Wimbledon Wildcards Announced

freerider · Futures level

RE: Wimbledon Wildcards Announced

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
Jaffa wrote:
If Ed gets in qualies they should upgrade him to the last WC in my opinion, will be the first time in years a player has had to qualify as a DA if he doesn't won't it?
The last main draw wild card is almost certainly reserved for Kudla if he wins Ilkley.

Which he has done, so presumably that's a given now.

PockyTastic · Futures level

Coup Droit wrote:
RJA wrote:
Jaffa wrote:
If Ed gets in qualies they should upgrade him to the last WC in my opinion, will be the first time in years a player has had to qualify as a DA if he doesn't won't it?
The last main draw wild card is almost certainly reserved for Kudla if he wins Ilkley.

Which he has done, so presumably that's a given now.

I saw Kudla play in ilkley this week and was impressed. I'm not implying top 30 material but he's adept on grass. Still mildly disappointed with the treatment of Klein (unless something has changed - I'll admit to have not read through the thread carefully) as he may not be the poster boy of British tennis but he's given a good account of himself on grass this past month.

TMH · Futures qualifying

I believe Klein has been given a main draw WC now.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Del Potro has withdrawn I believe that now means Corrie doesn't need his QWC. So is that another one available or next on the list in I wonder. Potentially another 4 or 5 withdrawals pending we will find out on Monday I guess final withdrawals etc

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Actually scratch that think he is still 1 out but I don't think we ll see the entry lists updated until Monday. Tsonga rumoured to be in doubt.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

freerider wrote:
Bit of a weak analogy there:

Do all 20 somethings playing Tennis for a living have 30/40 years to hone their skills and reach the top of their profession? No.

That's very true, but my point is that all people in the early stages of their careers will hit bumps where their confidence is knocked or their performance dips and what they really need at that point is to have an excellent support network behind them to build them back up again, something I am adamant the LTA absolutely fails to instil in our players.

I believe public demonstrations such as this, whereby the LTA/AELTC effectively declares that we do not have sufficient players worthy to grace the main draw of Wimbledon, simply reinforces the negative press-led rhetoric that our players our lazy, over indulged and simply not hungry enough to make it to the top.

Naomi Cavaday's recent blog on 'Learning to Lose' made the point excellently that defeat is the best way to learn. Sometimes you have to lose hard to be able to take a step back, identify improvement and remotivate yourself to achieve your targets - so let our players go out there, play, and when they lose help them identify the positives. Dont give our WCs to foreign players or the next DAs (again, worthy exceptions excluded) in the hope that our British players wont therefore bring shame on the establishment. Let them play, let them enjoy the experience and let them grow from it.

Would I, as a junior, rather be a young American watching the USO MD full of my peers achieving a major career goal and milestone out on the Louis Armstrong court or would I rather be a British junior and wonder why we have such little representation in Wimbledon MD and perhaps start to believe some of the often unfair, misguided rhetoric peddled by the British press? I think there is a very good reason why a lot of our youngsters quit and it is a systemic, cultural panacea that the LTA are ultimately responsible for allowing to spread.

There is no clearer proof than seeing the effect Leon Smith has had on our Davis Cup performance. When you have someones confidence and someone who is willing to shrug off what the doubters think and stand confidently you, you can turn players like Wardy into giant killers.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

Wakey wrote:
murray_2k9 wrote:
For me, it can be very easy to separate sports from 'normal life' - but ultimately our British players are just young professionals trying to better themselves.

Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. show massive improvement year in, year out? No.
Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. have all the answers before their late 20s? No.
Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. rocket up to the top of the career ladder within the first few years? No.

Everybody hits tough patches and rocky months in their career, but the people who tend to pull through tend to be those who have a good support network, those who back them even when they wobble and those who are willing to put their neck on the line and take a punt on them. Until the LTA begins to build that sort of relationship with our players rather than one of constant uncertainty, unclear objectives and varying support we wont grow the sport.

