They are both needing maybe something like 70 / 80 points on board by December to ensure entry to the main draw for the Aussie Open so whether they've just seen this as some fairly guaranteed points.
Would still have thought Heather in particular would have been looking for bigger tests.
It's all change as far as futures entries go. No Brit is going to Indonesia, Rice and Thornley are heading for Turkey while Feaver and Short now join Broady in Spain instead of going to Portugal.
She's not in the qualies, if I'm checking the correct tournie ?
You're right, that's a bit strange - she wouldn't even have needed a QWC to get into qualifying. Surely she hasn't got a main draw WC, has she? Yet why else would she be in Japan but not in qualifying ...
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
I'm confused.com, Laura tweeted a picture from Tokyo suggesting she must be there. It is a very weak qualifying draw and would have provided Laura with a great chance of qualifying and thus cover her points from last year. She could get a WC into the MD, so we will have to look out for that.
Options for the week after: she withdrew from a challenger w/c 3/10 and possibly she is hoping to get into qualies for Beijing another premier event. Direct entry into qualies here wouldn't count towards her annual tally of tournaments.
Turns out Schiavone had been given a main draw WC but pulled out yesterday because she's ill, so maybe they asked who wanted it and Laura got her hand up first. We'll find out tomorrow, if not before.
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
As far as I could see only Doi of Japan has been given a WC leaving 4 to be handed out. Octagon run this event so if Laura's asked for one she'll most likely get it.