#1 Junior Taylor Townsend "Benched" by the USTA

[Tcbtennis]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...959121916.html

The article states that the USTA Player Development asked Taylor, the #1 ranked junior in the world, to withdraw from the US Open junior tournament because she is too fat. They "benched" her, meaning that they didn't pay any of her expenses towards the tournament as they are paying for all the other USTA Development juniors. Her mother is paying her way through the US Open.

The USTA is only letting her play enough tennis to keep her timing and have doubled her fitness regimen.

She is 16 years old and definitely not as fit as should could be but she is still so young and has time to get her weight in better control. I hope that their drastic punishment doesn't lead to an eating disorder (she is at the perfect age that this could occur) or try to create an underweight stick figure like Ivanovic or Kournikova. She has been successful in her junior career and so far her weight hasn't hindered her. What do you think?

[chalkflewup]

Says it all.

"Townsend, who possesses a sunny disposition, isn't holding a grudge against the USTA. "I've gotten a lot of great opportunities, great fitness, great coaching," she said. "I'm doing everything that they ask me to do and being professional about everything." Shelia Townsend, who moved to Florida with her daughter and works in the Palm Beach school system, agreed the USTA academy had been good for her daughter. "It has afforded her a lot of opportunities," she said."

[cluckcluck]

It's a shame that the USTA would so something like that. Teens these days are quite sensitive to appearance criticism. It's also a billion times worse when it gets published in the Wall Street Journal. Talk about screwing the kid up mentally. Eating disorder here we come.
I have a feeling that her [Townsend] quotes are being fed to her by the USTA.

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by cluckcluck

It's a shame that the USTA would so something like that. Teens these days are quite sensitive to appearance criticism. It's also a billion times worse when it gets published in the Wall Street Journal. Talk about screwing the kid up mentally. Eating disorder here we come.
I have a feeling that her [Townsend] quotes are being fed to her by the USTA.

You`re right. They shouldn't be concerned with her health.

[sureshs]

Time for PMac to go.

What I find baffling is how a quasi-government organization can almost infringe on someone's rights and yet PMac appears to pose as such a nice guy and get away with this as some kind of tough love.

People of some demographics are naturally chunky and the USTA should be sent a strong message with a multi-million dollar civil rights lawsuit. And there are others of any ethnicity, especially women, whose genetics and hormones make them fat.

The only situations where this kind of discrimination is allowed is in law enforcement, firefighters, and the military, and some other very specific and legally-upheld situations.

Tennis is about who wins, not whether she is thin or fat.

[cluckcluck]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

You`re right. They shouldn't be concerned with her health.

They should be concerned with her health, but in the sense of physical health (i.e. body, injury prevention, etc.). Never should they have anything to say about her weight (unless of course she is obese).

I looked up some pictures of her and she just looks like a teen going through the hormonal stage of life, she's by no means fat, not even chubby, she's just a little soft. No reason for her to be benched.

I hope that she files a civil suit. What a disgrace.

[tennis5]

I guess Serena shouldn't play either.

Smacks of a lawsuit.

[SoCal10s]

USTA= control freaks .. want to control everything their way..

[tball2day]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

Says it all.

"Townsend, who possesses a sunny disposition, isn't holding a grudge against the USTA. "I've gotten a lot of great opportunities, great fitness, great coaching," she said. "I'm doing everything that they ask me to do and being professional about everything." Shelia Townsend, who moved to Florida with her daughter and works in the Palm Beach school system, agreed the USTA academy had been good for her daughter. "It has afforded her a lot of opportunities," she said."

PR 101 folks...don't bite the hand that feeds you.

All they can do is smile and agree on the outside regardless of how they feel on the inside. Otherwise they jeopardize future opportunities - expenses, WCs....all they can do is say the USTA is wonderful, they aren't stupid. But we would be naive and foolish to think this is how they actually feel. Only those on the inside know that.

edit..that sounds like one fabricated response.

[JW10S]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...959121916.html

She has been successful in her junior career and so far her weight hasn't hindered her. What do you think?

As has been proven over and over being a successful junior does not always translate to being a successful pro. She is too heavy, and it will hinder her later when she turns pro. I can't see her playing juniors anymore after this year. She needs to deal with it now or it will only be a bigger problem later. She has talent, but I agree with the USTA on this issue--they are looking ahead.

[Alohajrtennis]

Originally Posted by JW10S

As has been proven over and over being a successful junior does not always translate to being a successful pro. She is too heavy, and it will hinder her later when she turns pro. I can't she playing juniors anymore after this year. She needs to deal with it now or it will only be a bigger problem later. She has talent, but I agree with the USTA on this issue--they are looking ahead.

