Round Robin System

[Drummond]

http://www.sportingo.com/tennis/james-blake-undone-by-a-round-robin-travesty/1001,2554

Here’s what happened: James Blake went into his round-robin match with Juan Martin Del Potro needing to win in straight sets, and, without losing more than five total games. When the telecast of the match started, Tennis Channel commentator Jimmy Arias brought up a fine point that I hadn’t even considered about the format – that while it is obvious that James Blake needed to come out gunning on all cylinders, Del Potro just had to come out and win six games. Not win the match – just win six games. So, even though fans might think that the fervour from Blake will make the match more exciting, what happens if Del Potro wins his six games, and the match is still going on?
What’s left to play for? And, what’s to say that the players, knowing full well about the permutations, keep up their level of play? In all, it seems like a recipe for disaster. Still, up to this point, the round robin format hadn’t completely embarrassed itself on the world stage.

Back to the match, which was a pretty appealing one on paper. Blake did indeed come out swinging, winning the first set 6-1. Going into the second, he needed to win 6-4 or better, and he was through to the second round instead of Evgeny Korolev, who soundly defeated Blake earlier in the week. (It’s rather odd that Blake even has the chance to advance, despite the whipping he got from Korolev.)

The second set featured much of the same – Del Potro was unable to hold serve even once in the match, and Blake was soon up 3-1. But earlier in the set, when Del Potro sat down on a changeover, he called the trainer. My first thought was about the round robin system, and how it favours the percentage of sets and games won as tiebreakers. What if the Argentine were to retire? Does that impact the scenarios in some other way? Only a minute later, Arias picked up on the same possibility, and confirmed that if del Potro was to retire, Blake could not advance to the next round, even if he conceded less than six games at that point.

After a lengthy visit from the trainer, del Potro continued for a couple games, but at 3-1, he hung in the towel. Blake, likely not knowing his fate, shook the hand of his opponent, and spoke to the crowd in the on-court interview. But when the interview concluded, a shadow approached him (almost certainly someone from the ATP), to inform him of his terrible misfortune. Korolev would advance.

What a farce! It needs to be scrapped immediately.

 

[Borry]

I agree. It's crap.

 

[red+black]

So Blake needed to win 6-3 6-2 or better. Silly system, and a retirement prevented him the opportunity to do that.

Then ATP CEO Etienne de Villiers steps in and gives Blake (defending champ and current ATP Players Council President) a pass into the quarterfinals at the expense of Evgeny Korolev, who had defeated Blake during the round robin phase.

Well this angered many players, and the decision was reversed.

de Villiers was reported to say, "I was contacted late at night my time and did not fully understand the issues being discussed and I made a judgment call on what seemed fair," he said. "However I understand that judgment calls are not part of the rule book and I must abide by the rules, as must everybody else in the circumstance," de Villiers said. "This is of course an unpleasant situation for all involved, but we must abide strictly by the rules. I apologize to James for giving false hope and to Evgeny for the confusion. I said we would be prepared to make mistakes but that we would reverse them if necessary and learn from them. I hope that it is recognized that I acted in good faith and my intentions were to do the right thing and see fairness prevail. Clearly, I was wrong to intervene. I have always maintained that we should experiment with new and different ideas and it was with this in mind that I made what I thought was a fair call. I regret that I got involved, that I overruled a supervisor and I regret this storm in a teacup."

I don't believe de Villiers is the best person to comment on whether his actions amount to a mere storm in a teacup. This is a monumental FARCE. Tennis has had a terrible time lately. 2007 will go down as an annus horribilus for tennis.

 

[stmookeyj]

I smelt a rat from the time it was introduced in Adelaide. I believe it was Gasquet who only needed to win a set in his 2nd match to guarantee a spot in the quarters, and he then basically threw the match once he won the 1st set (forget who he played).

 

[davidgoes4wce]

Del potro= well reknown fixer

If you have followed Argentines in tennis especially betting-wise, you can see the fixes before your very eyes.

People on the Betfair forum have been thru it all and many have had their money burnt.

One thing I can gurantee you in 2008, no more round robin in fact it happened in the tournament in Bueones Aires a few weeks earlier.

Round Robin= Fixed matches, crowd disinterest and players retiring to help them progress. In fact dont be suprised if they get rid of it for the rest of thee year

 

[davidgoes4wce]

I have not had entered into a single trade in a RR tournament - I think the system does not lend itself to trading because I have to be sure that the players are totally motivated in a match. I won't touch them - never.

This has nothing to do with 'match-fixing' or anything like that it is a question of player motivation. The traditional 'knockout' tournament provides an all or nothing match which you can interpret player motivation more easily and avoids ridiculous situations that have arisen with ' Blake and the Las Vegas debacle'.

Who the hell thought that there was a demand for such a format ? And I'm not just talking about the concerns of punters / traders etc.......I'm talking about creating demand from genuine tennis fans......with this format you get dead rubbers with nothing riding on the match....how exciting ????

 

[ShearMagic9]

How crap

 

[Geddy Lee]

Del potro= well reknown fixer

If you have followed Argentines in tennis especially betting-wise, you can see the fixes before your very eyes.

People on the Betfair forum have been thru it all and many have had their money burnt.

One thing I can gurantee you in 2008, no more round robin in fact it happened in the tournament in Bueones Aires a few weeks earlier.

Round Robin= Fixed matches, crowd disinterest and players retiring to help them progress. In fact dont be suprised if they get rid of it for the rest of thee year

How the **** can you be a well renown fixer at the age of 18 (the youngest player in the Top 100)?

 

[Cameron_K]

If Indian Wells was Round Robin Fed would still be in

 

[Ginola]

How the **** can you be a well renown fixer at the age of 18 (the youngest player in the Top 100)?

Exactly Geedy Lee, thats the scary bit when someone that young is renowned as a fixer.

These players i feel can make a lot more money from betfair than they could on the tour there whole career.

We can't stop that unfortunately.

 

[Geddy Lee]

I'd like to see some evidence shown that JMDP is a chronic match fixer at the age of 18.

 

[red+black]

The Round Robin system is to be retired. Upcoming tournaments that were to use the system will revert to traditional knock-out.