tennis, life and a few things in between

2010 Metro USTA Leagues Queens Mixed Playoff Regulations
Gee, the Rules wasn’t enough?

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usta Q playoff10qnsmxd

Our match against Kings Park was pretty competitive. Their captain teamed up with a young guy whom I questioned if he’s just out of college. He laughed and said ‘I wish’. Oh well, guess I forgot my 老花镜 presbyopic glasses.

We won first two games but then lost the set at 2-6. I thought .. .. it’s going to be over soon because the kid is really good, could fly, jump and dump, basically getting to everything, and the lady was a solid 3.5. But then my partner who did most lifting (as usually) came alive in the second set, sealed it with a assertive backhand cross court.

Wow .. we actually won it 6:4.
Was it mental or physical? Perhaps both. My partner’s enthusiasm certainly boosted my energy level too. But unfortunately I ran out of steam in the third set super tie break – lost it at 10:5.

Afterward, when I checked their rating did I realize that their combined rating was 7.5: he’s newly minted 4.0 but playing as 3.5 . So it was 6.5 vs 7.5. One of the match I played in January, my partner was a 4.0 and we faced 4.0 guy and 3.5 gal: 7.0 vs 7.5.
Those occurances were due to year end rating because Long Island and Manhattan start their Mixed Doubles league before the year end ranking becomes available. So whomever joined the team at their then-current level could play at that level regardless they were upgrade to a higher level or down graded.  I was very surprised to see this happening. On one hand the USTA obsessively promotes and guards the NTRP to even out the playing field while on the other hand allows this kind of open cheating – potentially 8.0 too, plays in a 7.0 league. It seems very hypercritical.

Why doesn’t the league add a provision that should a player get bumped up at year end, s/he either resigns from the team (but the matches played stay; and fees refunded) if s/he couldn’t find appropriated ranked teammate OR play with their new ranking?  Isn’t this the whole point of having a rating system in the first place??? – than openly cheat for a season?
Beam enlighten me up, Scotty

A perfect score! Yap, we did it, closed it out the season with our 7th shutout. I knew few teammates might have expected it but for me the newbie, it’s still a thrill. Big hearty thanks to Captain Bill and Su, and to everyone on the team, we did it together. Thank you all. Also thanks for putting up with me. The good news is we made playoffs .. phew .. but the bad news is sorry that you’ll have to endure me for few more weeks .. deep sigh.
Contrary to my last outing, the opposing team’s vibe was very positive and I enjoyed their captain Lillian very much: no nonsense, down to earth and very gracious.

We went out after last match of the regular season was played on 3/21
It’s what I would considered a perfect match: no questionable line calls that made everyone uncomfortably and no disagreements that causing funny body language, at all! Although few lines I would have let it go but Simon called it out firmly and IF they disagreed, they didn’t show.
We finished our match as the second string within an hour but there were tensed moments. I was bit exhausted from the AM game, mindlessly double faulting and most gravely, kept playing back to the guy to a point Simon questioned my sanity exasperatedly:
“CAN you tell a man from a woman!?”
Ya sure they all have two legs … JK
Weeeelll .. I’m a heterosexual and attracted to the Handsome than Pretty! 🙂 Ok, the truth’s: I was lazy.

The other two matches were all very close. I returned to the court just as our first doubles battled theirs way to match point. Unbeknown to me and when I saw the players from court 4 were leaving (we played at the old bubble on court 1-3; #1 is by the revolving door), I dash to court 2 (to get my drink), not once but twice as Anna was waiting to serve out the match – sorry Missy. I did only because there were other players crossing and I didn’t know it’s the match point. Trust me, I’m not totally dumb and disrespectful!
The third doubles played a real-life husband/wife team. The match was the last one to finish. Simon went over and cheered, for both teams but the wife told him to stop clapping.

Lillian and I stood on court #2 and watched in distance. She regaled me some warring stories from years on the circuit about couples (after commented that the wife [on her team] is very intense.): one couple who would argue on court consistently .. and over benign and petty stuff that totally unrelated to tennis: like who left the toilet seat in the bathroom, at home. Pretty hilarious. Would they wear microphone next time?

Our opponents were pretty good last night, wonder why they’re the bottom team?

I too, wondered.

Can’t take anyone lightly!

One point at time.

