British tennis in healthy shape as attention turns to US hard-court swing

Independent

7 hours ago

As the grass courts of Wimbledon are put to bed for another year, the annual audit of British tennis fortunes reveals a broadly positive picture.
From a record number of home victories on the first day of the Championships to Cameron Norrie's quarter-final run and more home success in doubles, there was plenty for British fans to get excited about.
Norrie and Sonay Kartal, who reached the fourth round for the first time, take top honours in singles, while Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool became the first all-British pair to claim the men's doubles trophy since 1936.
There were first Wimbledon victories for the likes of Arthur Fery, Jack Pinnington Jones and Oliver Tarvet, whose run through qualifying was one of the feelgood stories of the fortnight, and teenage trio Mimi Xu, Hannah Klugman and Mika Stojsavljevic all gained valuable experience.
The major disappointment was that Jack Draper, having elevated himself into the world's top four, was such an early faller, losing in the second round to former finalist Marin Cilic.
The draw was not kind, and Draper fronted up brilliantly, as he always does, recognising that the big improvements he has made on hard and clay courts have not yet translated to grass.
Former British number one Greg Rusedski has no doubt he will get there, saying: 'No question about it. Jack is the best British player by far since Andy Murray, one of the most complete players.
'Give Cilic respect. He played great, he's been a finalist here, he won the US Open. For me, that wasn't a bad loss at all and Jack will be back strong. He's got a consistent team, he's willing to invest and the future's bright. He'll be deep in this tournament for many years to come.'
A consistent team is something Emma Raducanu is still searching for, and the encouragement of her strong performance in defeat against Aryna Sabalenka was tempered by the fact she may be back to the drawing board again on the coaching front.
Raducanu and Mark Petchey have clearly gelled but the latter's TV commitments make a full-time role impossible at the moment.
Britain's Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong has worked with Raducanu on and off court, and said: 'It obviously is important and we've seen the positive impact Petch has had on her over the last few weeks.
'Equally, it's not that straightforward. Hopefully she's clearer than ever of what is required in terms of what kind of team she wants around her and she finds that. If they can find a way to make it work, then that would be brilliant.'
There will be six British men and women in the world's top 60 on Monday and the target ahead of the US Open will be for the likes of Raducanu, Kartal, Norrie, Katie Boulter and Jacob Fearnley to try to climb into the seeded positions in New York.
'I think it's brilliant that we've got three women inside the top 50 and I hope they continue to push each other and the others take inspiration from what they're doing,' added Keothavong.