Image courtesy of www.douglasbeaton.com
The wild card selections have been made for the various age groups at the upcoming National Clay Court tournaments around the US. I emailed Lew Brewer (Director of Junior Competition for USTA) to find out how the players were chosen and to get a list of all the wild cards since a “WC” designation isn’t indicated on the competitor lists. Here’s what Lew shared with me . . .
The criteria for selecting wild cards is published in the 2014 Friend at Court. It lives in USTA Regulation IX.A.9.l. (2014 FAC page 183). The actual criteria is in FAC Comment IX.A-8 which is on page 184. I’ve inserted the text below.
FAC Comment IX.A-8: The Wild Card Committee shall use the following criteria to select wild cards:
- No player that is under suspension by the USTA, a Sectional Association, the ITF, the ITA, the WTA, or the ATP may be awarded a wild card.
- No player who has a national standing below the standing of the first alternate may be awarded a wild card unless, in the opinion of the Wild Card Committee, the player will improve the overall strength of field of the tournament.
- No player who submits a late wild card application may be considered. Timely entries into the tournament are recommended, but are not required.
- A player with an established record in international, professional, or collegiate competition may be considered.
- A player whose ability to qualify has been affected by injury, illness, or other personal circumstance may be considered.
- A player with a high standing in a younger age division of the event may be considered.
- A player with a high standing in the division of the event who was not endorsed by their Sectional Association may be considered, provided that the player has been recommended for a wild card by their Sectional Association.
- A player who has been recommended for a wild card by the USTA National Coaching Staff may be considered.
Although 2014 is the first year that the criteria has appeared in the FAC, it is the same criteria that has been used for many years.
And, now, a list of the 2014 National Clay Court Championship wild cards:
Boys 18
Belga, Jordan
Marinescu, Andrei
Seelig, Kyle
Ray, Pally
Boys 16
Bellamy, Roscoe
Kirkov, Vasil
Boys 14
Bicknell, Blais
Fenty, Adrian
Boys 12
Andre, Michael
Boulais, Justin
Girls 18
Haffey, Mary
Lampl, Caroline
Oosterhout, Erica
Smith, Stephanie
Girls 16
Kulikov, Angela
McKenzie, Kylie
Riley, Sydney
Scotty, Elizabth
Girls 14
Blake, Angelica
Conard, Nicole
Elhom, Anna
Mandilk, Elli
Thomas, Katelyn
Girls 12
Eades, Elizabeth
Gauff, Cori
Smith, Kelsey
As you can see, USTA did not award all 8/age division permitted wild cards for this tournament. I’ve asked Lew why and am awaiting his response. I will update this article as soon as I hear back from him.
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