# British Tennis Players ... where are they ?



## Landsurfer (8 Jul 2022)

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 ???


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## Supersuperleeds (8 Jul 2022)

Aren't both his parents British?

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


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## Mo1959 (8 Jul 2022)

Supersuperleeds said:


> 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.


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## PaulSB (8 Jul 2022)

Landsurfer said:


> 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.


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## MontyVeda (8 Jul 2022)

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


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## MontyVeda (8 Jul 2022)

Supersuperleeds said:


> 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


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## cougie uk (8 Jul 2022)

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


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## Alex321 (8 Jul 2022)

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.


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## Kingfisher101 (8 Jul 2022)

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.


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## PaulSB (8 Jul 2022)

Kingfisher101 said:


> 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.


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## hobo (9 Jul 2022)

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


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## FishFright (9 Jul 2022)

Supersuperleeds said:


> 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.


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## Landsurfer (9 Jul 2022)

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....


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## vickster (9 Jul 2022)

Landsurfer said:


> 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


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## Arrowfoot (9 Jul 2022)

Landsurfer said:


> 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.


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## Landsurfer (9 Jul 2022)

vickster said:


> Why not? It’s not a complicated game really



Trust me, after years and years of cycling, TT’s, ice climbing, rock climbing, SK8, Kayaking, Surfing ..... I know that when a tennis ball comes towards me i’ll miss it...
Which is even weirder as I played on the station Squash Ladder for years ...... .... Maybe i was traumatised by a tennis ball as a child ....


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## Brandane (10 Jul 2022)

For every success story there will of course be thousands of failures, no matter how much money and effort was spent by the parents.

My nephew was a promising footballer in his early teens. His parents were not pushy, but encouraged him by running him all over the place to training and matches. Then when he was about 15 or 16 he discovered girls and alcohol! That was the end of his football. There must be a high percentage of talented teens who meet a similar - but somehow more natural - fate.


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## MichaelW2 (10 Jul 2022)

Linford Cristie wasnt even the fastest sprinter in his club but he was the one prepared to do what it takes.

I am surprised that football is now the preserve of the moneyed classes. Back in my day, jumpers for goalposts...

Tennis has always been a socially devisive game. Only 2 players on a big court that could host 2 whole basketball teams. Very few tennis players get rich playing tennis, compared to the 5000 footballers who make a reasonable to good living from kicking a ball and the 500 who play in the big league.


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## Ming the Merciless (10 Jul 2022)

Brandane said:


> Then when he was about 15 or 16 he discovered girls and alcohol! That was the end of his football.



But he’s since become a successful night club owner?


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## Brandane (10 Jul 2022)

Ming the Merciless said:


> But he’s since become a successful night club owner?



Not yet, he's still too busy lining the pockets of night club owners!


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