Tennis Development 2024 saga
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Sri Lanka hosted two ITF junior qualifying events in Colombo last week
Ever since tennis established itself in Europe in the late 18th century, a block of European settlers in colonial territories around the globe fostered the game in their stations. Making sport an integral part of colonising rule. This is tennis of today with over 200 nations in its net.
The dimension of the court are from late 19th century for Wimbledon Championships of that time. The measurements were to suit European body. This aspect is often over looked in our talent ID. However, court size acts as inherent talent filter.
ITF Development events
Sri Lanka Tennis Association is affiliated to ITF. In the last two weeks, Colombo hosted their Under-14 and Under-16 Davis Cup and Kings Cup qualifying events. Each week about saw a turnout of nearly 30 junior national teams playing for the next level of qualifying round. Some of these countries here are very close to war fronts, talking to them one could see that they are spirited warriors.
War or no war tennis played. Question is what happens to these toughies just three years from now. As a person who follows the world rankings for decades, I wonder, where does these efforts of these juniors end. I do not see Asians in recognised world rankings.
Tennis development needs the supportive platform to sustain itself. ITF appears to be the closest that be recommended to us. ITF’s position in the world of tennis is not simple anymore to understand. It has lost much of the grounds. The distinction of professionals and amateurs has vanished in tennis. This being the case what is tennis player development today.
Salient development features
Most Asian countries have all the facilities with coaching academies galore. These have not taken Asia into tennis limelight. This is the sore point. This is the situation in many countries like ours in all the continents.
Reading the player development of these countries, I did not see the physical attributes required for open professional tennis participation in players. Such requirements are to conduct tactical play and win. Tennis is a tactical game and demands physical height, build and competencies play a tactical game.
There is certain degree of motoric fluency and tactical maturity is a need to win even at junior level. This aspect has roller coaster ill effects with body growth and demands special attention. Remains a missing link in Asian development for global success. Tennis competitions does not tolerate under development in these areas. Playing and practicing in local competitive conditions these areas does not evolve.
There is one more requirement: a junior must be self-disciplined to overcome inherent competition or development discomforts. Having these are more important than having good strokes in tennis competitions. WTA and ATP New-Gen players have their team support for these aspects, making player development ever so complicated.
To a trained eye, the junior parade we saw are not in credible direction to put out recognised players. In Asia the exception are China, Japan, South Korea and surprisingly not India and Vietnam. In these two countries, tennis is over 150 years old. Vietnam had over a 1000 tennis clubs with Dwight Davis of Davis Cup fame as their American governor in the 1930s. Taiwan was taking school kids around the world 30 years ago. China used its own numbers to mature their juniors. It is the only Asian country to have a Grand Slam winner, Li Na. South Korea is also in the right track in player development.
Dropout rate control
Asia has very high rate of dropout in tennis talent development ladder. Many tennis entrants find refuge elsewhere other than tennis. Being an individual sport loneliness it demands is not easy. Many European kids have complained and announced retirement from junior tennis for the loneliness of the development process. The issue here is along with ‘companiyerous’ maturity by 16 years of age is difficult to achieve. One recognised promoter once told me that there is something very strange in behaviour of 16-year-old world-beater in sport. They have not experienced childhood and youth. This is the other side of the development coin.
ATP and WTA 2024
The show is in full swing in springtime countries. These are the only slot available to them. The Europe and America occupy summer and autumn dates. Indoor events take late autumn dates. Slots are full in the professional calendar. Players cannot take anymore.
A new set of youngsters have already reached the Top 10 of ATP ranking. The veterans are playing survival game. Yanick Sinner of Italy already got his first Grand Slam title with Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. I predict one or two more will come into Top 10 in 2024.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; Coach German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka; Davis Cup, Federation Cup coach, coached ATP, WTA and ITF ranked players in Europe and Asia; WhatsApp +94775448880–