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Garcia denied WC into Kremlin Cup

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93tennisroyalty
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Garcia denied WC into Kremlin Cup

Post by 93tennisroyalty » Oct Tue 10, 2017 6:49 pm

The plot thickens...

Caroline Garcia requested a WC into the Kremlin Cup next week so that she could secure her berth at the WTA Finals (as Jo Konta will also be playing then). However, Garcia was denied a WC by the tournament after she withdrew from Tianjin (granted the WC request was the day she won Beijing). However, a WC was awarded to Maria Sharapova (Garcia's scheduled opponent in Tianjin). Some are calling it a war between the tennis federations as FFT denied Sharapova a WC for the French Open and now the Russian Tennis federation denies the French No. 1 a WC during the most critical time of the year. If she were to qualify, Garcia would be the 1st French woman to qualify for singles since Mauresmo in 2006. Poetic justice maybe?

Personally, I think Garcia should have been given a WC. It would have been a very interesting story line for the tournament (especially if Konta-Garcia drew one another or played in the final). The reason given by the Russian tennis federation is that they prefer to give a WC to Russian players (can't argue that and there are only 2 WCs, however they have not stuck to this rule in previous years), which is what FFT did at the French Open (there were 6 available plus qualifying WCs) but also stated it had a moral obligation to deny Maria a WC. Some thought that was overreach and unjustified especially given it's Maria but was done to satisfy pressure.

Now, Garcia has to rely on Konta's performance (she must make the final) or hope one of the WCs scheduled to play Luxembourg pulls out (i.e. Vika Azarenka).

More information: https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/n ... ta-finals/
Last edited by 93tennisroyalty on Oct Tue 10, 2017 6:57 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Post by Graveller » Oct Thu 12, 2017 1:30 am

Well, a lot of players have been ignoring Moscow over the last years (or withdrawing when mission was accomplished), so I fully understand that they prefer Russian players.

When the Moscow deadline was there, Garcia did not bother; she expected Tianjin to be her last event of the season and completely ignored Moscow.
And we both know what would happen if they gave her a WC: the moment that she qualifies for the YEC, she will withdraw. Giving the Moscow organisers a Non-match at QF or SF.
Garcia snubbed Moscow two months ago, and would do it again during the event when qualified for the YEC.
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Post by Graveller » Oct Thu 12, 2017 3:21 am

Edit.

It has been posted that Konta has withdrawn from Moscow. In that case, Garcia is qualified for YEC anyway.

Imagine that Moscow had been foolish enough to give Garcia the WC instead of Maria. You can bet that Garcia would have withdrawn just before the start, and Moscow would not have had either Garcia pr Sharapova....

I do not like Sharapova, but the Moscow event was smart in NOT giving a WC to Garcia.


Svitolina has withdrawn from HongKong, raising some doubts about her fitness. She could withdraw for YEC (or have to pull out after day 1, giving alternates (like Konta) a shot at the SF if she can play (and win) two matches
And there are rumors on Venus and YEC too.
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Re:Garcia denied WC into Kremlin Cup

Post by 93tennisroyalty » Oct Thu 12, 2017 12:07 pm

I think all of the women who've qualified for YEC will likely play (especially Venus who hasn't qualified in a very long time and Svitolina who's never qualified). I don't read much into Svitolina's withdrawal. I'm sure YEC is her priority and she has nothing to gain by playing Hong Kong. I attribute Venus' loss to lack of match play recently (I don't know any more than that).

Now that Konta has withdrawn, it does seem like Moscow made the right decision. Although, they said they wanted Garcia to play but they had already given out both wildcards.

I'm pretty unenthusiastic about women's tennis at the moment (something's lacking), so I don't care too much about the YEC. It will be interesting to see who rises to the occasion and who finishes the year No. 1. I'm hoping Venus wins. She's the only one who hasn't won a big title, but that seems unlikely. The last two years have produced surprise winners (Radwanska and Cibulkova), maybe we will see the same.

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Re:Garcia denied WC into Kremlin Cup

Post by Graveller » Oct Thu 12, 2017 4:31 pm

<font color=brown>@ <b>93tennisroyalty</b>:</font>
 
Not a nice feeling when you have no players that make you want to watch tennis... I've had it for years post-Henin... only had players like Barthel, Pavly and Radwanska to warm up... when svitolina, Garcia and Mladenovi arrived, they caught my attention, and then shortly after that, there was the group of youngsters from the late '90ties...
So with svitolina, ostapenko and Garcia at the YEC (i will have to rediscover my Garcia-love though...), and with Bencic, Kasatkina and Barty on the rise, I feel like I am settled for the next decade.
"Never argue with an idiot - they take you down to their level and then beat you on experience"

"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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