Boys & Girls: 2025 U16 Junior National Championships, NTC, acrylic (Week 15)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

RE: Boys & Girls: 2025 U16/U18 Junior National Championships, NTC, acrylic (Weeks 15/16)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Interesting points, Rose (as always

)

I don't really do social media so I don't know what's going on there - but it doesn't sound very nice, or (indeed) smart

Grace did play some good tennis today, I thought, but it really got away from her

And the BIG issue for me was that after every single point, she looked over to her coach/mum/team and was making gestures towards them, or talking, or just looking at them

I watched most of the match and it was truly every single point - and not just a glance - but a full-blown interaction

The girl has to be more autonomous on the court - she's got to take charge of her own tennis. It's all very well looking for a bit of support at key moments, or even advice, or whatever. But you can't focus on your game, if you're focused more on who's watching you and what they've got to say. I'm suprised her mum doesn't get on top of that, if she's a coach

Yes, I think Daniella will beat April too. And, yes, Hollie's clay court style does end up causing herself certain problems on hard.

Rose · Lower Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
Interesting points, Rose (as always )

I don't really do social media so I don't know what's going on there - but it doesn't sound very nice, or (indeed) smart

Grace did play some good tennis today, I thought, but it really got away from her

And the BIG issue for me was that after every single point, she looked over to her coach/mum/team and was making gestures towards them, or talking, or just looking at them

I watched most of the match and it was truly every single point - and not just a glance - but a full-blown interaction

The girl has to be more autonomous on the court - she's got to take charge of her own tennis. It's all very well looking for a bit of support at key moments, or even advice, or whatever. But you can't focus on your game, if you're focused more on who's watching you and what they've got to say. I'm suprised her mum doesn't get on top of that, if she's a coach

Yes, I think Daniella will beat April too. And, yes, Hollie's clay court style does end up causing herself certain problems on hard.

Her mothers not a coach. Shes a very nice person but, in my opinion, both parents are far too much invested in Graces tennis.

Grace is a lovely player but plays far far better when her parents arent there to watch. I would imagine her whole family was there this week which isnt good for her. When she has no one to pay her attention she gets on with it and is much more focused and calm

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Rose wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Interesting points, Rose (as always )

I don't really do social media so I don't know what's going on there - but it doesn't sound very nice, or (indeed) smart

Grace did play some good tennis today, I thought, but it really got away from her

And the BIG issue for me was that after every single point, she looked over to her coach/mum/team and was making gestures towards them, or talking, or just looking at them

I watched most of the match and it was truly every single point - and not just a glance - but a full-blown interaction

The girl has to be more autonomous on the court - she's got to take charge of her own tennis. It's all very well looking for a bit of support at key moments, or even advice, or whatever. But you can't focus on your game, if you're focused more on who's watching you and what they've got to say. I'm suprised her mum doesn't get on top of that, if she's a coach

Yes, I think Daniella will beat April too. And, yes, Hollie's clay court style does end up causing herself certain problems on hard.
Her mothers not a coach. Shes a very nice person but, in my opinion, both parents are far too much invested in Graces tennis.
Grace is a lovely player but plays far far better when her parents arent there to watch. I would imagine her whole family was there this week which isnt good for her. When she has no one to pay her attention she gets on with it and is much more focused and calm

Hope you dont mind the direct question, Rose - are you related to one of our crop of juniors or are you involved in the game in some capacity?

Rose · Lower Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
Rose wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Interesting points, Rose (as always )

I don't really do social media so I don't know what's going on there - but it doesn't sound very nice, or (indeed) smart

Grace did play some good tennis today, I thought, but it really got away from her

And the BIG issue for me was that after every single point, she looked over to her coach/mum/team and was making gestures towards them, or talking, or just looking at them

I watched most of the match and it was truly every single point - and not just a glance - but a full-blown interaction

The girl has to be more autonomous on the court - she's got to take charge of her own tennis. It's all very well looking for a bit of support at key moments, or even advice, or whatever. But you can't focus on your game, if you're focused more on who's watching you and what they've got to say. I'm suprised her mum doesn't get on top of that, if she's a coach

Yes, I think Daniella will beat April too. And, yes, Hollie's clay court style does end up causing herself certain problems on hard.
Her mothers not a coach. Shes a very nice person but, in my opinion, both parents are far too much invested in Graces tennis.
Grace is a lovely player but plays far far better when her parents arent there to watch. I would imagine her whole family was there this week which isnt good for her. When she has no one to pay her attention she gets on with it and is much more focused and calm
Hope you dont mind the direct question, Rose - are you related to one of our crop of juniors or are you involved in the game in some capacity?

