Closer than I expected but, yep, I got my predicted Will v Phoenix final. And now am still on Phoenix for the title.

As Tennisdad says, and has been mentioned quite a bit over the past year or two, our crop of younger girls is very exciting. Yes, it's MILES too early, really, to get truly excited - so many things can happen. BUT it's the first time that we've had such depth in an area in the girls for a while. It's rather similar to the 2001 boys crop (although maybe better) - there's a couple of headline acts and a very good supporting cast. (And I'm not even counting Hannah in this, who is in a class of her own and not the same cohort).
I've enjoyed the past two years watching ones like Hep and Mimi come on, and adding new ones to the list. Fingers crossed it goes on......

JonH comes home wrote:

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Why on earth are they playing the two finals tomorrow at the same time and at 9 am. I realise this isnt a big spectator event, but just for the players sense of occasion etc, having them one after the other would surely be better - and not starting at the silly early hour of 9 am on a Friday - surely they could have had finals at say 10 and NB 1130 or even 11 and NB 1230?

 

https://www.itftennis.com/en/tournament/j2-aldershot/gbr/2022/j-g2-gbr-01a-2022/order-of-play/

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Thursday 28th of April 2022 02:19:03 PM

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 Jon - it's always been that way.

I suspect on several accounts:

To allow athletes to travel to their next competition as they may be playing qualifiers the following morning

Weather issues

Some players are doubling up and have doubles after

To allow officials to go home promptly given that they have been on site since last Fri afternoon

-- Edited by paulisi on Thursday 28th of April 2022 02:45:11 PM

Lambda wrote:

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JonH comes home wrote:

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Why on earth are they playing the two finals tomorrow at the same time and at 9 am. I realise this isnt a big spectator event, but just for the players sense of occasion etc, having them one after the other would surely be better - and not starting at the silly early hour of 9 am on a Friday - surely they could have had finals at say 10 and NB 1130 or even 11 and NB 1230?

 

https://www.itftennis.com/en/tournament/j2-aldershot/gbr/2022/j-g2-gbr-01a-2022/order-of-play/

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Thursday 28th of April 2022 02:19:03 PM

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Presumably to reduce costs and needing to hand back all the areas closed off for safeguarding purposes back to the club?

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 seems a shame though, 

Talia and Mimi have made it through to the doubles final

indiana wrote:

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paulisi wrote:

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You hardly get any casual spectators anyway at juniors bar a few High profile events. It's just family and friends and coaches

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 How does that compare with other countries?  Is more effort made to attract more general interest in some countries?

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 Well, in France, they're hardly grandstand events  but they often do get quite a good following, depending rather on the local club, how dynamic it is, it's size, the sponsors etc. 

(Obviously, I'm talking about the normal events, not the Petits As, say, which has hundreds of spectators each day).

I agree with Jon - although after the utterly and unbelievably feeble effort of Nottingham for the women's 25k final, with a GB woman playing (Eden), I guess this is not the worst. (Truly shocking, IMO)

I don't go with Lambda's 'you've got to hurry to give them back' argument - having had the courts all week, I don't see that 3 hours makes any difference - well, of course, it could but that's a*se about face, IMO - ruin your finals for the sake of a slither of time. 

Coup Droit wrote:

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indiana wrote:

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paulisi wrote:

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You hardly get any casual spectators anyway at juniors bar a few High profile events. It's just family and friends and coaches

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 How does that compare with other countries?  Is more effort made to attract more general interest in some countries?

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 Well, in France, they're hardly grandstand events  but they often do get quite a good following, depending rather on the local club, how dynamic it is, it's size, the sponsors etc. 

(Obviously, I'm talking about the normal events, not the Petits As, say, which has hundreds of spectators each day).

I agree with Jon - although after the utterly and unbelievably feeble effort of Nottingham for the women's 25k final, with a GB woman playing (Eden), I guess this is not the worst. (Truly shocking, IMO)

I don't go with Lambda's 'you've got to hurry to give them back' argument - having had the courts all week, I don't see that 3 hours makes any difference - well, of course, it could but that's a*se about face, IMO - ruin your finals for the sake of a slither of time. 

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 Definitely agree - it is a world ranking event at a level that is like a Challenger in main tour, and for some of these kids it could be the highlight of their career, not just to date but ever...so it should have some pomp and some attention - even if no fans, it should have "attention" (ie not be against another final) and a decent time, and definitely umpires and ballkids etc