[Volcana]

The Significance of Number of Tournaments Played

What we have in the top ten.

17 Davenport<br />17 Capriati<br />12 V. Williams<br />18 Hingis<br />26 Clijsters<br />10 S.Williams<br />24 Henin<br />26 Dokic<br />20 Mauresmo<br />14 Seles

4 players who play a very average number of tournaments.<br />3 players who played a lot more than average. (The three youngest. Qu'el surprise.)<br />3 players who played a lot less than average.

This would indicate that how often you play is of little relevance to final ranking.<br />That's also a bit counter-intuitive.

Take the two lowest ranked top 'tenors'.

2981 Dokic 26 Tournaments 111.19/tr (111 points from worst tournaments results not counted in ranked.)<br />2306 Seles 14 Tournaments 161.74/tr

Monica's per tournament average blow<br />s away Jelena.<br />But is that an indicator of relative skill?<br />Is it a predictor of future results?

Jelena is the player with the higher ranking, and she's been playing well.<br />Her ranking isn't a residual effect of wins 10 months ago.

But 111.19/tr vs. 161.74/tr.

That really isn't close.

Of course, I could apply the same logic to a rather more popular player, Henin.

3009 Henin 22 Tournaments 136.77/tr (29 points from worst 4 tournaments not counted in ranking)

But 136.77/tr vs. 161.74/tr.

But Justine made a GS final, and Monica didn't.

That's an indication that that '17 best/17 Tournaments' system is better than 'Total Points/Total Tournaments.'<br />Because it indicates that Justine should have better success in a given tournament, surface aside.

Is it an advantage to play more tournaments or fewer?<br />The numbers don't seem to care.

And the top two both played exactly the minimum.

[THe next few posts refer to calculation problems I have since tried to fix. Boild Egg amd Sam L were quite correct.]

[ December 03, 2001: Message edited by: Volcana ]</p>

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

Volcana ..... Dokic has more points than 2780 if you're dividing the points by # of tourns.<br /> <br />but interesting anyway

 

[Sam L]

Yep that's what I thought TBE <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> cause that's only her BEST 17 results!!! Likewise with Justine Henin of course...

 

[Volcana]

I'm not so sure of that. What do you think Jelena's total points are?

Rememebr, she had 3 first round losses, 5 second round losses. So she's only getting significant points from 18 tournaments. Five 3r losses as well.

Every source on the internet I've found so far gives her 2780 points. With 8 tournaments that yield her less than 100 aggregate points, I think 2780 is all she's got.

[ December 03, 2001: Message edited by: Volcana ]</p>

 

[Volcana]

Jelena's total points 2891

36 San Diego<br />36 Amelia Island<br />32 Berlin 32 2ND I <br />2 Australian Open<br />1 Leipzig <br />1 Knokke-Heist <br />1 Vienna <br />1 Birmingham<br />1 Charleston

111 more points

Justine Henin - Tenniscorner says 22 tournament, not 24. <br />Tournamets not in total

26 Miami <br />1 Linz <br />1 Moscow <br />1Scottsdale

29 more points

I will now make the appropriate corrections in the initial thread. Thanks for pointing out the error.

 

[kimclijsters4ever]

And Kim has also played 22 tournies in stead of 26

 

[Brian Stewart]

If you're counting tour events (those carrying ranking points), the totals should be:

Clijsters- 22<br />Henin- 22<br />Mauresmo- 16

It's tough taking rankings accumulated over a best-X season, and conforming them to an average system. (But I'm doing it anyway. <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> ) Also, 2 factors to keep in mind: the more you play, the more you lose (physical and mental fatigue, others getting a better read on your game, etc.); and players who play lighter schedules tend to tailor them to their prefered surfaces, which will result in a higher average.

Another way to interpret the numbers is this:

In any tournament in which Monica and Jelena play, Monica is more likely to go deep into the tournament. However, in any given tournament at random, Jelena is more likely to be seen in the later rounds, because she's more likely to be entered into the tournament.

 

[disposablehero]

Monica is certainly not feeling the residual effects of points earned 10 months ago. I'd estimate about 75% of her points were earned between late July and mid October.

 

[Volcana]

dh - Of course not. That was a dig at the ranking system, not player. If I was aiming at a player, I'd have to aim at my own fave. Venus hasn't played since the USOpen and her ranking hasn't slipped at all. Actually, I think its gone up. From #4 to #3.

 

[Selestion]

But, that was due to the fact that Martina wasn't able to play for the rest of the season. So that result is only contingent on other players, and not that of Venus.