#1 Junior Taylor Townsend "Benched" by the USTA

[Misterbill]

Originally Posted by sureshs

What I find baffling is how a quasi-government organization can almost infringe on someone's rights .

Whoa. Maybe this is the source of the basic disconnect in views that often appears on this Board.

I consider the USTA a private organization. I don't think I have rights to be entitled to anything beyond my membership subscription deal.

What "rights" of Taylor Townsend are being infringed?

Bare arms?

[Soianka]

Perhaps this helps explain why Donald Young's family has been so leary of the USTA.

Who knows what really goes on behind closed doors.

This is a completely inappropriate way to treat the #1 junior player in the world.

It's not as if every other american female junior or pro supported by the USTA is in great physical shape -- Melanie Oudin for example.

Melanie never showed the promise Taylor has and the USTA keeps supporting her anyway.

[WARPWOODIE]

Three US Girls move to the quartefinals of US Open Juniors. Taylor is one of them, seeded at #1. Let's go Taylor....make P-Mac eat crow!

[kme5150]

There is no doubt this is a powerplay by P-Mac and company. Taylor's family knows that the USTA controls the majority of the wildcards for young Americans and without their help in the beginning of her pro career it will be a long road. That is why they are taking the high road, it is a smart move.

The Townsend's are now going to do what the majority of the country is doing and pay their own travel expenses. She is still going to get receive training for free and still be able to hit with great players and build her game, which is better than most.

Do I think this is wrong? Yes. Her weight didn't just happen on it's own, she has been there training day in and day out with them. To deny the #1 junior in the world a US Open qualifying wildcard is just insane.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by kme5150

There is no doubt this is a powerplay by P-Mac and company. Taylor's family knows that the USTA controls the majority of the wildcards for young Americans and without their help in the beginning of her pro career it will be a long road. That is why they are taking the high road, it is a smart move.

The Townsend's are now going to do what the majority of the country is doing and pay their own travel expenses. She is still going to get receive training for free and still be able to hit with great players and build her game, which is better than most.

Do I think this is wrong? Yes. Her weight didn't just happen on it's own, she has been there training day in and day out with them. To deny the #1 junior in the world a US Open qualifying wildcard is just insane.

I agree.

It really does seem more and more like Patrick is the wrong guy to be running USTA junior development.

He seems to be very immature in his decisions and some of the comments he has made lately about US players.

[Tcbtennis]

When I came across this article I was quite surprised that I hadn't heard anything about it before. I think that this is a pretty big deal. The #1 American junior who is also the #1 junior in the world and a source of pride for the USTA Player Development is "benched". There are stories about other American juniors on the usopen.org website. Then I remembered that the US Open is a USTA run enterprise and that it can control the flow of information.

I don't see any basis for a lawsuit as others here have stated. I just feel bad for Taylor that her weight has become an issue for them and that the USTA believes that not supporting her for her home junior slam is an appropriate solution. And as a former teenage girl and mother of a current teenage girl, I believe that the quotes that are attributed to Taylor are not thoroughly genuine. She will likely carry some resentment towards the USTA for this.

I believe that fitness is very important for this sport and the USTA obviously knows more about her fitness level than I do. But it is quite possible that she is carrying baby fat and that her natural shape is not to be a svelte and lean Sloane Stephens type. She is not obese and messing around with a teenage girl's head about her weight is just not a good idea.

[WARPWOODIE]

Here is another article I found with reference to her situation in the 2nd & 3rd paragraph:

http://www.ibtimes.com/sportsnet/ten...alies_1100.htm

[widmerpool]

Does anybody have a picture of US Open WC recipient Jack Sock with his shirt off?

He has man boobs and a beer belly. It's unreal. He must have loads of talent to win with that body.

I assume he's been warned he won't get another WC unless he gets in shape.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by Tcbtennis

When I came across this article I was quite surprised that I hadn't heard anything about it before. I think that this is a pretty big deal. The #1 American junior who is also the #1 junior in the world and a source of pride for the USTA Player Development is "benched". There are stories about other American juniors on the usopen.org website. Then I remembered that the US Open is a USTA run enterprise and that it can control the flow of information.

I don't see any basis for a lawsuit as others here have stated. I just feel bad for Taylor that her weight has become an issue for them and that the USTA believes that not supporting her for her home junior slam is an appropriate solution. And as a former teenage girl and mother of a current teenage girl, I believe that the quotes that are attributed to Taylor are not thoroughly genuine. She will likely carry some resentment towards the USTA for this.

I believe that fitness is very important for this sport and the USTA obviously knows more about her fitness level than I do. But it is quite possible that she is carrying baby fat and that her natural shape is not to be a svelte and lean Sloane Stephens type. She is not obese and messing around with a teenage girl's head about her weight is just not a good idea.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was more to this story than meets the eye.

Perhaps Pat McEnroe is angry with the family for some other reason and using her "weight" as an excuse to punish them.

Because the excuse of her weight for not supporting her in the US Open just really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

[tennis_ocd]

Originally Posted by 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.