Even if she does need to deal with it, I can't see why it could not have waited until after the Open. Seems she earned the right to be there. I can't imagine what was going through their head on this one. Seems like a real petty move.

[Nostradamus]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...959121916.html

The article states that the USTA Player Development asked Taylor, the #1 ranked junior in the world, to withdraw from the US Open junior tournament because she is too fat. They "benched" her, meaning that they didn't pay any of her expenses towards the tournament as they are paying for all the other USTA Development juniors. Her mother is paying her way through the US Open.

The USTA is only letting her play enough tennis to keep her timing and have doubled her fitness regimen.

She is 16 years old and definitely not as fit as should could be but she is still so young and has time to get her weight in better control. I hope that their drastic punishment doesn't lead to an eating disorder (she is at the perfect age that this could occur) or try to create an underweight stick figure like Ivanovic or Kournikova. She has been successful in her junior career and so far her weight hasn't hindered her. What do you think?

This is NOT a fair thing that USTA is doing to her. This is just a power trip by USTA.

[Dreamcastin]

Originally Posted by JW10S

As has been proven over and over being a successful junior does not always translate to being a successful pro. She is too heavy, and it will hinder her later when she turns pro. I can't see her playing juniors anymore after this year. She needs to deal with it now or it will only be a bigger problem later. She has talent, but I agree with the USTA on this issue--they are looking ahead.

you dont prohibit someone from playing because of a weak backhand when they compensate for this with the rest of their game. why should fitness be any diff. if shes number #1, shes number #1. why try and hold a player back. reeks of B.S. to me.

[10ismom]

Originally Posted by Alohajrtennis

Even if she does need to deal with it, I can't see why it could not have waited until after the Open. Seems she earned the right to be there. I can't imagine what was going through their head on this one. Seems like a real petty move.

If you read the article again, she asked USTA for a (women's) US open main draw or qualifying wildcard. USTA denied that and wanted her to work on fitness. She recently lost in a first round quali pro tournament.

It sounds to me that Taylor wants to make a jump to the pro level. USTA said not yet... you've gotta deal with your fitness first.
IMO, very similar issue with Donald Young...no. 1 junior making a transition. Fitness is important for her game and the tourn level. I could understand why USTPD wanted her well prepared for that but how's the "fitness" issue presented to her (and the media)...not sure it's right.
She's too good for the junior ITF by now.

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by 10ismom

If you read the article again, she asked USTA for a (women's) US open main draw or qualifying wildcard. USTA denied that and wanted her to work on fitness. She recently lost in a first round quali pro tournament.

It sounds to me that Taylor wants to make a jump to the pro level. USTA said not yet... you've gotta deal with your fitness first.
IMO, very similar issue with Donald Young...no. 1 junior making a transition. Fitness is important for her game and the tourn level. I could understand why USTPD wanted her well prepared for that but how's the "fitness" issue presented to her (and the media)...not sure it's right.
She's too good for the junior ITF by now.

I wish the media wouldn't print controversial stories concerning juniors but I guess that's what selling papers is all about. If there's a positive aspect to the story, TT will have to step up and earn her way onto the WTA tour.

She hasn't had the best results in the last two junior slams. She lost in the round of 16 at Jr Wimbledon in straight sets to a 15 year old. She lost in round of 16 at Jr French and the the last two sets were 2-6, 1-6. In both of those slams the #1 junior in the world nearly lost in the second round (2 close 3rd set wins). So I'm not convinced that she's streamrolling through the junior tour. At times, she shows brilliance on the junior tour but she's not ready for the WTA as evidenced by her bad loss to 16 year old Vicky Duvall in Vancouver (a 6-2, 6-1 loss).

They actually did her a favor by not giving her a WC. Great kid with tremendous upside -- I hope she knocks it out of the park.

[10ismom]

As an investor's viewpoint (USTPD's), she's already been funded to all the junior slams. Getting fit and play domestic Futures, Challenger, WCs to some events would make sense moneywise. How much $$$ you think that junior AO cost? But again USTPD really needs that to show result and ...boost American's confidence.
To fund her for another round of junior slams would perhaps add more trophies for the family.

Hope this "benched" conflict would not make her change from the pro path to college.

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by 10ismom

Hope this "benched" conflict would not make her change from the pro path to college.

Not a chance. Perhaps a commitment path.

[tennisforlife77]

Whatever the circumstances i think it is generally accepted that coaches need to tread very carefully when it comes to weight issues and teenage girls. For this to leak out into the public domain via the WSJ is shocking and it's even more shocking that PMac would grace the article with a comment at all.

[Alfy]

Of course some of the pro's training in NY, like Oudin and Lepchenko, are outstanding fitness examples
Also, since she does all her training under USTA's supervision, how she ended up in this "situation" to begin with ...

[tball2day]

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