Backdraw: US Mentality?

[Tom C]

Interesting conversation I had with a highly ranked sectional player...

Me: Will you be playing Eddie Herr?
Player: Isn't that a single elimination tournament?
Me: Yes
Player: What happens if I lose in the 1st round?
Me: Why would you think like that?
Player: I may play somebody good in the 1st round.
Me: You may but you are a good player.
Player: I just don't want to go all the way down there and lose in the 1st round.

Is this a typical conversation? Do we depend too much on the backdraw? ITF's don't have a backdraw. Professionals don't play a backdraw.

[10isDad]

Interesting conversation I had with a highly ranked sectional player...

Me: Will you be playing Eddie Herr?
Player: Isn't that a single elimination tournament?
Me: Yes
Player: What happens if I lose in the 1st round?
Me: Why would you think like that?
Player: I may play somebody good in the 1st round.
Me: You may but you are a good player.
Player: I just don't want to go all the way down there and lose in the 1st round.

Is this a typical conversation? Do we depend too much on the backdraw? ITF's don't have a backdraw. Professionals don't play a backdraw.

Pros get paid. Yep, they basically have to win to guarantee a check, but they get paid.

ITF - entire countries that are smaller than some states in the US; not much different than driving from LA to Palm Springs in some cases. Tennis federations that subsidize costs. Look at the fact sheets for the ITFs. Many of them have sponsors that pay for player lodging, etc.

US - Pretty much the bill is footed by the parents. Pretty expensive to fly across the country for a tourney only to lose and be out on day 1.

[Tom C]

Understood but what the players thinking/mindset... would SE tournaments toughen US players? Would it let the cream rise to the top?

[10isDad]

Honestly, I think it would drive more players away from the game - in a time where what the US needs is more kids playing. Tennis will become even more a game for the upper-middle to upper class.

[SoCal10s]

Interesting conversation I had with a highly ranked sectional player...

Me: Will you be playing Eddie Herr?
Player: Isn't that a single elimination tournament?
Me: Yes
Player: What happens if I lose in the 1st round?
Me: Why would you think like that?
Player: I may play somebody good in the 1st round.
Me: You may but you are a good player.
Player: I just don't want to go all the way down there and lose in the 1st round.

Is this a typical conversation? Do we depend too much on the backdraw? ITF's don't have a backdraw. Professionals don't play a backdraw.


come on tennis is expensive ... lessons,time on the court,time away from school,travel,hotel,ect.. it all adds up..unless your player is a multi-million heir and can afford to fly to a match and play 1 match and lose/or win and keep going,what's it worth? $3,000 to play one Jr. tournament? I think that's a lot of money for just one experience... especially if it's only one match with no back draw...Jr. tournaments is all about a learning experience and by losing one match and going home, if a player can learn how to win from that 1 experience then it's well worth it,but how many are really gonna have that kind of great change,and how many are gonna make pros? if all the International players had to pay their own way to Eddie Herr,you wouldn't see that many of them there...those foreign players are on a free ride so why not...not too many American players get a free ride to these kind of tournaments...