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Wimbledon 2024

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
Haha you can say this about hundreds of professional sports people. Raducanu for instance looks more Chinese than British.
Er, nothing to do with looks.

Raducanu was educated and trained in England. I don’t think Sun has lived in NZ since the age of 5 when her family moved to Switzerland.
 

Anil

Hall of Fame Member
Coco gone. Rybakina, the only elite player left...looking more and more like a 9th different champ in the past 9 years.
 

_Ed_

Request Your Custom Title Now!
I don’t think Sun has lived in NZ since the age of 5 when her family moved to Switzerland.
It's not that different to someone like Sharapova, who I think moved to the US at the age of 6 or 7, but she still played under the Russian flag and I don't remember many people disputing her Russian-ness.

Sun represented NZ as a junior, and she wanted to switch back to us again this year after feeling a special connection to the place when she came to play the Auckland tournament in January. Seems perfectly legitimate to me, and we're lucky to have her!

I'd argue there have been some England cricket players (and, yes, NZ ones too) whose links are more tenuous.
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Er, nothing to do with looks.

Raducanu was educated and trained in England. I don’t think Sun has lived in NZ since the age of 5 when her family moved to Switzerland.
There was someone on RNZ this morning talking about Sun playing at the Te Anau tennis club as a teenager (EDIT: Found a link to the report). So, perhaps she wasn't full time in Switzerland anyway? The allegiances thing in tennis is a bit hard to pin down from my perspective. South African born, New Zealand raised Cameron Norrie turns out for Britain partly because his parents are from there and partly, I understand, as the funding to support him was seriously lacking in NZ. He trained in the UK from 16-19 before going to the US for another 3 years. More importantly, Norrie still supports the All Blacks!

I think in general, New Zealand isn't a great hotbed of facilities or coaches for training in tennis. Anyone worth their salt in the sport is going to go overseas like Sun, Norrie or Michael Venus. I suspect the reality is that you head overseas at a young age if you've shown aptitude for the game.
 

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
There was someone on RNZ this morning talking about Sun playing at the Te Anau tennis club as a teenager (EDIT: Found a link to the report). So, perhaps she wasn't full time in Switzerland anyway? The allegiances thing in tennis is a bit hard to pin down from my perspective. South African born, New Zealand raised Cameron Norrie turns out for Britain partly because his parents are from there and partly, I understand, as the funding to support him was seriously lacking in NZ. He trained in the UK from 16-19 before going to the US for another 3 years. More importantly, Norrie still supports the All Blacks!

I think in general, New Zealand isn't a great hotbed of facilities or coaches for training in tennis. Anyone worth their salt in the sport is going to go overseas like Sun, Norrie or Michael Venus. I suspect the reality is that you head overseas at a young age if you've shown aptitude for the game.
It's not that different to someone like Sharapova, who I think moved to the US at the age of 6 or 7, but she still played under the Russian flag and I don't remember many people disputing her Russian-ness.

Sun represented NZ as a junior, and she wanted to switch back to us again this year after feeling a special connection to the place when she came to play the Auckland tournament in January. Seems perfectly legitimate to me, and we're lucky to have her!

I'd argue there have been some England cricket players (and, yes, NZ ones too) whose links are more tenuous.
From a British perspective, I've never been able to support Norrie with any great gusto, although he does at least live here now. But now I know he supports the NZ rugby team he can **** right off!!

Anyway, as I previously mentioned, Sun did a truly lovely interview with Croft after the match. She seems incredibly humble and likeable and I hope she can do a 'Raducanu' here. The draw is certainly very open on her side now.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
de Minaur is one of the least hyped and popular pretty good Australian players I can remember

Don’t think too many (including our media) think he’s that all that good
 

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
de Minaur is one of the least hyped and popular pretty good Australian players I can remember

Don’t think too many (including our media) think he’s that all that good
Kind of sums up the difference between Golf and Tennis. De Minaur is a good solid pro who has made it into the Top 10, but he's never going to win a Slam. Anyone in the World Top 30 in Golf (and sometimes higher) can win a Major if its their week.

Jack's 18 and Tiger's 14 are probably worth about 25-30 Tennis slams, maybe higher.
 

Niall

International Coach
Kind of sums up the difference between Golf and Tennis. De Minaur is a good solid pro who has made it into the Top 10, but he's never going to win a Slam. Anyone in the World Top 30 in Golf (and sometimes higher) can win a Major if its their week.

Jack's 18 and Tiger's 14 are probably worth about 25-30 Tennis slams, maybe higher.
ADM might vulture a slam or two if Alcarez/ Sinner get injured/ lose early but yeah him winning anything more than a random slam is a damning indictment of the men's game.
 

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
ADM might vulture a slam or two if Alcarez/ Sinner get injured/ lose early but yeah him winning anything more than a random slam is a damning indictment of the men's game.
I'm not knocking ADM, I think he's made the most of his talents, I just don't think he's really that talented. There's plenty others out there who ought to beat him, Zverev and Medvedev being the obvious two who would be a class above him.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Kind of sums up the difference between Golf and Tennis. De Minaur is a good solid pro who has made it into the Top 10, but he's never going to win a Slam. Anyone in the World Top 30 in Golf (and sometimes higher) can win a Major if its their week.

Jack's 18 and Tiger's 14 are probably worth about 25-30 Tennis slams, maybe higher.
There’s very few variables in tennis apart from clay so the best generally wins

For example, Wimbledon grass is really just another hard court event these days whereas it used to be one for the specialists

Golf tournaments are far more likely to throw up surprises due to lucky breaks etc

As for De Minaur, solid pro who tries hard but seems to lack that something extra including whatever it is that makes people want to get behind him, For all his faults, there’d be far more excitement if Kyrgios was in the same position
 

Niall

International Coach
I'm not knocking ADM, I think he's made the most of his talents, I just don't think he's really that talented. There's plenty others out there who ought to beat him, Zverev and Medvedev being the obvious two who would be a class above him.
Tesco version of Ferrer IMO.

On the ladies, randoms is fine but I want Ryb to win to win this and crush everyone as long term that is better for the game than some no hoper winning and doing absolutely nothing afterwards.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Tesco version of Ferrer IMO.

On the ladies, randoms is fine but I want Ryb to win to win this and crush everyone as long term that is better for the game than some no hoper winning and doing absolutely nothing afterwards.
Bit harsh as Ferrer’s record is padded by being a clay court specialist

ADM is arguably a better all round player
 

Niall

International Coach
[/QUOTE]
Bit harsh as Ferrer’s record is padded by being a clay court specialist

ADM is arguably a better all round player
Tbf I think he would have won a few slams in this era, just somewhat unlucky to be born when he was ,,,even looking at the other 3 slams a few semi exits at US and Austalia and quarter finals at Wimbledon and always lost to gun players.
 

kyear2

International Coach
Djoker looking ominous. Umm, wonder how he's managed to.miss the 3rd seed each of the past two majors and a much easier draw.

Let's hope Sinner is up for the challenge.
 

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