Weeks 27 & 28 - The Championships, Wimbledon (grass) - MIXED DOUBLES

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Weeks 27 & 28 - The Championships, Wimbledon (grass) - MIXED DOUBLES

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Katie and Alex - how cute is that

Var · Satellite level

Coup Droit wrote:
Katie and Alex - how cute is that

Money! ALso Instagram posts.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Var wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Katie and Alex - how cute is that
Money! ALso Instagram posts.

Possibly a little bit of money in terms of publicity and profile - and why not, that's what mixed doubles is about, it's fun

But no money of any note from mixed doubles itself smile

Alex has made over $9 million - he couldn't give a monkey's about a little bit of mixed doubles dosh

jb288 · Satellite level

I know it's just for fun in some ways, but giving any kind of doubles WC to Katie, who hasn't played a single doubles match in 5 years, is a massive kick in the teeth to Emily, Ali, Freya, Eden and co.

Not what you do but who you know and how you look, obviously!

Var · Satellite level

Coup Droit wrote:
Var wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Katie and Alex - how cute is that
Money! Also Instagram posts.
Possibly a little bit of money in terms of publicity and profile - and why not, that's what mixed doubles is about, it's fun
But no money of any note from mixed doubles itself
Alex has made over $9 million - he couldn't give a monkey's about a little bit of mixed doubles dosh

No, not from mixed doubles prize money- doing a really good job marketing themselves as the "it" tennis couple with magazine articles and always excellent on socials, both of them. They need to make their money off and on the court. Potentially more attractive to sponsors.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

jb288 wrote:
I know it's just for fun in some ways, but giving any kind of doubles WC to Katie, who hasn't played a single doubles match in 5 years, is a massive kick in the teeth to Emily, Ali, Freya, Eden and co.

Not what you do but who you know and how you look, obviously!

Not necessarily

Kati Boulter is the British Number one.

And a top 100 singles player.

It's not surprising that she should get some recognition.

And, importantly, she didn't get a women's doubles wildcard.

So all the serious doubles players got a 'proper' doubles wildcard

And the top serious doubles players also got a mixed doubles wildcard

So, if our players who are outside the top-100, and miles down in terms of ranking and recognition, don't get a mixed but it goes to our number one instead, playing with the world ranked 17 male player, that seems a sensible decision to me

Barefoot · Lower Club Player

Tsisipas and Paula Badosa are playing as well! I like mixed, see it as fun like the invitationals. Surprised Harriet didnt enter this time.

jb288 · Satellite level

Coup Droit wrote:
jb288 wrote:
I know it's just for fun in some ways, but giving any kind of doubles WC to Katie, who hasn't played a single doubles match in 5 years, is a massive kick in the teeth to Emily, Ali, Freya, Eden and co.

Not what you do but who you know and how you look, obviously!

Not necessarily
Kati Boulter is the British Number one.
And a top 100 singles player.
It's not surprising that she should get some recognition.
And, importantly, she didn't get a women's doubles wildcard.
So all the serious doubles players got a 'proper' doubles wildcard
And the top serious doubles players also got a mixed doubles wildcard
So, if our players who are outside the top-100, and miles down in terms of ranking and recognition, don't get a mixed but it goes to our number one instead, playing with the world ranked 17 male player, that seems a sensible decision to me

If that is the rationale, they shouldn't be publishing doubles wildcard guidelines insisting on regular playing and partnerships - if it matters for doubles, it should matter for mixed too. Katie has shown a total absence of commitment to doubles, and to reward that in any way seems perverse.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Fair point.
But regular partnerships can't apply to mixed doubles, surely...
Sorry, I still think its a good pick.

Barefoot · Lower Club Player

Bianca Andresccu and Venus also got a WC, I know hes a regular dubs player but she isnt, and theyre not Brits. Id suggest that means a lot of the people we may be bemoaning didnt actually enter.

jb288 · Satellite level

Maybe. I just don't like the message that if you're in a good looking tennis couple you get rewarded for a complete lack of interest in a whole domain of the sport.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

jb288 wrote:
Maybe. I just don't like the message that if you're in a good looking tennis couple you get rewarded for a complete lack of interest in a whole domain of the sport.

But you're assuming that's the reason

It may not be that at all

It may be mainly because she's the gb number one.

And the poor woman has ME so of course she doesn't normally do doubles as well any longer

But she used to

9vicman · Satellite level

Barefoot wrote:
Bianca Andresccu and Venus also got a WC, I know hes a regular dubs player but she isnt, and theyre not Brits. Id suggest that means a lot of the people we may be bemoaning didnt actually enter.

Andreescu and Venus were runners-up at Roland Garros which I am sure helped. Ruusuvuori and Kontaveit got one too - presumably as it's Kontaveit's last tournament - so a number of different reasons for wild cards.

It's difficult to begrudge giving a wild card to the British No. 1 playing with the world No. 17. And honestly plenty of people will enjoy watching that match, which is consideration for any wild card.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, GB women's singles #1 ,( not playing women's doubles ) gets mixed doubles WC to play with world men's singles #17 shocker.

I think looked at like that it's just not. So while yes many would agree it would be if based on certain other factors, there seem to me to be enough perfectly legitimate factors.