YEC and Worlds: a few suggestions

Compiling the Race standings after the first leg, I was wondering if some changes are needed after the number of players has gone down to 36-38. With 24 spots for the Worlds singles, only about a dozen of posters will fail to qualify and with the usual withdrawals figures during the off-season, we might need newbies to fill empty spots, just like it has already happened for this year's Worlds doubles. In other words, the Race standings might become completely useless, as it's likely everyone will get in anyway. :shrug:

I have two suggestions and I would like it to discuss with you all before acting like a tyrant and do whatever I please just for the sake of it. :devil:


First idea: YEC

Like in the WTA Tour, we may use the Race for the Year-End Championships with the best 8 singles players and 4 doubles pair. The YEC would take place during the off-season, using the 2008 legs values (there are a couple of formats I would like to test before making a final decison about the details).


Second idea: changes for the Worlds

A main draw size reduction or qualies for newbies in the 2009 first leg might be a solution, but I've also considered the chance to keep the current format and change the qualification system, giving out some spots leg by leg: e.g. in each leg the singles finalists and doubles winners qualify directly for the Worlds, with the remaining spots assigned at the end of the season by YER.


I'm open to any suggestion. ;)

Hi Doc! :wavey:

I like the idea of having one event that is bit more special and that requires you to do well all season long to qualify. So, I like the Race rankings. :)

As for it being either YEC or Worlds, I like both ideas, but not the size of the draws you suggested. :p If we keep losing players, we could try 16 singles and 8 doubles. No qualies. So really, the same draw sizes for both YEC and Worlds, and we can either play it as YEC in the off-season or Worlds during the 2009 season. Perhaps I'll change my mind about the YEC after you post the format. ;)

I'd love a YEC in the off-season. 8 singles and 4 doubles is okay with me as well, only the very best should play YEC (I'll regret this when I end at the 9th place in singles ;))

If it's only 8 singles, we need a round-robin format. :p And 4 doubles are so not fun. :ras: You wouldn't even make the doubles YEC at the moment. You would be the first one out. :p

If there was a YEC, I'd probably still be playing singles.

It gives you something to aim at and would be a great idea IMHO.

An off-season YEC will be organized for sure (an elite event as The Crow suggested, and something to aim throughout the season following the advice by Kuilli and Kart ;) ). 8 or 16 singles players and 4 or 8 doubles pairs, the number of spots will vary according to the format. I have 2 different ideas and I'm making a few tests to find out the best solution. :cool:

As for the Worlds, I do think I'm going to change the qualification system with 3 spots assigned after each leg to the singles finalists and the Race leader: checking last year's standings after the withdrawals, the final line-up would have been exactly the Race top 24. With the current system, top 20 + 4 wild cards, we ended up with 23 of the top 24 (Polishprodigy instead of GracefulVenus was the only difference). As last year's stats suggest the overall result is the same, I like the idea of having 2 different goals for the legly Race: showing the standings for the YEC and giving out Worlds spots right away.

If there was a YEC, I'd probably still be playing singles.

It gives you something to aim at and would be a great idea IMHO.


There will be a YEC. :D

If you feel like coming back in singles and you make up your mind in the next 2 weeks, I can include you in the 2nd leg singles draw already as you did post a valid set of players for doubles and Fed Cup. ;)

Let's see if Kart is brave enough to join the singles. :p