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Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Megan Knight

Var · Futures level

Coup Droit wrote:
A French friend has just pointed out that Meg and Ollie, her brother, are now listed on the Elite Tennis Centre site, at Cannes

Apparently, they are new arrivals this year.

So, presumably, the Knights have chosen to not go via the NTC / LTA / Loughborough route but to go via the private academy route

Which is fine except the ETC is most definitely NOT the one I'd choose - there's been a fair amount of talk about it, and Lisnard who runs it, and not good talk either.

Sticking purely to the tennis, I've seen him in action and he makes Jez Bates look bright and breezy and a fervent proponent of attacking tennis.

There were certainly some presitgious players there a few years ago but nearly everyone of those seems to have left. And several high profiles young prospects have tried it there recently and then quit pretty quickly (Tyra Grant, Ksenia Efremova)

CD from your experience, why would you pay for a private academy rather than take the support from the LTA? Remember Andy went to Spain but isnt it difficult to break back into the institution if you leave? I am thinking wild cards to GB events, financial support and facilities or do these come anyway?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I honestly don't know quite enough about how the LTA operates to answer precisely - and, from my experience, even if they normally operate like 'A', there are always exceptions for their top players, and bespoke arrangements, that you can't know publicly.

So, it is perfectly possible that the Knights have negotiated a financial sum equivalent - and effectively the LTA are paying for the ETC (For Meg, not Ollie, of course)

Or the LTA are chipping in, at least - the LTA have always said they're 'flexible' - though what that means in practice, I've no idea

It's also possible / reasonable that the Knights don't think the Loughborough academy is good enough, that they don't like the atmosphere/trainers at the NTC, that there's not the right sort of players, that they want the kids to be together, that the sunshine and buzz of Cannes is far more appealing, that they want them to be primarily on clay during adolescence etc etc

I don't think it's that difficult to break back in - it all comes down to level and results - if you've got the profile, you'll get back in if you want, you'll get the wildcards etc. But if you're on the borderline, then, yes, you'll have burned some bridges. It also depends how it's 'gone down', so to speak. If it was all arranged cordially, argued for Meg's benefit, and well handled, then probably fine. But if the LTA bods were asking Meg to stay, putting pressure etc, and the Knights basically told them to take a hike, then - naturally - it won't be so amicable going forward, especially if the same people are there

Just to add, I've no idea, of course, these are all just possible scenarios and points

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Meg got her first win in pros today

W15 Monastir

QR1:- Megan Knight (GBR) UNR/UNR/14yo/JR143 def Vittoria Solano (ITA) UNR/UNR 6-1 6-0

Rose · Lower Club Player

My understanding (but this is 2nd and 3rd hand info so take that into account) is

Megan is receiving some pro funding from the LTA

The move to Cannes is temporary - for clay experience and they think Megan can improve her game there

Megans team feel the national academy is too restrictive. Its all junior ITFs and set/group trips and they want her to try to break into adults earlier than she would there. Plus have a completely individualisted programme, which isnt possible with several other young players. They also felt the standard wasnt there for her - she can already beat all the girls there and most are her own age group.

She was offered the pro programme at the NTC. Again, they thought this was too restrictive, too isolated and too much at such a young age. Rumour is - and this part is just gossip - that they felt it hasnt done HK any favours and so want to go another way

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Thanks, Rose

That absolutely backs up what I'd felt and posted as thoughts above (apart from the Hannah part - but, tbh, that is pretty much an open discussion topic in GB tennis

)

Of course, the standard at the ETC isn't that great either at the moment - they've lost a lot of their good players - it's a pale version of their glory days with Mirra, say.

However, it's certainly clay, and Lisnard is certainly a big proponent of breaking into adults early (he doesn't particulalry like junior tennis and - again, just my opinion - likes to go to events/places that he knows/likes/has friends, which isn't always the best choice for the player (IMO) but there's far more choice amongst adults, at least, if that's your criteria)