Ok Anne's our British no 1 but based on performances over the past 12 months (which is what's supposed to decide the wcs), do you really think she should get one over Naomi ?
She's maintained her position at around 160ish in the rankings but has shown few signs that she's going to be able to step up a level and break top 100...she's been fairly consistent as ever in the 25Ks, making several finals but as soon as she's come up against top 120 opposition she's been invariably outplayed. Also, grass isn't her best surface, she's had numerous wildcards and hasn't won a match since 2004 (when she beat Nicole Pratt at Wimbledon...is that her only WTA grass win ?). I'd think that she'd be better to come through qualifying, get some wins there which would then give her a better chance in the main draw
In contrast, Naomi hammered someone in the top 65 last week...I also think Bally would have the edge over Anne on grass and so would have given her the 2nd wc...hopefully both of them can qualify now.
If Georgie had been fit I'd have given the two wcs to her and Naomi...unfortunately Georgie won't be playing a tournament for another 6 weeks and so misses Wimbledon
I tihnk its the right choices. I wouldn't back any of the others to be consistent enough to qualify but they could all cause an upset depending on their draw.
Cavaday can and will qualify and then there will be an extra Brit in the draw.
Here's tomorrow's OOP for qualifying. Seven Brits on total thanks to late withdrawals. No Natasha unfortunately, so it looks as if her deletion from Wimbledon qualy WCs indicates a problem.
Likhovtseva and Sun are still involved in Birmingham, and may be forced to withdraw. I'll add the full qualifying draw shortly.
Court 1 - 11:30 AM - T.Tanasugarn vs S. Borwell - J.Craybas vs M.Chakhnashvili - E.Baltacha vs Y.Shvedova - Y.Fedossova vs N.Cavaday
Court 2 - 11:30 AM - JSchruff vs TPoutchek - K.O'Brien vs M.Yuan - J.Curtis vs V.Dushevina - J.Gajdosova vs K.Paterson
Court 3 - 11:30 AM - E.Birnerova vs M.Czink - C.Castano vs E.Bychkova - T.Pironkova vs M.E.Camerin TBA NB 15:00 - E.Likhovtseva vs A.Kremer
Court 4 - 11:30 - A.Nakamura vs A.Klepac - A.Rosolska vs N.Uberoi - A.Wozniak vs L.Granville TBA NB 15:00 - R.Llewellyn vs T.Sun
Elena Likhovtseva (RUS) vs Anne Kremer (LUX) Youlia Fedossova (FRA) vs Naomi Cavaday Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK) vs Karen Paterson Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) vs Laura Granville (USA)
Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) vs Sarah Borwell Julia Schruff (GER) vs Tatiana Poutchek (BLR) Rebecca Llewellyn vs Tiantian Sun (CHN) Elena Baltacha vs Yaroslava Shvedova (RUS)
Jill Craybas (USA) vs Margalita Chakhnashvili (GEO) Eva Birnerova (CZE) vs Melinda Czink (HUN) Katie O'Brien vs Meng Yuan (CHN) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) vs Maria Elena Camerin (ITA)
Aiko Nakamura (JAP) vs Andreja Klepac (SVK) Alicja Rosolska (POL) vs Neha Uberoi (USA) Catalina Castano (COL) vs Ekaterina Bychkova (RUS) Jade Curtis vs Vera Dushevina (RUS)
Katie's match is a repeat of Surbiton (Katie won in 3)
Naomi has a good rd1 draw...faces an 18 year old ranked 118 who plays mostly on clay...Fedossova was playing a 25K on clay last week...made the semis. Anne beat her in 3 setsb at IW
However, with the rest of the draw, she's really unlucky and will do amazingly well to qualify here...top seed Likhovtseva is the world no 47 and has been as high as 15. She's currently in the quarters of Birmingham too !
Bally probably has the best chance of qualifying tho rd1 opponent Shedova (a close cousin of mine ) is no mug on grass and qualified for Wimbledon last yr