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Bellis into US Open Round 2 - 2006alum - 08-29-2016

Future Cardinal Cici Bellis just stormed into the second round of the U.S. Open after making it through qualies. I think I read somewhere that if she hit a ranking inside the top 100 she'd consider going professional. The same paradox as with Ledecky: I want to root for her to dominate the field, but if she does, will she want to remain an amateur and compete for the Card?

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - needle - 08-29-2016

The player she beat today was ranked No. 65, according to ESPN. This, coupled with past results, makes it clear to me anyway that Bellis is, in fact, one of the best 100 players on the women's tour, whatever the number is beside her name at the moment.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - fullmetal - 08-29-2016

As long as a player still represents Stanford, attends Stanford, or earns a degree from Stanford, I'll try not to speculate one way or another whether I would want the player to stay amateur or turn pro.  Stanford recruits some pretty special students!

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - BostonCard - 08-29-2016

We wouldn't hope that an entrepreneuring Stanford student's dorm business didn't get too big because they might "go pro" before graduating.  I will never wish for anything other than success for current, former, or future Stanford athletes.  Obviously I will hope they continue to represent us, but I wish them success either way.

BC

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - winflop - 08-29-2016

I'm not expecting more than one season from either Ledecky or Bellis.  My guess is they turn pro and then come back to finish their degrees after their professional sports careers are over.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - CTcard - 08-29-2016

(08-29-2016, 01:42 PM)winflop link Wrote:I'm not expecting more than one season from either Ledecky or Bellis. 

Well, Ledecky apparently expects more seasons at Stanford that that.

One thing about turning pro in swimming is that you don't make all that much money from swimming itself. Most of the money for Ledecky would be in endorsements. Most kids don't grow up with a dream of hawking toothpaste brands. Money is great, but the "dream" appeal is a little different from that in sports where the pros is the established elite-level.

Personally, I simply have no expectations for what these athletes will or should do whatsoever.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - paloalto - 08-29-2016

(08-29-2016, 01:42 PM)winflop link Wrote:I'm not expecting more than one season from either Ledecky or Bellis.  My guess is they turn pro and then come back to finish their degrees after their professional sports careers are over.


I believe if a student completes one year in good standing, they can return at any time to complete their degree without having to re-apply.  I am not sure about that

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - needle - 08-29-2016

It's one quote, but it sounds to me like Bellis is thinking pretty seriously about becoming a pro:

Quote: Bellis was asked if there were any factors that could potentially sway her to turn pro.
“It used to be ranking-wise,” said Bellis, who entered the tournament ranked No. 158. “I used to think of it the past couple of years as, you know, I should be close to the top 100, and stuff like that. But I think now it’s more just me being confident that I can compete at this level consistently.” 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/30/sports/tennis/two-years-after-a-us-open-upset-catherine-bellis-is-back-for-more.html

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - DC 86 - 08-29-2016

(08-29-2016, 05:33 PM)paloalto link Wrote:[quote author=winflop link=topic=15520.msg168868#msg168868 date=1472503364]
I'm not expecting more than one season from either Ledecky or Bellis.  My guess is they turn pro and then come back to finish their degrees after their professional sports careers are over.


I believe if a student completes one year in good standing, they can return at any time to complete their degree without having to re-apply.  I am not sure about that
[/quote]

Policy may have changed, but it used to be that a student could stop out and automatically return within seven years, if it was longer than that one had to be re-admitted but that was usually a formality unless you had engaged in criminal conduct or something like that.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - winflop - 08-29-2016

(08-29-2016, 05:33 PM)paloalto link Wrote:[quote author=winflop link=topic=15520.msg168868#msg168868 date=1472503364]
I'm not expecting more than one season from either Ledecky or Bellis.  My guess is they turn pro and then come back to finish their degrees after their professional sports careers are over.


I believe if a student completes one year in good standing, they can return at any time to complete their degree without having to re-apply.  I am not sure about that
[/quote]

That is my understanding as well, which is why I don't expect more than one year right now.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - BostonCard - 08-29-2016

The stop out policy used to allow students to stop out indefinitely.  As of 2003, students who stop out for more than two years have to write a letter to request reinstatement.

https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=36928

Quote:Undergraduates seeking reinstatement have to write a letter to the University that outlines what they’ve been doing, why they want to come back and what their academic plan is. If they’ve been taking classes elsewhere, they also need to submit transcripts. All students will be evaluated under today’s grading system—even if there was no such thing as an “F” when they left.
BC

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - 2006alum - 08-30-2016

Switching gears from incoming students to alums, Nicole Gibbs is also in the second round after a 6-1 6-0 58-minute thrashing. Good results from Card players so far!

