British Tennis Players ... where are they ?

[Landsurfer]

Just watched Cameron Norrie play ... well done Chap....
But why is a fantastic tennis player being hailed as British when he was born in South Africa and raised in New Zealand ....
Well done to him ... but why can we not generate a British player any more .... ??
Emma Raducanu .. superb player .. Chinese / Romanian but raised in Britain.
What is happening in indigenous Sport ???

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Aren't both his parents British?

Yep, dad is Scottish, mother is Welsh. Can't get much more British than that

 

[Mo1959]

Aren't both his parents British?

Yep, dad is Scottish, mother is Welsh. Can't get much more British than that

Yep. Scottish and Welsh.

 

[PaulSB]

Just watched Cameron Norrie play ... well done Chap....
But why is a fantastic tennis player being hailed as British when he was born in South Africa and raised in New Zealand ....
Well done to him ... but why can we not generate a British player any more .... ??

We can create our own players but you'll find the answer to the question lays with the lack of funding for promising young players. Tennis is one of the sports which relies on a very significant parental contribution both in terms of time and money.

 

[MontyVeda]

Greg Rusedski was Canadian but played as a Brit.
Virginia Wade from SA too, but was a British champ.
Andy Murray was Scottish when he lost and British when he won.

it's a funny old game

 

[MontyVeda]

Aren't both his parents British?

Yep, dad is Scottish, mother is Welsh. Can't get much more British than that

well, you can... he could have been born and raised in Britain too

 

[cougie uk]

I guess tennis gets little lottery funding as there's only a couple of medals up for grabs.

 

[Alex321]

Well there are currently 5 brits in the top 150 mens game, and 4 of those 5 were born in Britain.
In the women's game, there are again 5 in the top 150, and again, 4 of the 5 born in Britain (if you count Guernsey).

Admittedly, in both men's and women's games, it is the highest ranked Brit who wasn't born here.

 

[Kingfisher101]

i think you'll find with most sports to do well in them you need a significant amount of either your own money or parental money. I've had friends who's sons have played football and its cost them a fortune running them to games and training all over the place. Thats on top of kit etc. Its the same with all sports.

 

[PaulSB]

i think you'll find with most sports to do well in them you need a significant amount of either your own money or parental money. I've had friends who's sons have played football and its cost them a fortune running them to games and training all over the place. Thats on top of kit etc. Its the same with all sports.

Very true. We know a number of families who dedicated years and tens of thousands to trying to help a son or daughter excel in sport.

One family was successful and also had to remortgage

I've a neighbour who drives his son a two hour round trip three times a week, then hangs around to watch training at a professional football club's academy.

 

[hobo]

Middle-class sport in this country and the middleclasses are soft and privileged.
To win you've got to be talented and tough.

 

[FishFright]

Aren't both his parents British?

Yep, dad is Scottish, mother is Welsh. Can't get much more British than that

Hold on a tick ; If he does ok he'll be British Born but he won't be British until he wins.

 

[Landsurfer]

My maternal grand parents where Scots and Welsh, my paternal grandparents were Ulsterscots.
My mother English (Scouse) my father an Ulsterman.
So ...I’m British ....
And can’t play tennis....

 

[vickster]

My maternal grand parents where Scots and Welsh, my paternal grandparents were Ulsterscots.
My mother English (Scouse) my father an Ulsterman.
So ...I’m British ....
And can’t play tennis....

Why not? It’s not a complicated game really

 

[Arrowfoot]

Just watched Cameron Norrie play ... well done Chap....
But why is a fantastic tennis player being hailed as British when he was born in South Africa and raised in New Zealand ....
Well done to him ... but why can we not generate a British player any more .... ??
Emma Raducanu .. superb player .. Chinese / Romanian but raised in Britain.
What is happening in indigenous Sport ???

Here is the sensitive bit.

Anecdotally one could see a pattern. Migrants from the former iron curtain, Asian countries, Africa, Latin America. You see it in nearly all the sports. I suppose the hunger to succeed and the opportunities that can be taken. You will see the same in Europe and Australia.

One other things is noticeable are the presence of tough parents who push their children at an early age. Tiger mums and dads.

I don't I have it in me to push a child that hard even if the rewards are great for the child. My personal belief is that they must enjoy their childhood, climbing trees, catching tadpoles etc. I had classmates that left their homes at 5.30 am for pool practice before going to school. It was end of era for our generation.