What were you doing at 18?

Here's a curious stat. Britain's Dan Evans, the world #325 (and British #5), holds the honour of being the highest ranked 18 year old in the ATP.

As great as this is for the Brits, I'm not sure what it says about the quality of the younger talent coming through. Probably not very much. Slower, measured and more systematic development being the preferred approach nowadays; and you don't get a Becker, Nadal, Hingis or even a Tracy Austin type emerging everyday.

It's just -- and I may have this all wrong -- I've always thought the headcount of high ranking 18-19 year olds to be a lot greater than that; and by 'high ranking' I mean in the very modest 150-225 region.

Some recent examples. At 18, Gael Monfils finished 2004 ranked #239. Richard Gasquet #107. Andy Murray finished 2005 ranked #64.

The women? At 18, Dinara Safina, top 50 (2004). Svetlana Kuznetsova, top 50 (2003). Sania Mirza finished 2005 (aged 19) at #31.

I've tried not to pick Williamses and Nadal type super-starlets, and even my selection is essentially comprised of wunderkinds, but the picture presented is obvious, no?