At the conclusion of all the matches, we two captains got to shake hands – my only one thus far. Wished there would be more. It’s only a game and friendship should be forged, not ill feelings being manufactured.

1st doubles: 6:4, 7:5
2nd doubles: 6:2, 6:2
3rd doubles: 6:4, 6:4

Wai has a way of endearing himself to his opponents.

I’ve been told many times by women of my endearing ways.

During a game his partner was serving and didn’t call out the scores. It was 40:15 with him at the net asking if it’s 30 all.
So 30 all it was.
But after they won the next point, he suddenly remembered that his opponents only won 1 point in this game.
So he went to the net again, to dispute ..
[Not much you could argue at this point since both sides agreed on 30 all.]
So he gave them the point. So it was 40:30. So they lost next point. So it’s deuce. So Sir Wai said informatively mixed with innocence,
“Oh its sudden death now.”
“What???”
The opponent’s Dad in the balcony watching the game with us was visibly displeased.. ..

So pleeeeeeease CALL OUT the scores! It’s only fair. If you don’t, don’t be annoyed when your opponents does.

The opposing team wasn’t in the playoff hunt but they dumped their first doubles by sending in a 3.5/3.0 combo while putting two 3.5 in their third doubles (I played the girl last summer). It’s not illegal but not very decent either: the idea of a proper lineup is to put your strongest pair at the top, in order to give your opponents a competitive game. The girl in the first doubles clearly had no clue or was too intimidated who often didn’t know where the ball was and what position she should take. Wai tried to engage her into the game by handing out freebies and candies, but she still couldn’t handle them.

After I saw her double faulting for no reason, didn’t you notice I slowed everything down and hit easier shots to her. I didn’t want to embarrass her in front of her parents.

More sportsmanship than gamesmanship. Way to go!

The following day was birthday of our identical twins. Another teammate just celebrated her 29th birthday the day before, a Pacific Ocean away. Having fleeced her out of cake couple of month ago I felt obligated to donate one myself. Errrrrrrr .. you guys have become expensive, ha ha ha. We had the cake after the match. Wai got mauled over with kisses and hugs and being adapted as a kid bro. Great team bonding only short of sleeping together. That, isn’t my business but won’t mind to be kept in the loop :).

Who’s birthday is in April, pls raise your hand. Another excuse to cheer!! The Black Forest Cake has become bit stale. It’s probably time to visit Veniero’s or Ferrara.

1st – 6:2, 6:1
2nd – 6:0, 6:1
3rd – 4:6, 4:6

This tabulation is based on the results of top four teams in Queens and Manhattan – 2010 Mixed Doubles Leagues Adults 7.0.

Although team Hockett had the best stats in Manhattan group during the regular season but they lost in the first round to Kim/Seto 1:2. Team Regione performed well in the playoffs, sweeping their way to win the Area championship: handed team Abdolai a bagel on Feb 27 and Kim/Seto an egg on Feb 28.

It all comes down to the moment, one point at time.

Expending an existing tourney or a league series on My Tennis Group is easy (for example .. .. you made the playoffs or want to add more matches to it ..).
_________________________________
+ MyHome   + MyProfile   + MyGroups
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.. from the pull down menu of
-> MyGroups
-> -> Manage Groups
-> -> -> Schedule
-> -> -> + Add A Match (upper left corner)
See below ..
..

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PS ..

Field of Dreams .. If you build it , he they will come

In the beginning of the season, I was debating if to use this site to manage my team; and had to arm twisting and leg wrestling some one into comply. Now I’m amazed and surprised to see everyone has confirmed their availability on the sectional playoff on 4/11 that I just added, quickly and quietly. The surprise is due to the fact that I chose not to inform the group because I had sent out an evite before I figured out how to add an additional match. Didn’t want to trouble them twice. Well, it sent out anyway. ..

THANKS a ton teamo, I really appreciated it. We’ll continuously do well as a team!!!!

