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Feb 28th, 2013, 06:42 AM
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#1
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Indo-Europhile
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Silk Road
Posts: 28,050
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Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Ok, I have to admit it has been a long time since I've looked at the Top 100 ranked players on the WTA. I only looked because Serena's No. 1.
I was shocked to find that so many players are playing so many tournaments. I went back to a WTA top 100 list back in 1992 and found one player playing 22 tournaments. That was the most by anyone in the top 100.
Now there are over 60 players playing more than 22 tournaments. The most is someone playing 33 tournaments? What?  Is this normal? How long has it been like this?
Back in 1992, Seles and Graf used to play like 14 tournaments. They'd be considered part-time players by today's standards?
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Feb 28th, 2013, 06:48 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 288
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Money and rankings.
I would say, that first of all there are more tournaments. And if all are playing more tournamens, you have to do it the same way (rankings).
Well, and on the other side is the money. Its expensive to be a pro. And you have to collect as many money you can until you are ~30. What will you do after your career?
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Feb 28th, 2013, 07:08 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,381
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
When you bomb out early playing 25 tournaments it's not that hard, if you want to keep your ranking, score some prize money and just trying to win. I think more fair to look into how many matches players play in a year instead of going by tournament count
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Feb 28th, 2013, 07:14 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,734
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Not everyone gets to earn like Maria while playing few tournaments. Money and rankings drive players like Errani to play so much. Same case for Wozniacki and Jankovic a few years ago.
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Feb 28th, 2013, 07:22 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,319
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Ranking criteria is different.
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Feb 28th, 2013, 07:24 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,052
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Thank you Vika 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShiftyFella
When you bomb out early playing 25 tournaments it's not that hard, if you want to keep your ranking, score some prize money and just trying to win. I think more fair to look into how many matches players play in a year instead of going by tournament count
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Yeah, this. Most of the players who play 25-30+ tournaments are only lasting long enough to play 1 or 2 matches per tourney  So it even out with the top girls who play 14-16 but go deep in every one of them.
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Feb 28th, 2013, 07:52 AM
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#7
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-PREMIUM MEMBER-
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 298
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
1st: julia cohen 37 tournament
2nd : 34
3rd : 33
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Feb 28th, 2013, 08:42 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Aachen, Germany
Posts: 24,426
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
90s is not a great reference for this because the divisor ranking system was still in place.
Early 2000s seems to be similair to today though.
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Feb 28th, 2013, 08:48 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9,357
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
When you're only playing a match or two per tournament, which is the case for most of the players outside the top 50, I think you'd need to play as many tournaments as you can just to keep a bit of match rhythm. I'm really quite shocked that only one top 100 player was playing 22 tournaments in 1992. Most players ranked 50 and lower must have been playing very few matches then.
It's different for top players, but except for Serena and to some extent Vika nobody is consistently dominating the tournaments they play like Steffi and Monica did in the 90s. Serena played 13 tournaments last year, so that isn't any different from the older generation I think. I can also see Vika lowering her number of tournaments as well if she continues to perform as well as she has the last year. But even she only played 17 tournaments last year. Maria played 14.
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Feb 28th, 2013, 09:57 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Velenje
Posts: 30,877
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
and if you add doubles ...
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Feb 28th, 2013, 10:17 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: hiding in my bed
Posts: 8,071
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
i blame the roadmap.
and too many three-tournament weeks.
*not* playing this week is crazy for non top50 players. there is huge points and cash.
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Feb 28th, 2013, 10:20 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 12,388
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam L
Ok, I have to admit it has been a long time since I've looked at the Top 100 ranked players on the WTA. I only looked because Serena's No. 1.
I was shocked to find that so many players are playing so many tournaments. I went back to a WTA top 100 list back in 1992 and found one player playing 22 tournaments. That was the most by anyone in the top 100.
Now there are over 60 players playing more than 22 tournaments. The most is someone playing 33 tournaments? What? Is this normal? How long has it been like this?
Back in 1992, Seles and Graf used to play like 14 tournaments. They'd be considered part-time players by today's standards? |
There are 52 weeks in a year. So, if one plays 33 tournaments (and probably don't go further than QF) it means such players have almost 20 weeks for resting. Plus, they chosen to be professional athletes so it's their job to play and earn for a living that way.
Can You think of another job with at least 20 weeks off during a year?!?! 
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Feb 28th, 2013, 10:20 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Belgrade/Zemun
Posts: 13,069
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Cause they (think) that they can. It's as simple as that.
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Tennis is not the same without BRIE WHITEHEAD
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Feb 28th, 2013, 10:28 AM
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#14
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Destroyer of worlds
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,613
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam L
Ok, I have to admit it has been a long time since I've looked at the Top 100 ranked players on the WTA. I only looked because Serena's No. 1.
I was shocked to find that so many players are playing so many tournaments. I went back to a WTA top 100 list back in 1992 and found one player playing 22 tournaments. That was the most by anyone in the top 100.
Now there are over 60 players playing more than 22 tournaments. The most is someone playing 33 tournaments? What? Is this normal? How long has it been like this?
Back in 1992, Seles and Graf used to play like 14 tournaments. They'd be considered part-time players by today's standards? |
you cant compare journeywomen to those two, only Serena and Maria. And neither of them playing 16 tournaments in a season.
20 tournaments isnt really much if the player losing 10 first rounds. And just becuase the lower ranked played less back then doesnt mean they didnt wanted to play more, but something prevented that.
Main reasons probably:
- more tournaments, more prize money now.
- rankign system change. (divisor system punished who played too much.)
- faster, easier travel then 20 years ago. (even between Europe & North America)
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Feb 28th, 2013, 10:38 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Belgrade/Zemun
Posts: 13,069
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Re: Why are players playing so many tournaments?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ivanban
There are 52 weeks in a year. So, if one plays 33 tournaments (and probably don't go further than QF) it means such players have almost 20 weeks for resting. Plus, they chosen to be professional athletes so it's their job to play and earn for a living that way.
Can You think of another job with at least 20 weeks off during a year?!?! |
It's no like they are resting while they aren't playing. They are actually working almost every day, with up 20 days of total rest during a year. But yeah, in general I agree with you. No one is making them play, they choose it, and they have a chance to earn a lot of money by doing something they (should) love. Plus they are traveling around the world. So I'm not shedding any tears for any of them
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Why are players playing so many tournaments?
