Good day, mates I hope everyone had a good offseeason and is ready to kick it off in the new year. For some extra spice, I invite everyone to take part in this game that might well be considered a forum tradition by now.
HOW TO PLAY:
Rule changes compared to US Open - None (just a rephrasing. Veterans need not necessarily read):
Basic rules:
Pick a player each day. If your player wins, you advance to the next day and get to pick again. If your player loses, you are out. Each player can only be chosen once. The picks continue every day until only one person is left, everyone has been eliminated, or the tournament has finished. Each pick has to be submitted before the relevant match starts and once you've submitted the pick, you are stuck with it unless the match did not happen due to a prematch withdrawal. In that case you get to submit a new pick. That's the basic rules already.
Tiebreaker:
If multiple people go out on the same day and no-one remains, these last people to go out submit their best educated judgements regarding the outcome of the final match of the tournament - winner of the final, amount of sets lost by the winner, amount of games lost by the winner, points won by the winner. Judged also in that order. If both are the same in winner, then we go to sets. If both also had the same number of sets, then we go to games. If that's also still the same or the same difference to the actual number, then points won. That should hopefully always lead to a conclusion.
To enable that, those tiebreaker judgements will be sent to me per private message (or maybe X in some cases) instead of being publically announced in the thread. If the tiebreaker involves me, we'd have to find someone else who accepts the private messages, but I'm positive that will not be a problem.
Onto the cases:
Case: A pick I made became invalid because the match didn't happen due to a withdrawal. I have a life and don't sit on the computer all day to monitor such things, so wasn't able to submit a replacement pick. Am I screwed? Decision: No, there is a backup solution. The last to start eligible favourite (I will use average odds on tennisexplorer.com) of the day is automatically entered for you. Eligible means player that had not been picked yet on a previous day.
Case: There was a retirement. Does the pick still count? Decision: Yes, picks count the moment 1 ball has been played in the match.
Case: I looked at the wrong schedule and picked a player that doesn't even play. What now? Decision: Please submit a new pick.
Case: A lot of matches were rescheduled for the next day due to rain. Can I pick from those on the new day? Decision: No, rescheduled matches are not eligible to be picked from. If this situation arises, I will try to post a list of ineligible matches.
Case: I have a great suggestion for the comp. Am I allowed to tell you and others? Decision: Sure, suggestions are always welcome!
At the end, glory, lots of forum cred, and an entry into the competition's Hall of Fame awaits the ultimate winner. The Hall of Fame can be found at:
Advanced to day 2:aaronh - TsurenkoAnubis8 - SakkariBlencathra - FernandezGRANTCKING - DolehideSamuelMertensBertens - Krejcikovasnowynoon - SakkariOut:I hate this comp. Hate it!
Advanced to day 5 - down to the final 3:aaronh - Tsurenko, Mertens, Zheng, KrejcikovaGRANTCKING - Dolehide, Mertens, Burel, Krejcikovasnowynoon - Sakkari, Svitolina, Stephens, AnisimovaFreshly out:Anubis8 - FernandezBlencathra - Garcia
Advanced to day 5 - down to the final 2:GRANTCKING - Dolehide, Mertens, Burel, Krejcikova, Noskovasnowynoon - Sakkari, Svitolina, Stephens, Anisimova, NavarroFreshly out:aaronh - Raducanu
Advanced to day 7 - that was a close one for you two. I was already expecting the tiebreak rule to make it debut in this competion:GRANTCKING - Dolehide, Mertens, Burel, Krejcikova, Noskova, Andreevasnowynoon - Sakkari, Svitolina, Stephens, Anisimova
Easy as it gets again for the two of youAdvanced to day 8:GRANTCKING - Dolehide, Mertens, Burel, Krejcikova, Noskova, Andreeva, Zhengsnowynoon - Sakkari, Svitolina, Stephens, Anisimova, Navarro, Andreeva, Zheng
I noticed earlier that I yet again forgot to mention/clarify/change a rule. I have not looked into the situation of you two, but a scenario like this might happen:
Contestant 1: 11 correct picks, for day 12 they cannot make a selection because they have used all players that are playing on the day. Contestant 2: 11 correct picks, a selection for day 12 can and is made, but it loses.
I have confirmed with SamuelMertensBertens in the main AO thread that long running precedent (from before when I took over as main host) is that the person that was able to make a selection for day 12 wins it all in that case. Since precedent is trump in common law and I did not delcare a rule that trumps precedent, we should stick to that this time around.
I noticed earlier that I yet again forgot to mention/clarify/change a rule. I have not looked into the situation of you two, but a scenario like this might happen:Contestant 1: 11 correct picks, for day 12 they cannot make a selection because they ha
Bit of a punt but ,will take a chance .Ño worries if lose to Grantking , remember him from the forum ,seemed like a good guy ,should never have been barred if I recall correctly.
Bit of a punt but ,will take a chance .Ño worries if lose to Grantking , remember him from the forum ,seemed like a good guy ,should never have been barred if I recall correctly.
Yeah, he's a good lad. Just a bit loose with words. He and another tennis forum regular, tof, were one day sought out and involved in a discussion about a controversial topic. In Grant's and my view with the deliberate aim of drawing reportable posts.
Yeah, he's a good lad. Just a bit loose with words. He and another tennis forum regular, tof, were one day sought out and involved in a discussion about a controversial topic. In Grant's and my view with the deliberate aim of drawing reportable posts
Just two days ago snowynoon made their debut among the winners of the comp and what a follow-up it is. They went for and successfully achieved the clean sweep, showing that nothing is impossible if you are willing to put in the blood, sweat and tears.
The historical comp records are not complete, but as far as the record reaches back, 2013, this marks the first time someone has become singular winner of both the women and men at the Australian Open. The only other time someone won both sexes at the tournament was 2022 by TheGoddess, who however had to share their women's victory with four other contestants (pre-tiebreaker era).
Very well done, snowynoon.
Just two days ago snowynoon made their debut among the winners of the comp and what a follow-up it is. They went for and successfully achieved the clean sweep, showing that nothing is impossible if you are willing to put in the blood, sweat and tears
Cheers ,Grant,edy, Journeyman.I nearly chose Azarenka but don't trust her ,so went with my gut.Ive only entered once before I think and got quite far in the women's comp.Delighted to do the double ,backed a couple of them but slept through most of it,roll on RG!!
Cheers ,Grant,edy, Journeyman.I nearly chose Azarenka but don't trust her ,so went with my gut.Ive only entered once before I think and got quite far in the women's comp.Delighted to do the double ,backed a couple of them but slept through most of it