Virtually all professionally coached sport teams have weight guidelines for all players; show up at training camp 20 lbs overweight and you're going to lose the weight or lose playing time (or be cut.) It's not as if her recent results demonstrate an ability to play well at this weight. USTA is well within its rights to select and financially support players based on the obvious ability and fitness categories.

[tennis_ocd]

Originally Posted by Soianka

Perhaps this helps explain why Donald Young's family has been so leary of the USTA.

How's that working?

Melanie never showed the promise Taylor has and the USTA keeps supporting her anyway.

She showed great promise... and perhaps the poster child for why the USTA should be concerned with player weight/fitness.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by tennis_ocd

How's that working?
She showed great promise... and perhaps the poster child for why the USTA should be concerned with player weight/fitness.

Um, who said they shouldn't be concerned about her fitness?

Being concerned about her weight/fitness is a bit different than refusing to support the #1 player in the world at her home slam and then publicly talking about this teenager's supposed weight problem.

Certainly does not seem like the actions of an organization with Taylor's best interest in mind.

There is probably a lot more to this story than we know.

As for Melanie, nope...her game never showed the type of promise that would make her a top pro player. She was a very good junior player but she simply does not have the weapons to compete at a high professional level...as we have (unfortunately and repeatedly) seen.

Also, Melanie (along with several other USTA supported female players) is not the picture of fitness now and was even more out of shape with a "pot belly" in years past.

I don't remember the USTA ever humiliating Melanie about her weight as they have done to Taylor.

How's that working?

Not quite sure what that means other than you watch too much Dr. Phil.

Like I said, perhaps this glimpse into the nastiness that the USTA/P.McEnroe seems to direct at some of their players gives us some insight on the strained relationship between the Youngs and the USTA.

[chalkflewup]

Originally Posted by Soianka

Perhaps this helps explain why Donald Young's family has been so leary of the USTA.

Who knows what really goes on behind closed doors.

This is a completely inappropriate way to treat the #1 junior player in the world.

It's not as if every other american female junior or pro supported by the USTA is in great physical shape -- Melanie Oudin for example.

Melanie never showed the promise Taylor has and the USTA keeps supporting her anyway.

DY has been on a total skid this year...thanks mom. Soon to be in the top 500 in the world. IMHO the parents completely mismanaged this once talented kid. Something to learn from there.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by chalkflewup

DY has been on a total skid this year...thanks mom. Soon to be in the top 500 in the world. IMHO the parents completely mismanaged this once talented kid. Something to learn from there.

I'm not disagreeing with you.

But there seems to have been some bad blood between the Youngs and the USTA for some time.

We've heard P-McEnroe's side of it, but we've never heard from the Youngs.

Perhaps this episode with Taylor gives a glimpse of the sort of stuff the USTA does to certain players behind closed doors.

I am sure there is a lot of stuff that we will never know about these situations.

[barringer97]

The most telling part of the article is this:

"It all kind of came as a shock to us..."

Might be some communication issues, gotta fault the USTA on this one...

[gameboy]

Originally Posted by 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.

First, USTA has nothing to do with a government. It is a private organization with private funding. They can do whatever they want.

Second, not choosing to fund someone is NOT infringing on ANYONE's right. She can eat as much as she wants any time she wants, if that is her desire. Nobody can stop her from doing that. So, let's not go overboard and start talking about phantom rights infringement.

USTA has made it CLEAR that their aim is to produce top flight pros. They do not believe this young lady is on that track due to her fitness. That is their call no matter how much you find it distasteful.

Look, becoming a pro is very very difficult and you need every advantage you can get. We are not talking about some local high school player here. If she is not willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to get to the top, USTA does need to make a decision on whether or not they are spending their money wisely.

[klu375]

She just lost.
I question the timing of this article - to add more pressure on her?

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by klu375

She just lost.
I question the timing of this article - to add more pressure on her?

It's very unfortunate.

Hope the USTA is not going to end up destroying one of the best prospects we have.

[Alohajrtennis]

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 think you need to re-read the article. She asked them for a wildcard for the main tournament and they denied her, which is within their rights. But they couldn't deny her entry into the Junior Event, that not their decision, so they tried to strong arm her into not playing by refusing to support her (pay her travel expenses, etc). Again, within their rights, nobody's civil rights have been violated, there's no basis for a lawsuit, etc but it just seems petty, and well, USTA PD's typical heavy handed approach to things. I mean what's the point ? She's probably on her way back to Florida this weekend. Is she now not going to make it as a professional becuase she missed a week of conditioning to play at a tournament she earned the right to play in ?

Also, as her results show, she is not too good for the Junior ITF.

I don't disagree that she needs to be more fit. I just don't think trying to bully her into missing the Open was they way to go about it.

[cluckcluck]

Originally Posted by Alohajrtennis

Also, as her results show, she is not to good for the Junior ITF.

How is she not good for the Junior ITF based on her results? She's ranked #1 in the world, won Australian Open singles and doubles, won Wimbledon doubles, and was a doubles semifinalist at the French doubles.
You're standards for being good enough seem awfully high.