I'm assuming he's the right age - just VERY little

I'd say, as expected, the French kid wins in terms of technique from the back of the court, but his serve ain't great (unlike Louis who has a nice one)

Add: Louis attacked his serve well - my one takeaway about Louis Davey from this week is that he's a smart player - sees what has to be done, and where the game is. Not easy to teach, that, either.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Sunday 21st of February 2016 03:05:11 PM

Didnt he just ?!

But very close now, a lovely match and very interesting match-up.

The French boy, César (unfortunate choice, I always think), is 11 or 12,, so the right age.

However, he's a complete phenomenon - never heard about him or his family.

He's obviously one of the six best ranked tennis players for his age.

But he's also in lycée ! In his first year of sixth-form college..... the little lad....

He has a sister age 8 in secondary school, also top tennis player, a 7 year-old sister who's the best in the country and a little one of 5 who's suppposedly pretty handy too.

Oh, and a dad who's in charge !

And the federation aren't too interested because they;ve basically said: if he's that smart, there's no way he's going to choose a life in tennis !!!!

Did I read that right! Young Napolean is 11 academically performing at the level of a 16 year old turning 17?

I think the French federation may have got it all wrong (obviously having no insight into his family circumstances) and perhaps should support him in a different way.

It sounds like he will genuinely be playing tennis and academically be at the right level to go to college at 14 ( he can just go off and play junior slams rather than 10Ks !) and ready to hit the main tour at 17/18.

There must be a precedent for academically gifted youngsters entering college early as there is in the UK, I always feel sorry for such kids as it is almost as if they get adulthood forced on them too early, but if he really likes tennis and isn't just been driven ferociously hard in every aspect of his life, we may at last have found a young man for whom there is no doubt that college tennis is the right balance iand the best developmental route for the main tour (or not)

Kylie Bilchev, our top girl of her age, along with Hollie Fischer, made the semis of the U14 Tennis Europe event this week.

Young Matilda Mutadvzic made the semis of the U12 in Portugal.

I know a lot of little 'starlets' post their youtube videos. And many are nothing that special, to be honest.

But the ones of Liana Blanksby (currently age 8 or maybe 9) set themselves apart as a cut well above average.

twitter.com/LianaSBlanksby

Scroll down to see various ones.

Thanks for the link, David.

Holly beat the 6th seed, with no problem, and is through to the quarters.

Jack P-J, Holly Staff and Ben Heynold all won their first match and then lost in the next round. Max Basing had a wildcard but lost in R1.

Hollie Bambridge (Luke's sister) is out in France again, with her team of girls (and boys too?).

Either way, there's a lot of young Brits at the Tennis Europe U12 event this week.

Louis Davey and William Jensen (see February posts above) are doing very well, and have won their first two matches. As has qualifier, Hugo Cochlin.

In the girls, Hannah Smith and Jaquelyn Ogunwale have also won their first two rounds.


Meanwhile, in Nottingham, some of our best U14s are playing in the Tennis Europe event which is taking place at the same time as the ITF. Only the first round played so far.