posted Jan 29, 2008

I was just reading the related article.
But who is Natasha Cowan? lol

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posted Jan 30, 2008

I agree with Carefree that Katie O'Brien and Anne Keothavong, as well Elana Baltacha and Mel South are probably not going to make a major impression on the top 100.

But there is a whole slew of teenagers led by Naomi Cavaday, Anna Fitzpatrick, Jade Curtis, Amanda Elliot, Naomi Broady, Yasmin Clarke, 15 y.o. Tara Moore who is the 82nd ranked junior and Laura Robson who just turned 14 and is ranked 145 among the juniors who seem to have more potential.

With the set-up the LTA purportedly has now I'd be very surprised if, within say five years, there aren't a number of British women populating the upper ranks of the world rankings. And if O'Brien and Keathovong et al can pave the way into the top 100 all power to them. If not, I'm afraid the LTA will have wated their money

And I, too, am wondering who this mysterious Natasha Cowan is. Can Alistair Magowan enlighten us?

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posted Jan 30, 2008

pommiefaraway Baltacha had the ability to make top 100 in my opinion having got through a couple of rounds at Wimbledon a few years ago. Long term injuries didn't help and I can't see her achieving that position now.

O'Brien and Keothavong might make it but as previous posters pointed out very doubtful either of them would stay there very long.

You mention a number of talented juniors who could possibly make the top 100 in a few years. The reality is still there aren't that many with both the talent and dedication it takes.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

FredPerrysdad - I haven't been following the juniors for many years but I'd be surprised if in previous years there were as many knockng on the door as there are now, and there are several others who I didn't mention. I'm cautiously optimistic that at least a few of them will make it.

You mentioned in a previous post that where there are 2 sisters who push each other there is more chance of success. In my experience in junior sport that is very much the case but there is another factor as well; kids, being kids, need social interaction as well, and if there is a group of them going through together they are more likely to stick with it, compete with each other and enjoy each other's company at the same time, and not be watching how their other friends are enjoying life while they're doing the hard work in their sport.

That's why I believe that this group will be more dedicated than many in the past, and that some of them at least will therefore make it.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

I couldn't disagree more with that last comment Alistair. One of the endemic blights of British tennis over the last few decades has been the acceptance of mediocrity from players who are both well-funded and underachieving. The hard fact is that despite her best ever year Anne Keothavong has underachieved. Maybe she was never going to be a world-beater, but she ought to have made this stage a couple of years ago. If she'd said that she wishes she'd made better decisions, or worked harder (even if she didn't believe it), then that would have been a position worth respecting. Instead we get the usual "my coaching was rubbish and I think I'm doing well" nonsense.

She isn't. You wouldn't catch Baltacha speaking in these self-justifying tones, and the reason for that is that she had/has the correct mentality for a professional sportsperson. If she hadn't been so unlucky with injuries she would have rendered Keothavong's progress a meaningless sideshow by now.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

Alistair, I’d never criticise someone who is trying their hardest and making the most of their talent, whatever level that might take them too.

But you’ve got to admit that blaming the people you worked with when you were younger is really slightly pathetic. I deplore this blame culture where it’s all somebody else’s fault – take some responsibility for yourself and your actions, for heaven’s sake.

This is, sadly, all too typical of the attitude in this country. Compare with Andy Murray (and I’m not a particular fan), at least he had the guts to say ‘I’m not getting what I need in Britain, I’ll try something else’.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

Alistair you suggest that there's a lot of negativity about the womens game and that maybe we should "readjust the expectation levels".

OK perhaps we should but Baltacha is the only female player over the last ten years who has remotely looked like a top 100 player. That's the reality of the recent LTA success in the ladies game.

Top quality coaching talent in Carl Maes. Hmmm I'll hang fire on that one (and yes I have met Carl on several occasions plus seen many of the top girls practising). Undoubtedly there are some talented juniors coming through like Robson and the Ren sisters but until we can produce at least one player who can get into main draw and slam events on merit or qualify the hard way I'm not so sure we have moved on that much.

Mediocrity can sometimes breed mediocrity and until we have someone with that winning mentality then there will continue to be criticism of our top girls.

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posted Jan 30, 2008

carefree is spot on. also it doesn't take that much reletively speaking to get in the top 100. I'm afraid that unless the lta spend their money on marketing the game to a much, much wider social range then we'll still be having this dialogue in another 10 years. football is everywhere and inner city girls are taking to that instead of tennis. the lta have wasted entirely the opportunity that the williams sisters provided and obsess with performance ideals which they can never achieve as the talent pool is way too small. aside of the french national academies have produced very little. the us is a prime example, the more money the national body spend the less they produce and the private academies keep on going

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posted Feb 27, 2008

Alister arnt you sick of writing these articles or reading them. We havent changed our approach to talented players. We wont produce a female in the top 10 in any of our lifetimes.If we do.. they maybe have been born here but probably advance themselves or get help from another country and make it to the top......thats just when LTA will come in and say OH your BRITISH.."now youve made it we will fund you". Dont kid ourselves this is the way LTA work. Go and prove yourself and make it then we will take the praise. Other countries fund their talented players. WE look good on paper about funding and development for players but its managed mostly by non coaching staff.I could be here all night commenting on the rights and wrongs of British tennis unfortunately it wont make a difference. What a disappointment we are as a nation.

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