British Tennis Forum

B00thy · Strong Club Player

Week 20 – WTA125 Paris, Trophée Clarins, France - Clay

the addict · Tennis legend

Just to keep the fixtures together

L16:- Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR56 [5] v Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) WR140 [Q]

L16:- Katie Boulter (GBR) WR40 [2] v Daria Saville (AUS) WR132 (CH=20)

-- Edited by the addict on Tuesday 13th of May 2025 08:08:35 PM

wales1994 · County player

B00thy wrote:
Facing facts, Katie is never going to move well enough on a clay court to develop a solid technique good enough to win a few rounds at FO. So her playing as many matches on the surface as possible is all about her trying to win at least one match at RG isn't it? If she gets to play Sonay that's a bonus for me. I don't think she'll get further

True. But she had never won a WTA match on clay before and has won 2 in 2025 - both top 100 opponents (even if the latter is in a very bad run of form). There aren't many players I think she could beat at the French, but there are definitely a handful. biggrin

the addict · Tennis legend

L16:- Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR56 [5] lost to Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) WR140 [Q] 4-6 retired cry

LordBrownof · Futures level

I would also argue that if the weather at RG is hot, you can add a few more to the list of players she could beat.

B00thy · Strong Club Player

the addict wrote:
L16:- Sonay Kartal (GBR) WR56 [5] lost to Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) WR140 [Q] 4-6 retired

Oh dear. Let's hope that's precautionary to ensure she's ok for RG

the addict · Tennis legend

L16:- Katie Boulter (GBR) WR40 [2] def Daria Saville (AUS) WR132 (CH=20) 6-3 6-0

LordBrownof · Futures level

That's a very nice win.

the addict · Tennis legend

QF:- Katie Boulter (GBR) WR40 [2] v Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) WR140 [Q]

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

In the WTA Race, does an event at 125 level count? Or is it just main tour events? Presumably at year end, the two ranking lists (race and 12 month rankings) wouldnt equal each other?

Lambda · ATP level

Just main tour counts towards the race.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Lambda wrote:
Just main tour counts towards the race.

Cool, thanks - whereas the mens includes all ATP tour and challenger events and, I believe, ITF as well, so the race and rankings are one and the same at year end. Although, that said, I think the race actually started in late 2024 after the tour finals took place, I might be wrong !

9vicman · Futures qualifying

I don't get why the WTA don't include ITF events in the race. No one's going to qualify for the WTA Finals with performances below tour level and it renders the race meaningless for the majority of players, and for fans/media assessing a player's year to date

the addict · Tennis legend

Does seem a bit odd, but even more odd is the exclusion of the WTA125 events as well.

I know there are only eight places on offer in the finals so only the winners of the biggest titles can challenge to get in, but those lower down the rankings struggle to get entries into the higher levels so can't get the points to climb up in the first place.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

What triggered my question was Katie and realising this event wont help her in terms of the race or catching Emma. In terms of who is having the better year so far. And of course, the race doesnt allow us to actually see that - it does for players who only play the top events, maybe the top 30, but not below.

I guess the WTA dont see the race as doing that, its just about tracking the qualification for the finals, and the smaller events are inconsequential from that perspective.

Whereas the ATP maybe care more as , if I recall, they actually once used the Race as THE rankings (which didnt last long) and see it as having that wider meaning beyond the finals alone.