Alex Sendegeya

helki · Futures qualifying

Alex Sendegeya

DavidC · Tennis legend

Alex has got some good crits - Nick Bollettieri singled him out as one to watch last year (perhaps not too surprising given where he is based though). Let's hope he fulfils the promise.

Ratty · County player

Good luck to the kid. But ...

Bollettierri is notorious for saying that EVERYONE he sees playing is a potential superstar.

And while it's only one tournament, at the 12 & Under Nationals last year, Alex was knocked out in the last 16, and the guy he lost to got battered in the next round. I'm afraid that this really is not indicative of future superstardom.

At Alex's current age, in 1993, Andy Murray didn't play the 12 & Under Nationals, because they didn't exist. However, he did WIN the 14 & Under Nationals.

But it's a good story, which of course is what it's all about.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Wow thats really interesting, thanks for posting. Lets hope he can do well! Has he really been winning all the same trophies Murray won as a junior?

Ratty · County player

He won the Solihull 12 & Under in 2008.

A few years back, Solihull used to be THE junior tournament for 10's, 12's and 14's, attracting a large international entry in the 12's and 14's. So I can imagine that Murray probably won the 12's, probably in 1998 when he was a year under age.

I have no knowledge of this age group, so I don't know whether all the top children still play at Solihull, or whether Alex beat any top players to take the title.

(Murray won the 14 & Under Nationals in 1999, not 1993 ...)

As a human interest story, the Times piece hits all the right buttons. As a predictor of future success, it does not.

Why do I care? Well, these stories about having to go abroad to be successful are usually based on half-truths and misunderstandings, and possibly encourage people to waste their money and destroy their family life.

For example, it's often trotted out that Murray had to train in Spain. Well yes he did, but only for a few months when he was 15. For for the previous 8 (?) years, he had trained in that well-known incubator of tennis talent - Scotland. At the age of 14, having trained only in Scotland, he was 2nd to Djokovic in the ETA year end 14 & Under rankings. So he was already well on the way to success when he went to Spain.

Federer? Always based in Switzerland, another legendary tennis nirvana, LOL.

tenniscynic · Social player

Have a look at the Solihull draw and I think it speaks for itself. Sure the boy is a good tennis player but it doesn't look as if he is setting the world on fire. Hope he is not compromising his education too much for the sport.

watchmaker · Newbie

had to say i saw this boy at the Eddy Herr and loved him. Was one of the best I have seen. His back hand was a dream. I look forward to watching his progress. Times report re: moving country. Don't agree that you have to move countries but you must choose the right people around you and also keep learning yourself to help your child develop correctly.