Not a relation. Involved but will leave it at that :)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Rose wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Rose wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Interesting points, Rose (as always )

I don't really do social media so I don't know what's going on there - but it doesn't sound very nice, or (indeed) smart

Grace did play some good tennis today, I thought, but it really got away from her

And the BIG issue for me was that after every single point, she looked over to her coach/mum/team and was making gestures towards them, or talking, or just looking at them

I watched most of the match and it was truly every single point - and not just a glance - but a full-blown interaction

The girl has to be more autonomous on the court - she's got to take charge of her own tennis. It's all very well looking for a bit of support at key moments, or even advice, or whatever. But you can't focus on your game, if you're focused more on who's watching you and what they've got to say. I'm suprised her mum doesn't get on top of that, if she's a coach

Yes, I think Daniella will beat April too. And, yes, Hollie's clay court style does end up causing herself certain problems on hard.
Her mothers not a coach. Shes a very nice person but, in my opinion, both parents are far too much invested in Graces tennis.
Grace is a lovely player but plays far far better when her parents arent there to watch. I would imagine her whole family was there this week which isnt good for her. When she has no one to pay her attention she gets on with it and is much more focused and calm
Hope you dont mind the direct question, Rose - are you related to one of our crop of juniors or are you involved in the game in some capacity?
Not a relation. Involved but will leave it at that :)

Thank you!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Rose wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Interesting points, Rose (as always )

I don't really do social media so I don't know what's going on there - but it doesn't sound very nice, or (indeed) smart

Grace did play some good tennis today, I thought, but it really got away from her

And the BIG issue for me was that after every single point, she looked over to her coach/mum/team and was making gestures towards them, or talking, or just looking at them

I watched most of the match and it was truly every single point - and not just a glance - but a full-blown interaction

The girl has to be more autonomous on the court - she's got to take charge of her own tennis. It's all very well looking for a bit of support at key moments, or even advice, or whatever. But you can't focus on your game, if you're focused more on who's watching you and what they've got to say. I'm suprised her mum doesn't get on top of that, if she's a coach

Yes, I think Daniella will beat April too. And, yes, Hollie's clay court style does end up causing herself certain problems on hard.
Her mothers not a coach. Shes a very nice person but, in my opinion, both parents are far too much invested in Graces tennis.
Grace is a lovely player but plays far far better when her parents arent there to watch. I would imagine her whole family was there this week which isnt good for her. When she has no one to pay her attention she gets on with it and is much more focused and calm

That makes sense. I hadn't remembered Grace doing it at previous matches I'd seen. Which was probably because her family weren't there at that time ......

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

A bit of a bloodbath for the seeds today

Shows the problem of talking about hopes and predictions when you haven't seen the player in action for a while

Top seed Rhys Lawlor lost, so my prediction of Rhys v Eric has taken a fall (Although Eric did win his match, at least)

BUT thrilled (and not surprised) that qualifier Aran won his match - as above, I've watched a lot of his matches this week and thoroughly enjoyed them - really good tennis to watch, and from a boy who is very young, nearly 2011 - not often that a serve and forehand can do damage at that age, AND be very athletic in terms of covering the court. (And Scott hasn't been on great form this week)

QFs:

(8) Vincent Fletcher def (1) Rhys Lawlor 7-5 6-1
(6) Brandon Ratanavong def. (4) Niall Pickerd-Barua 2-6 6-3 6-2
(3) Eric Lorimer def (7) Leo Wright 7-5 7-5
(q) Aran Selvaraasan def. (2) Scott Watson 7-6(7) 2-6 6-3

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 9th of April 2025 12:04:37 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Rhys, Eric and Niall all have main draw places in the under 18 event next week, indeed Rhys will be seeded 8th according to the entries. Be interesting to see where his confidence is at after losing early this week.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Unlike the boys, seeding was very well respected in the girls:

QFs:

(1) Hollie Smart def. (q) Hanna Augustynska 6-2 6-0
(4) Daniella Britton def. (q) April Sackflame 6-2 6-1
(3) Megan Knight def. (wc) Annabel Wong 7-5 6-4
(5) Edie Griffiths def. (wc) Liv Zingg 7-6(4) 6-2

the best match was Meg's against Annabel - very close, could easily have gone to three sets, Annabel was the more aggressive player, more on the front foot, but missed a couple of shots on clutch points, Meg looked a bit nervous, was just distributing the ball nicely, but not much more

The score for April's match could easily have been 4 & 3 - it was far closer in level than the actual score indicates

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 9th of April 2025 01:44:52 PM

paulisi · Tennis legend

Brandon is more than capable of winning the boys event.

Meg and Annabel are very good friends, so must have been difficult mentally. Should be a Meg v Hollie final

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Not much really for Hollie to play for

She's the reigning champion anyway, so already got it on her CV

And she's almost certain to get the junior wildcard anyway, I'd have thought, so doesn't really need that either

Rose · Lower Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
Not much really for Hollie to play for

She's the reigning champion anyway, so already got it on her CV

And she's almost certain to get the junior wildcard anyway, I'd have thought, so doesn't really need that either

Its a condition that no one gets wildcards for the summer events if they dont play the national championships. Hollie had to play. (Same with Hannah and Mika.) If they cant play due to injury or illness they have to provide evidence.

If a player is unable to play the Lexus National Junior Championships due to illness or injury, the player must produce suitable medical evidence supporting the decision to withdraw. Players that do not do this will not be eligible for any wildcards into the summer grass court events.

Winner of the 16U girls gets:

Wild card for Wimbledon Junior Championships Main Draw

Wild card for 1 x ITF W35 event (April/May 2025) Main Draw

Wild card for ITF J300 Roehampton Main Draw

Wild card for ITF J200 Aldershot (April 2025) Main Draw

Finalist gets:

Wild card for Wimbledon Junior Championships Qualifying

-- Edited by Rose on Wednesday 9th of April 2025 10:59:05 PM