You’re out. .. 2009 Regulation 3.04A

No dynamic disqualification of Year-end Computer (C) or Benchmark (B) players

Each NTRP Level is followed by a letter code indicating the type of rating.
The following identifies who can and cannot be dynamically disqualified
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How Dynamic Ratings are Calculated for a Specific Match
In matches where all players have previous ratings the procedure is as follows:

1. The system looks up the current dynamic rating of all the players in the match.
2.  The system looks up from a table, the likely score of the match based on the current dynamics of the players.
3. The system compares the likely match score with the actual match score. For example, if one player or team has a tenth of a point higher rating than the opponent, the likely score is 6-4, 6-4.
• If the winning team wins by a larger than expected margin, each player’s ratings is increased based on the margin of victory and the losing player’s rating is decreased by the same amount.
• If the winning team wins by less than the expected margin, their ratings will actually decrease and the losing team’s ratings will increase.
• Likewise, the “wrong” team may win which causes their rating to increase markedly and the rating of the team which was favored would decrease by the same amount.
4. The rating obtained for each player in Step #3 is averaged with a maximum of their previous three dynamic ratings and that number becomes their new current dynamic rating. (Indirectly this connects the current dynamic to all previous matches but weights the four most recent matches more heavily.) The reason for this averaging is to even out the ratings in cases where some unusual situation causes an atypical result.

Each player rating is maintained in the system to the nearest hundredth of a point.

The difference in ratings of the members of a doubles team is held constant in a calculation of an individual match. If the two players are three hundredths (.03) of a point apart going into the match then they are three hundredths (.03) apart after the calculation in Step #4. However, once that number is averaged with the
three previous dynamic ratings (Step #5) that difference may change. This is how we measure the performance of players as they change partners.

Friday, March 05, 2010 12:07 PM ET
By Bill Gray

Some 94,000 USTA League players—about 30 percent of those who competed last year in the association’s adult, senior and super senior age divisions based on their NTRP ratings—had their NTRP ratings changed for the 2010 League Championship year.
That almost doubles the number of players whose levels were changed in 2008.

At the end of each year, the National Tennis Rating Program computer weighs the results of all USTA League players (it considers their win-loss records and the quality of the opponents they’ve played, among other factors) to determine which players need to be promoted or moved down in regard to ratings. The USTA’s decision to promote more players than ever was based on its desire to retain the integrity of the NTRP guidelines after a study was conducted by the USTA National Oversight Group. That study, which included input from staff, volunteers, team captains and players, found a “growing disconnect” between what the NTRP guidelines state and what actual player levels are.

The study found that many players have skills and capabilities that go beyond the NTRP Guidelines for the various categories. For example, the guidelines state that 3.0-level players “lack control when trying for directional intent,” 3.5 players “lack a variety of shots,” and 4.0 players “only occasionally force errors when serving.”

To combat this discrepancy between guidelines and ratings, a higher percentage of players were promoted this year—particularly among players and teams that have dominated local leagues year after year—so that the levels of play will more accurately reflect the guideline’s skill descriptions.

“We’re trying to level the playing field and create a better local league experience for all players, not just the segment that only wants to play at the national championships,” says Dave Schobel, the USTA’s Director of Competitive Play.

In the past, some players have purposely “played down” below their skill level in order to more easily advance to regional, state and national championships. “When I started playing USTA League 25 years ago, I came in as a 4.0 and was really proud to get to 4.5,” says Julia Capara of Grosse Pointe, Mich. “Now it looks like 4.5s aspire to be 4.0s just so they can get to nationals.”

Those who “play down” have been a major cause of oversaturation at the 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 levels that currently comprise about 271,000 of the 324,000 total USTA League players. The adjustments in ratings are intended to create more players at the 4.5 and 5.0 levels, so there will be more opportunity for local play in these divisions.

The most telltale sign that something was askew was a significant number repeat playoff winners, says Larry Jones, who created and runs the TennisLink computer system as the USTA’s NTRP coordinator. He says the odds of the same player reaching one of the 17 section championships should be something like 20-1 based on the size of their section, but certain players have made it that far for five consecutive years. “Something is up if someone can pull off an unlikely event like that several times in a row,” he says.

It is a very complicated formula. Someone told me all matches officially counts but realistically, if you play the mens/womens matches, the mixed can get to be be insignificant. You are given a rating after the 1st match. Every match after that is averaged in. So, if you play a lot of the mens/womens season, the mixed will be just a fraction of your rating. If you play a weak team and win but with a 7-5, it is counted against you since you are expected to win by a big margin. If you play a super strong team and lose by 5 – 7, that actually is in your favor. The computer knows what the scores should be based on the people playing. We know a person that got bumped up playing 3 matches and losing 2 out of the 3!!! That is because she played against strong people but meanwhile, her partners in those 3 matches did not get bump up. Go figure.