tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10016685.post6561086037046321519..comments2024-03-26T09:23:26.937-04:00Comments on ZooTennis: Mi, Rodrigues Earn ITF G1 Coffee Bowl Titles, Americans Claim Doubles Championships; Blanch Wins Ann Arbor Challenger; Wolf Captures Second Straight Challenger TitleColette Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14905215531491180014noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10016685.post-86707693361099092232020-01-15T08:31:29.405-05:002020-01-15T08:31:29.405-05:00Ci Ci Bellis did indeed live at the dorm in Boca R...Ci Ci Bellis did indeed live at the dorm in Boca Raton at the USTA high performance academy for months at a time when she was a kid. We are friends with the lady who was the dorm mother at the time, who is now running a pro shop at a tennis resort in Boca Raton. Ci Ci received free training, housing, education.<br /><br />The point is it does not make sense to try and hand pick a small number of players like high performance does. And it does not make sense to pay the way for wealthy kids.<br /><br />The USTA should get out of high performance and strictly use the junior money to make tournaments fair and well organized. Bellis and her parents could have developed her just fine in California, on their own dime.Jon Kingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10016685.post-23234262920100285522020-01-13T13:28:20.606-05:002020-01-13T13:28:20.606-05:00Ci Ci Bellis parents are wealthy, she lives in one...Ci Ci Bellis parents are wealthy, she lives in one of the top most expensive cities in the US, she had the finances to give up the US Open pay check when she was still considering college option. Ci Ci has not at all lived on wild cards, she won the 18's Nationals to earn her way into the US Open. She also is one of the few juniors I believe who was #1 in every USTA age group? She was ranked 35 in the world and has had 3 surgeries on her wrist, so I think it makes sense to give her wild cards on her comeback.<br /><br />Living at Lake Nona makes sense for training, she did not live at an academy as a junior, staying at home. Also the wild cards have monetary value to the player but not the USTAAlex Hohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18089638307058066014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10016685.post-80657422539960013672020-01-13T09:41:47.439-05:002020-01-13T09:41:47.439-05:00I read the back and forth about how tennis is or i...I read the back and forth about how tennis is or is not skewed to the wealthy. Tell me it is not when you consider a USTA favorite such as Ci Ci Bellis. Ms. Bellis is from a wealthy silicon valley family.<br /><br />They sent her to Boca Raton as a kid to take advantage of free training and facilities at the USTA high performance center when it was at Evert's academy. Then wildcards into all tournaments at age 15-16-17 so she could get good draws and WTA points.<br /><br />Then she moves with family to Orlando, more free training and facilities. Gets injured, free rehab, training. Now ranked 838th in the world yet wildcard into main draw at Hobart while much higher ranked players had to qualify.<br /><br />Hundreds of thousands and wildcards being spent on one player, from a wealthy family. If you spread all that money out on great athletes from poor families and making USTA tournaments organized and fair, way more results than supporting one player.<br />Jon Kingnoreply@blogger.com