If qualifying finishes today as scheduled, qualifiers will be placed sometime on Friday evening UK time, but you are welcome to enter before that if you need to, as long as you don't mind picking matches involving qualifiers 'blind'.
As last year, 16 main draw matches are due to be played this weekend, so entries will close at 09.00 GMT (10 am UK / 11.00 CET / 5 am US EDT) on SUNDAY.
With a Sunday deadline, I doubt we will hit the 500 entrant limit this time, but there is an outside chance that we might. If we do, anyone in the top 250 of the overall rankings after Rome will get in as long as they enter before the deadline, but other places will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. So, if you are not in the top 250, I would suggest not leaving it until the very last minute to enter.
There are links to the overall rankings, entries processed so far (which will be updated every few hours) and a more detailed explanation of how the 500 entrant limit would work if it was needed at http://www.britishtennis.net/Competitions.html.
Roland Garros BOTB history
Roland Garros BOTB had 43 entries in 2007, when the Shedman (BT) won it (as with me winning Rome that year, something tells me that's never going to happen again!) with goldfish (BT) in 2nd, kayce (AM) in 3rd and AM.com winning the team competition, which was still just AM v BT at that stage.
In 2008, it had nearly eight times as many entrants (340) and hebegeebee (IN), the only entrant who picked Monfils to reach the semis, won by some distance, with Linda (AM) 2nd and Jack (TA) 3rd.
TAT won the teams league and finished 3rd in the KO on their debut and of course they have just completed their first year as a BOTB team by taking over the no. 1 spot in the overall rankings. The team they dislodged from the top slot, Team CC, finished 2nd in the teams league at RG 2008 and won the KO. This means that two of the top three teams in the overall rankings have masses of points to defend, which should makes things even more interesting! The Dammitaires finished 3rd last time.
Overall rankings
If you missed them at the time, the overall team and individual rankings after Rome can be found at http://www.britishtennis.net/pickem/ranking.htm?n=1 - note that the points for both MC 2008 and Rome 2008 came off after Rome 2009 since we dropped MC this year, it no longer being a mandatory ATP event.
Up next ...
The next BOTB after RG will of course be the one for Wimbledon.
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
Just a quick note to say that Team CC are running a competition along similar lines for the women's draw and they'd be happy to have some people from here taking part. If anyone wants to have a go, the instructions are at http://centrecourtmag.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2671.
It works a bit like the way we used to do it when we had less entrants - you fill in a spreadsheet in much the same way as you fill in the BOTB entry form and that produces a list of match winners that you pasete into another thread on their forum.
-- Edited by steven on Saturday 23rd of May 2009 11:22:32 AM
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
Just submitted my entry and that was definately the most dificult yet. Well done on doing this time and time again Steven, i can't imagine how much back-room work there is on this!
Thanks. A fair amount, you could say LOL - I never seem to get time to do a proper job on my own picks these days, at least not while I'm properly awake!
The poster above you also does a lot of work, particularly while entries are coming in, and tends to get a bit forgotten in all this sometimes, but believe me, these contests would not be feasible without Bethan being involved too, she does a superb job.
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
Thanks to the pick-em's team. As mentioned above it is difficult enough to pick your own, let alone organize all of this!
A bit off-topic I know Just looking at the opening match on freeview I am amazed at the number of vacant seats, more than 50% - this would never happen at Wimbledon would it?
I think you'll find that a lot of people are just buying their drinks and sandwiches, checking the site out, taking longer than they thought to get through security etc but in all honesty, there always seem to be a lot of vacant seats at RG which, as you say, doesn't seem to happen at Wimbledon. Having said that, last year the couple sitting next to me on centre court sat through the first half of the first match then disappeared for the rest of the day and never came back. So irritating when you know people are desperate for places.
Back to the pick 'em. You've done such an amazing job, Steven and Bethan, that my husband suddenly decided last night that he'd have a go for the first time. He's interested in the tennis but doesn't follow it like I do. He's picked on the basis of seeds, nationality and how he liked the sound of the names! You'll be pleased to know that he decided not to play for this team but as an individual in case he upset the balance. Having said that, there's no way I'm going to repeat last year's performance so I might be playing as an individual next time too!
My start has been absolutely disastrous. 3 games and 3 losers so far..why I went for Lu when I knew he had been down with flu and had to retire from previous matches i have no idea
Kendrick...of all the clay court mugs out there he is the worst absolute joke he managed to win.
Lu...I picked him to reach R3 what's the point in playing when your not fully fit?
Querrey losing to the most out of form player on the tour? Pathetic.
Gremelamyr, Granollers two matches involving players I couldn't care less about but they are both clear favourites and get beat and in Gremelmayr's case thrashed.
Karlovic...what on earth possessed me to pick him to win a round at a Grand Slam I really don't know, every single time this happens and I still picked him. I have to blame myself for this one.