His returns need a fair bit of work, on both sides. And he is a bit impatient, going for big shots when the opportunity isn't there and his posture isn't right...

But the basics are there. He has a real chance. Pushing a player like Simon to 2 tie breaks in his second ATP match is sensational.

That's really interesting to hear your thoughts Danny - very frustrating not to have seen because impossible to know from a scoreline whether the match was a good one.

TP - he really stayed with Simon in most of the points. It was a proper match. He had a set point in the first set. He hit one BHDTL on the run with Simon at the net that drew gasps. 

6ft 2" so a good size and his technique is good on both wings.

Easily the best performance I've seen from a male British teenager since Murray was 19.

Here's some highlights on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwPqaLRoRPw&feature=youtu.be

Thank you

Just been reading about the retirements of both Jamie Baker and Josh Goodall.

Both had career highs of around 180 and just show how hard it is to get to the very top.

Jamie Baker in particular suffered a lot from injury which really affected his career.

  to both and wishing them well with whatever they choose to do now.

Probably the correct decision at about the right time for these two as they’ve both drifted down from their career high ranking. I think Baker in particular can be proud of his career coming back, as he did, from a potentially fatal illness to make his career high ranking.
Interesting quotes from Goodall: ‘The thing with tennis is that the bulk of the prizemoney goes to the top 100 and my best ranking is 184," "It makes it very difficult for players - it's almost impossible. In my opinion things need to change. The level I've been playing at isn't paying enough and to make it to the top you need to be earning a lot more."
I understand where he’s coming from, and maybe he’s inferring that players in his position should receive funding from the LTA, but the other side of the coin is that any funding has to be directed at players with the potential to improve; not sure how well that applies to him nowadays

bradman99.94 wrote:Probably the correct decision at about the right time for these two as they’ve both drifted down from their career high ranking. I think Baker in particular can be proud of his career coming back, as he did, from a potentially fatal illness to make his career high ranking.
Interesting quotes from Goodall: ‘The thing with tennis is that the bulk of the prizemoney goes to the top 100 and my best ranking is 184," "It makes it very difficult for players - it's almost impossible. In my opinion things need to change. The level I've been playing at isn't paying enough and to make it to the top you need to be earning a lot more."
I understand where he’s coming from, and maybe he’s inferring that players in his position should receive funding from the LTA, but the other side of the coin is that any funding has to be directed at players with the potential to improve; not sure how well that applies to him nowadays

Yes, I wasn't sure what to make of his comments either. In other countries support stops at 18. Murray last received help from LTA at age 20.

I can see how it would help to have all the benefits that the top players have but the point is that they pay for these things themselves. The sort of financial help he is talking about is one of the things that the LTA need to move away from not do more of.

Yeah, there’s a tipping point isn’t there? Whereby the outlay is justified by potential improvement, but as it becomes obvious that a player has already reached his zenith (blips in form notwithstanding) but the player is still not playing major tournaments (and therefore probably not needing the extra funding anyway)or contributing in some other way (good DC results etc) then  it’s difficult to argue about the funding being removed. If the funding is the only reason why a player can continue to play lower Challenger of Futures tournaments, without the likelihood of progression to the main tour, as in Goodall’s case, then funding should be withdrawn / not offered (whichever is the case). If that means to the player that continuing is too much of a struggle then at least that player has had a good grounding in coaching techniques, media tuition, preparation etc that could be very useful in a future career in coaching. I don’t know whether this happens or not but an annual review or appraisal might better prepare some of late twenties players that are still playing Futures for a better transmission out of playing; I just get the idea that these two guys aren’t completely certain about which direction their tennis career is going to move to now
Murray’s rise up the rankings, and correspondingly, (I assume) his earnings rose at the same rate making the length of time he required funding to be short

No doubt it is a struggle for these players but not sure what the solution is really. The LTA is a business and has to be run as such. The potential return from supporting a player into their late 20s is minimal. There are obviously exceptions (Baker with his injuries for example).

There is a risk that too much support can lead to a lack of hunger for success and I know that some have said this happened in the UK. On the other hand, good DC work etc. should be rewarded.

This interview with James Ward is interesting with regards to the life of a lower ranked player (video lower right, can't seem to link directly??)

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/tennis/4991001/Andy-Murray-used-to-dress-like-Andre-Agassi-reveals-brother-Jamie.html#ooid=F2dzFxYzobqtIycOR94Va7OED3IFtXUr

James Ward looks like he's going to make the final of the Lexington Challenger. At least I hope he does because I've got money on him, he's up 6-0 3-0 and I'm away to bed.

Oh dear, being duffed 6-0 6-1 by a journeyman (and that's being generous) will not do young Filip Peliwo's confidence much good.

Jamie Murray won an ATP 250 doubles title in Gstaad.

It's the second time Ward has won by that scoreline this week. With Peliwo, I think he should still look on it as a good week.

The Special Juan wrote:Oh dear, being duffed 6-0 6-1 by a journeyman (and that's being generous) will not do young Filip Peliwo's confidence much good.

It just shows how tough it is for the youngsters. Even guys around 200 in the world have very few weaknesses. Ward just had too much power and consistency and played a few delightful slices. Peliwo couldn't get to enough balls to grind as he did in the juniors and his offensive game was all over the place. He will make it to th top 100 but it will take a couple of years probably.

Born Slippy wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:Oh dear, being duffed 6-0 6-1 by a journeyman (and that's being generous) will not do young Filip Peliwo's confidence much good.

It just shows how tough it is for the youngsters. Even guys around 200 in the world have very few weaknesses. Ward just had too much power and consistency and played a few delightful slices. Peliwo couldn't get to enough balls to grind as he did in the juniors and his offensive game was all over the place. He will make it to th top 100 but it will take a couple of years probably.

And maybe he ran into the wrong man too as Wardy takes the title. I've never seen Peliwo play but I've read some good things about him. Good luck to him.

Also Johanna Konta beat Sam Murray in a ITF event in Canada. The greatest day for British tennis for at least 3 weeks.

EDIT: Just noticed Marray/Fleming in the ATP Final at Atlanta. However not at the purpose built facility for the Olympics, but a temporary one they've built in the city-centre.

James Ward rockets up 60 places in the ranking to No.179.  

Evans has once again beaten Donskoy, this time in a Challenger. Laura and Hev play today too in events in America.

James Ward also won his opening match in Vancouver in a Challenger event (the same one Evans is playing in) and both Laura and Heather won though in three sets.

Also, Alexander Ward won his first round game in the Segovia Challenger after being 6-5 and 30-0 down in the 3rd set.

Not quite such good news for Ed Corrie in the Czech Challenger as he lost in the first round but did come through qualifying

The green shoots of promise?

bradman99.94 wrote:The green shoots of promise?

I hope so Bradman, I really do.

Robbo's playing Kvitova at the moment. The match has just started and is currently on serve, but not for much longer

The Special Juan wrote:Robbo's playing Kvitova at the moment.  The match has just started and is currently on serve, but not for much longer

Is it on tv or do you have a live stream link?

In brighter news Dan Evans is into the Quarter-Finals beating Amir Weintaub 6-2 3-6 6-3. He'll play Steven Diez or Oliver Rochus.

carrieg4 wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:Robbo's playing Kvitova at the moment.  The match has just started and is currently on serve, but not for much longer

Is it on tv or do you have a live stream link?

I have neither, just the live scores (sorry for the delay, the internet crashed). It's not going too well for her, the first is taken 6-1 by Kvitova.