Why dont the LTA ignore the British press and clarify what the expectations are of the WCs given to our players; to help them grow their game, gain experience of big match tennis and to have a crack at higher ranked players? I bet youngsters would be far more inclined to pick up a racquet if they saw Brits out their enjoying themselves in front of a supporting crowd AND with the vocal backing of a positive tennis association, rather than seeing all Brits who lose as failures who are fair play for the venomous press.
What annoys me about the press is how unfair they are, as a wc the chances are they aren't going to win their first match, even if they sneak into the main draw or come through qualies the chances are they will get someone on paper that they shouldn't win but the press expects them to and that bleeds down to the general public. Even if they put up a really good fight they get attacked by the press posing. If they put in a good performance against better ranked people then they should get some praise not the abuse and even if the get whitewashed the abuse they have to put up with isn't constructive. Boggo had Fed one year and got abuse for losing, he got Nadal another and it was fairly close sets yet he got attacked again. He also too a set a few times verses higher ranked people. Its just not helpful from the British media as it has to undermine any confidence they got from playing ok against top players

If a player battles through the qualifying to make the main draw or are in there on merit then I agree the press should cut them a bit of slack - not easy to come through qualifying and he/she deserves a bit of credit for it.

However, in a case like Boggo and others, who got/get a wc into a tournament that he/she had not/have not earned the right to be at, year after year after year, and lose, year after year after year, then I'm sorry I think the press have every right to criticize the players. I know it may not be nice but if they've been quick to accept the money and desperate to play in the tournament then they shouldn't have it both ways. They must know that the focus at this time of year is at its highest (at least on the British Tennis) so they should be prepare to take some flak - if not then they should go through qualifying or better still earn a place on merit like 94% of the field have to.

RJA · Hall of fame

murray_2k9 wrote:
Would I, as a junior, rather be a young American watching the USO MD full of my peers achieving a major career goal and milestone out on the Louis Armstrong court or would I rather be a British junior and wonder why we have such little representation in Wimbledon MD and perhaps start to believe some of the often unfair, misguided rhetoric peddled by the British press? I think there is a very good reason why a lot of our youngsters quit and it is a systemic, cultural panacea that the LTA are ultimately responsible for allowing to spread.

I get where you are coming from but there has to be balance. I don't think there is any point handing someone ranked say 552 in the world a Wimbledon wild card just because they are the British No 8. I wouldn't give a main draw wild card to any player who he didn't think had a realistic prospect of being competitive if they got a decent draw. Seeing a couple of Brits lose 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 is hardly likely to inspire anyone or do they players involved much good.

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

RJA wrote:
murray_2k9 wrote:
Would I, as a junior, rather be a young American watching the USO MD full of my peers achieving a major career goal and milestone out on the Louis Armstrong court or would I rather be a British junior and wonder why we have such little representation in Wimbledon MD and perhaps start to believe some of the often unfair, misguided rhetoric peddled by the British press? I think there is a very good reason why a lot of our youngsters quit and it is a systemic, cultural panacea that the LTA are ultimately responsible for allowing to spread.
I get where you are coming from but there has to be balance. I don't think there is any point handing someone ranked say 552 in the world a Wimbledon wild card just because they are the British No 8. I wouldn't give a main draw wild card to any player who he didn't think had a realistic prospect of being competitive if they got a decent draw. Seeing a couple of Brits lose 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 is hardly likely to inspire anyone or do they players involved much good.

That last point is indeed true and the word 'balance' comes to mind. It is rather desirable for the LTA to show nuanced and balanced decision-making and as you say, there is a big need to balance between MDWC's like Kyle Edmund who was very close to entry on merit and those perhaps less justifiable (WR 552 obviously being a more exaggerated point). I also think that there is room for somebody who has a great grass-court season (something along the lines of multiple SF's, a final) who is below the generally accepted ranking guidelines - it's all about balance.

Wakey · Junior player

A131 wrote:
Wakey wrote:
murray_2k9 wrote:
For me, it can be very easy to separate sports from 'normal life' - but ultimately our British players are just young professionals trying to better themselves.

Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. show massive improvement year in, year out? No.
Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. have all the answers before their late 20s? No.
Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. rocket up to the top of the career ladder within the first few years? No.

Everybody hits tough patches and rocky months in their career, but the people who tend to pull through tend to be those who have a good support network, those who back them even when they wobble and those who are willing to put their neck on the line and take a punt on them. Until the LTA begins to build that sort of relationship with our players rather than one of constant uncertainty, unclear objectives and varying support we wont grow the sport.