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - DC 86 - 08-31-2016

Cici Bellis with another upset, advanced to round 3.

Beat Shelby Rogers 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 on the grandstand court. Rogers ranked #49 in the world coming in.


Next up is the #2 seed, Angelique Kerber.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - needle - 09-01-2016

Bellis looked really good in the second and third sets, but Rogers did receive treatment for some sort of arm injury.


Anyway, I will be rooting for Bellis but from Rogers to Kerber is a very big jump in opponent level. I would be shocked if she can pull off the upset.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - 2006alum - 09-01-2016

I'd be shocked too, but she has such an infectious, positive attitude that I can't wait to see her try!

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - ColoradoTree - 09-01-2016

I think expecting a player like Bellis with a potentially rosy pro future to stay for 4 years is unlikely.  If she gives us 3 years like Nicole Gibbs and Carol Zhao did, then that's as much as we could hope for (and Bellis is a bigger pro prospect than either Gibbs or Zhao were when they first came to Stanford).  But those of you that think she might be a one and done may well be right. 

As long as she comes back for her degree (like Gibbs and Zhao have said they intend to do), then I have no problem at all with someone like Bellis spending a couple of years with Lele Forood before trying her skills on tour. 

Gibbs is third up on Court 5 for her Round 2 match against #26 seed Laura Siegemund (GER).  Don't think they've played since 2014 in an ITF match, when Siegemund won in a 3rd set tiebreaker.  Siegemund is coming off a tough 3-set win, though, so maybe she's tired?  The winner plays either #6 Venus Williams or Julia Goerges (who is ranked in the 60s now, but peaked at #15 in 2012, so she's no easy out for Venus). 

And fyi, Gibbs had a good day in doubles yesterday on top of her dominating singles win the day before, partnering with Nao Hibino (JPN) to defeat the pairing of Olympic Gold medalist Monica Puig (PUR) and Mariana Duque-Marino (COL). 

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - needle - 09-01-2016

Here's a quote from Dad:

Quote:[color=rgb(26, 25, 25)]Both Gordon Bellis and his daughter said they have not yet determined whether she will turn pro, a decision that becomes a little more tantalizing with each victory.[/color] [color=rgb(26, 25, 25)]She knows what she'd like to do," Gordon Bellis said. "We always told her what we'd like her to do. Ideally, she would have not been too good at an early age to go to college for a little bit. That would have been my chief druthers, but fate might not allow that.[/color]


http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/17437004/cici-bellis-thriving-support-hometown-fans

It will be a tough decision for Bellis and family.

Re: Bellis into US Open Round 2 - 2006alum - 09-01-2016

One thing that argues in favor of attending Stanford for at least a year is scheduling: between now and next May - when collegiate tennis is over - there are only three significant pro tournaments in the U.S.: Indian Wells, Miami, and Charleston. Bellis has only played overseas once, which was a first-round loss in qualifying at the Roland Garros last year. There's also only one grand slam (Aussie Open), and few big events she would get direct entry into this fall, barring an insane run at the Open this year.


So in my mind, to make going pro worth it, she would need to head abroad for much of the fall and winter, primarily entering qualies. U.S.-hosted ITF tournaments have so little prize money and few rankings points that I don't see her turning pro just for that. But I think committing to the full global tennis playing lifestyle might be a pretty significant jump for her, and forget playing for Stanford - I don't think she could even attend Stanford if she were overseas for Sept.-Nov. and Jan.-Feb. And if she's not overseas, she really doesn't gain much from going pro. Just the prize money from the trio of big U.S. spring tourneys.


In contrast, a year playing at Stanford and getting the experience (and she could still enter the Aussie Open, Indian Wells, Miami, and Charleston for rankings points while forsaking the prize money) seems like she'd still get a lot of benefit with little downside, apart from lost $$$ via a QF or stronger running at one of the aforesaid events.


So on further assessment, I actually think turning pro right now isn't really the better option. And I don't just say that as someone deeply invested in keeping our Directors Cup streak alive.  ;D