Possible Clues:

• The best players are not sewn, by the sound of it
• What one gave, by the sound of it, was sewn, by the sound of it
• Like top tennis players
• Planted like top tennis player
• Ranked in first 16 of tennis tournament
• How the best players have been given the pip (6)
• 18 down in the past
• In tennis tournament, graded in first sixteen
• Start to look with a sewn sound
• Graded in first 16 players of tennis tournament