Why dont the LTA ignore the British press and clarify what the expectations are of the WCs given to our players; to help them grow their game, gain experience of big match tennis and to have a crack at higher ranked players? I bet youngsters would be far more inclined to pick up a racquet if they saw Brits out their enjoying themselves in front of a supporting crowd AND with the vocal backing of a positive tennis association, rather than seeing all Brits who lose as failures who are fair play for the venomous press.
What annoys me about the press is how unfair they are, as a wc the chances are they aren't going to win their first match, even if they sneak into the main draw or come through qualies the chances are they will get someone on paper that they shouldn't win but the press expects them to and that bleeds down to the general public. Even if they put up a really good fight they get attacked by the press posing. If they put in a good performance against better ranked people then they should get some praise not the abuse and even if the get whitewashed the abuse they have to put up with isn't constructive. Boggo had Fed one year and got abuse for losing, he got Nadal another and it was fairly close sets yet he got attacked again. He also too a set a few times verses higher ranked people. Its just not helpful from the British media as it has to undermine any confidence they got from playing ok against top players
If a player battles through the qualifying to make the main draw or are in there on merit then I agree the press should cut them a bit of slack - not easy to come through qualifying and he/she deserves a bit of credit for it.
However, in a case like Boggo and others, who got/get a wc into a tournament that he/she had not/have not earned the right to be at, year after year after year, and lose, year after year after year, then I'm sorry I think the press have every right to criticize the players. I know it may not be nice but if they've been quick to accept the money and desperate to play in the tournament then they shouldn't have it both ways. They must know that the focus at this time of year is at its highest (at least on the British Tennis) so they should be prepare to take some flak - if not then they should go through qualifying or better still earn a place on merit like 94% of the field have to.

Why should they. The other nations don't seem to and they hand out WC's to their own players much more liberally. It's about giving them the experience to help their development but much of thode positives get undermined by the press which no matter how hard they try and ignore it they have to see it.

It shouldn't be the media looking for a single loss to launch a tirade of abuse at British players, it should be looked at in context and judged then and certainly not seeing all of British tennis tarred with the same brush. Even a player who wins a round or puts a decent performance in gets dragged into it.

Boggo got critised for example for losing to Nadal when Nadal reached the final. It was a 4-6, 6-7, 4-6 loss which isnt a white wash against the 2nd seed. Infact it was a closer score than Aggasi, Niemanen and Baghdatis managed and all 3 were seeded so he deserved some credit and building of his confidence not being knocked down simply because he got a WC. Perhaps in the year he got drawn against Kevin Kim and despite not being able to kick on after winning the first set he may have deserved more stick as it was about as kind a draw as he could have hoped but even then he was up against someone he shouldn't have beaten and managed to get a set.

The women last year also all got critism despite one of our Wildcards winning and Tara and JoKo putting in a really good performance, Tara especially being unlucky to lose. Only Sam Murray really got railroaded but it was treated like they had all lost 6-0 6-0 to players ranked 1000 in a world. How does that help anyone

Josh · Challenger level

They've given Alex Ward and Bloomers one and left 3 qWCs unused. Ed didn't need his in the end.

Ridiculous in my opinion, no excuse for just giving them away to the next player in.

TMH · Futures qualifying

I don't understand why the players get the criticism for losing in the 1st round. Hardly their fault they got a WC, is it? Nor is that the R1 prize money is so excessive.

Blame the organisers if the same player(s) are getting WCs regularly and not doing anything with them. Saying the players deserve stick is quite frankly pathetic.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

I actually think Bloomers has probably the best chance of anyone to get a win which would be kind of ironic in a way given he has given up the full time tour.

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

Wakey wrote:
A131 wrote:
Wakey wrote:
murray_2k9 wrote:
For me, it can be very easy to separate sports from 'normal life' - but ultimately our British players are just young professionals trying to better themselves.

Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. show massive improvement year in, year out? No.
Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. have all the answers before their late 20s? No.
Do all 20 somethings in recruitment, finance, marketing etc. rocket up to the top of the career ladder within the first few years? No.

Everybody hits tough patches and rocky months in their career, but the people who tend to pull through tend to be those who have a good support network, those who back them even when they wobble and those who are willing to put their neck on the line and take a punt on them. Until the LTA begins to build that sort of relationship with our players rather than one of constant uncertainty, unclear objectives and varying support we wont grow the sport.

