[^bibi^]

I'd thought they deserve a thread

Maybe I'm not the only one to follow them

This Christi was the only one to play, she made the second round of Ciudad Obregon

GL for the end of the season

[Kai]

great thread bibi
maybe you can add Monica Gorny to the thread title ??
she seems to be a good junior player too

[^bibi^]

Is she still playing ? I remember seeing her in RG last year (when she lost to Lertcheewakarn in R1). Can't say I had been impressed by her though (the same is not to be said for CHanel that Is aw exactly one year later on the very same court )

[Kai]

Originally Posted by ^bibi^

Is she still playing ? I remember seeing her in RG last year (when she lost to Lertcheewakarn in R1). Can't say I had been impressed by her though (the same is not to be said for CHanel that Is aw exactly one year later on the very same court )

hmm I dont know I saw no one of them playing until now... But some weeks ago Monica was playing some 10ks in Portugal if I remember right und her results were okay... Not great but okay

Can you tell me something about her game and about the other South African girls you saw playing ??

[^bibi^]

I only saw Chanel and Monica... Honestly, Monica it was a year and half ago and I do'nt remember that much how she was playing all I know is that she wasn't very impressive

Chanel is a lefty, with a good potential serve and groundstrokes... but she doesn't seem to be eager to go to the net at the moment (but I saw her clay, so that may not be the best surface to do it ), to me she has potentiel, now we'll have to see if she can manage to break through... I know I had little videos of Chanel but don't know where they are, when I find them I'll post them (but the quality was really shitty )

[Kai]

thanks bibi
yes please post the video if you find it

[S.T.A.R.]

Chanel just defeated Zakopalova ... she IS A STAR... such a great player

[coetzergambill]

chanel just won the 10k in durban! congrats!

[Kevin.]

Monica Gorny is playing at Duke University in the USA

[SeanyQ]

SA tennis prodigy's career at crossroads

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

16 June 2010, 05:20

The career of 17-year-old South African prodigy Chanel Simmonds, who is widely considered the most promising tennis player produced in the country in more than a decade, is tottering at the crossroads - and her coach, Earl Grainger, says the budding Kempton Park left-hander is faced with the choice of leaving the country or allowing her talent to stagnate into increasing oblivion.

"The problem," according to Grainger, himself a one-time, respected ATP circuit participant, "is the lamentably blasé attitude towards tennis in South Africa generally and, in this instance, the inexplicable disinterest of all and sundry to sponsor a talent the likes of which has not emerged in South Africa since the turn of the century.”

Grainger points out that Simmonds's world ranking has improved dramatically this year from little better than the 1000-mark to a current 363rd; she beat a 77th-ranked player in the recent Soweto Open and there is a dire need for her to now "spread her wings" and undertake a comprehensive overseas tournament campaign to further enhance her progress in the only way possible - by competing against some of the best players in the world.

"The trouble," said Grainger, "is that none of the prospective sponsors I have approached to launch such a campaign have shown the slightest interest in helping - and this includes numerous major companies and organisations who are always boasting about how they have the welfare of South African sport at heart.”

"You would be amazed," added Grainger, "if I listed the names of these organisations and the response I have received after approaching them. The welfare of South African sport? I am now convinced all they are truly interested in when they plough many into sporting activities is what they can get out of it."

Grainger said he had received a token grant from the South African Tennis Association to help Simmonds launch an international campaign, but this was hardly enough to see her through a couple of tournaments.

"We are grateful for this," he added, "because Sata's finances do not currently allow them to be more generous, but it is simply inadequate and will make little difference to Chanel's progress."

Grainger pointed out that South Africa's Chani Scheepers, who hit the headlines by reaching the fourth round of the French Open and is now ranked 77th in the world, had recently revealed she was pondering over whether to settle permanently in the United States.

She is already based in Houston where former South African top-rated world doubles player, Lisle Huber, resides and is a member of the United States Fed Cup team.

"I don't know what is going to happen to Chanel," says Grainger.

"It seems she will either have to follow a similar route and leave her family ties in South Africa behind - or end up as an exceptional talent that has sadly gone to waste."

http://www.supersport.com/tennis/article.aspx?Id=355504

[S.T.A.R.]

Chanel will be seeded 2nd at 10K Ain Elsokhna next week

[Kevin.]

Bianca Swanepoel has went to the US to play tennis for the University of Maryland!

[S.T.A.R.]

10K Ain Elsokhna:
R1: Chanel Simmonds (2) def. Elyne Boeykens 6-2, 6-3
R2 vs Marinkovic

R1: Natasha Fourouclas def. Indira Bigi (LL) 6-4, 6-3
R2 vs Kharchenko (6)

Keep going, girls!

[S.T.A.R.]

10K Ain Elsokhna:
Final: Chanel Simmonds (2) def. Ana Jovanovic (1) 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(6)
Congrats Chanel!

10K Ain Elsokhna:
R1: Chanel Simmonds (2) def. Elyne Boeykens 6-2, 6-4 (poor Elyne, she drawed Chanel in R1 twice in a row )
R2: Chanel Simmonds (2) vs. Daria Sedenkova

Doubles with Kovalets, they won R1 6-1, 6-0

[coetzergambill]

chanel won her 1r quali match at the 25k rancho santa fe. her opponent retired when chanel was leading 51 first set. gl in the second round!