Translation
If you're reading this in week 4 of 2026, you will understandably believe me to be a little early with getting this competition started - we're still (almost) in the middle of A Month in the Sun and week 1 of the AO. Normally, we'd have a week off between the end of these competitions and the start of the next. But, the tournament calendar being as it is this season, means we have to get started on the 2nd of February
So, with the introduction taken care of, it's time to get into the specifics of this contest!
Pick your team
You MUST select twelve players, to be chosen from four categories. Each category contains a segment of the top-100 ranked players as per Monday, January 19 (the post AO rankings don't get published until this competition is about to start) with all priced according to their ranking. In total you will have 150 credits to spend on your 12-woman team which must consist of THREE players per category. No more, no less.
If you think you have spotted the next Serena Williams, Steffi Graf or, going back in time even further, Doris Heart, but they are currently ranked somewhere in the 100's or beyond, you have the option to put that player on your team as a "Wild Card". You may trade Wild Card players as you would any other player, but you are limited to no more than one Wild Card player on your roster for any given week. The Wild Card is optional. If you want to stick to three category D players, then by all means do so
Categories, player pricing
Category A: Players ranked 1-15. Price 16-30 credits each.
Category B: Players 16-40. Price 9-15 credits each.
Category C: Players 41-70. Price 6-8 credits each.
Category D: Players 71-100. Price 5 credits each
The deadline
Your initial team is due before the scheduled start of play (currently projected to be somewhere between 9 AM and 11 AM CET, Monday February 2) for a main draw match for week 1's tournaments, come rain, shine or koala's from Ganymede. You must post your team in the "Post Your Team Here" thread. Any and all entries posted at a later time, out-of-balance, over the 150 credits limit or in the wrong thread(s) will NOT be accepted.
Trades
Should certain players fall woefully short of expectations, a maximum of FIVE trades are available to you to get your team back in contention.
As always, any trades need to be made in the week BEFORE the next tournaments start, otherwise the traded player(s) will not earn points until the tournaments after that. There will be a "Trades" thread once the competition has started.
Remember to stick to three players from each category.
The Points, The Tournaments, The Players
Each player on your team will be awarded points depending on how deep he goes in a tournament. NOTE: Even if a player withdraws or retires from a match, you will receive full credit for the round that player reached.
The next post in this thread shows the tournaments and the points which can be won. The posts after that will list the players in each of the categories.
Rules to remember
1. No two contestants may have the same initial team, so your original 12-player team must be different from all other previously posted teams by at least one player. It is your individual responsibility to check the teams that have been posted and make sure yours does not exactly duplicate a team that already has been posted. We will do our best to check entries as they are posted to enforce this, but to save yourself some possible grief later on, we strongly urge each participant to check the teams that already have been posted and make sure your team is different to avoid disqualification.
2. Your team must consist of THREE players from EACH category at all times. Keep this in mind when making trades - any trade that upsets this requirement can not be accepted, will not earn you any points, and must be corrected at the cost of a trade before the next trade deadline if one remains.
3. Again: a team may not exceed the 150 credit cost limit. Not initially, not after trades. We always try to keep an eye on such things, but the responsibility is yours. Any initial team failing to meet this requirement can not and will not be accepted. The same goes for any trades that send you over said limit.
And Then?
Whatever happens, we can sit down and talk about it in a civilized manner in the Frequent Flyer Lounge thread, which will be opened for business once this competition gets underway and A Month in the Sun is finished.
Oh, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask in this thread.
Best of luck!