Why dont the LTA ignore the British press and clarify what the expectations are of the WCs given to our players; to help them grow their game, gain experience of big match tennis and to have a crack at higher ranked players? I bet youngsters would be far more inclined to pick up a racquet if they saw Brits out their enjoying themselves in front of a supporting crowd AND with the vocal backing of a positive tennis association, rather than seeing all Brits who lose as failures who are fair play for the venomous press.
What annoys me about the press is how unfair they are, as a wc the chances are they aren't going to win their first match, even if they sneak into the main draw or come through qualies the chances are they will get someone on paper that they shouldn't win but the press expects them to and that bleeds down to the general public. Even if they put up a really good fight they get attacked by the press posing. If they put in a good performance against better ranked people then they should get some praise not the abuse and even if the get whitewashed the abuse they have to put up with isn't constructive. Boggo had Fed one year and got abuse for losing, he got Nadal another and it was fairly close sets yet he got attacked again. He also too a set a few times verses higher ranked people. Its just not helpful from the British media as it has to undermine any confidence they got from playing ok against top players
If a player battles through the qualifying to make the main draw or are in there on merit then I agree the press should cut them a bit of slack - not easy to come through qualifying and he/she deserves a bit of credit for it.
However, in a case like Boggo and others, who got/get a wc into a tournament that he/she had not/have not earned the right to be at, year after year after year, and lose, year after year after year, then I'm sorry I think the press have every right to criticize the players. I know it may not be nice but if they've been quick to accept the money and desperate to play in the tournament then they shouldn't have it both ways. They must know that the focus at this time of year is at its highest (at least on the British Tennis) so they should be prepare to take some flak - if not then they should go through qualifying or better still earn a place on merit like 94% of the field have to.
Why should they. The other nations don't seem to and they hand out WC's to their own players much more liberally. It's about giving them the experience to help their development but much of thode positives get undermined by the press which no matter how hard they try and ignore it they have to see it.
It shouldn't be the media looking for a single loss to launch a tirade of abuse at British players, it should be looked at in context and judged then and certainly not seeing all of British tennis tarred with the same brush. Even a player who wins a round or puts a decent performance in gets dragged into it.
Boggo got critised for example for losing to Nadal when Nadal reached the final. It was a 4-6, 6-7, 4-6 loss which isnt a white wash against the 2nd seed. Infact it was a closer score than Aggasi, Niemanen and Baghdatis managed and all 3 were seeded so he deserved some credit and building of his confidence not being knocked down simply because he got a WC. Perhaps in the year he got drawn against Kevin Kim and despite not being able to kick on after winning the first set he may have deserved more stick as it was about as kind a draw as he could have hoped but even then he was up against someone he shouldn't have beaten and managed to get a set.
The women last year also all got critism despite one of our Wildcards winning and Tara and JoKo putting in a really good performance, Tara especially being unlucky to lose. Only Sam Murray really got railroaded but it was treated like they had all lost 6-0 6-0 to players ranked 1000 in a world. How does that help anyone

I perhaps should have made it clear that ideally I would have no main draw wild cards at all at any grand slam events for reasons I have explained before on this forum, as has Indy, in short because as these are the premier/elite events of our sport then rankings should hold sway and those who have earned it should get to play. I have much less of an issue with wc's being awarded at regular tour events or below but not at grand slams. I realize that won't change anytime soon and can understand why the French, American, British and Australian would want to see their own players but not just so that some spectator can have a better experience.

As for the 'it's about giving them the experience to help their development'' argument - well I think that is utter nonsenses and used as an excuse to exercise favoritism. Did Boggo develop his game enough outside Wimbledon, or in between Wimbledons, to once get in on his own merit. Why was it he always needed a wild card 12 months later? So whether he was beaten by Nadal or Kim, the press probably felt, quite rightly, that a year on he has made no real improvement (or insufficient improvement) and quite right asked well what's is he doing here again? Like I say, if he had come through qualifying then fair enough -cut him some slack - but he didn't. He wanted the easy option. He was exempt from the pressure of qualifying and it was no surprise to me that when he was eventually asked to qualify for the main draw he failed and did not even reach the FQR.

Tara Moore - she was playing admittedly a former finalist but it was someone who had been off the court for a good 18 months and then ranked outside the top 500 and she still couldn't win.