Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[ashkor87]

the prediction about bagel sets probably did hold up, though the data is hard to get hold of...

[ti-amie]

I'm really enjoying Ashkor's predictive posts. I don't respond because I suck at it but I read them all. Good work for Indian Wells!

On to Miami.

[ashkor87]

Not a perfect experiment, but in order to make it more reliable, one tournament is not enough. We would need at least 10-15 predictions per player.
Too much effort because, as you say, for one tournament anything can happen. For example, a Cirstea doing a crazy one and beating a top player, only to lose to the 150 ranked player in the next round.

true..
let us agree in advance what court is slow and what is fast? I propose:
Slow: IW and Miami
the entire clay season except Madrid (altitude makes it more like a fast court)
Washington DC

Fast:
Australian, Shanghai,Paris (indoor), Turin, Dubai
all the rest are in-between (and geting slower!)

just to continue this line of thought, let me also name the players who will do well and not, based on their style of play
On fast courts:
Sinner, Medvedev, De Minaur will do well - women: Pegula, Coco, Vekic, Alexandrova, Sloane
On slow courts;
Zverev, Alcaraz, Rublev will do well,
women: Sabalenka, Rybakina, Samsonova, Vondrousova, Kostyuk, Pavlyuchenkova, Keys, Krejcikova will do well.

Djokovic and Swiatek are too great, will do well anywhere.

[Fastbackss]

I'm really enjoying Ashkor's predictive posts. I don't respond because I suck at it but I read them all. Good work for Indian Wells!

On to Miami.

His predictions are substantial enough that, if followed, they exceed the vigorish. Not that I would know that...but if he wants a cut of the profits...

[ashkor87]

He he thanks

[ashkor87]

Just to clarify...the point isn't my predictions..the point is the experiment I am conducting, to test whether the speed of the court makes a difference..so I made some predictions based on the court speed and the playing style of certain players...will keep at it, but I am not trying to engage in a private prediction contest, not at all..

[ponchi101]

You can engage in all prediction contests you want. I will keep saying it: we are here to talk about tennis.

[ashkor87]

https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/co ... -and-miami
The balls at Miami are heavier...than at IW.
Supports ponchi's point
@ponchi101

[ti-amie]

José Morgado
@josemorgado
Former Azarenka's boyfriend Redfoo supporting Azarenka's opponent Stearns in Miami.

Bastien Fachan @BastienFachan There are so many layers to this



I nominate this for the understatement of the year...

[ashkor87]

As a volleyer, I always preferred heavier balls, harder for my opponent to hit a passing shot, wonder if volleyers like Michelsen-Paul -Leylah-Taylor would agree...

[ashkor87]

the court being slow and balls/conditions making it even more so, the powerful Yastremska should be able to overpower Sakkari..let us see what happens.

[ponchi101]

As a S&V, I also always liked heavier balls. My 1st serve worked better and, if I could hit the volley, it felt crispier.

[ashkor87]

Amazing how many good players (women) the Czech machine produces! Kvitova, Pliskova, Krejcikova, Muchova, Noskova..and what is amazing is how different they are from each other...not peas in a pod, not at all...

[ponchi101]

They are indeed not equal, but they all have the same good fundamentals. There are no quirky shots, the serves are all very polished bio-mechanically, they may prefer playing from the back because that is the modern way but they are good at the net too.
Suliso has said it. The Czechs do something different, because for such a small country, their tennis output is ridiculous.

[skatingfan]