2010 Rome Masters 'Battle of the Boards' pick 'em contest - entries close SUNDAY noon UK

steven · Tennis legend

RE: 2010 Rome Masters 'Battle of the Boards' pick 'em contest - entries close SUNDAY noon UK

SMC1809 · All-time great

At last a few results have gone my way, but I could do with Potato Scarface collapsing against Ferrer!

Pot Scar.jpg

-- Edited by SMC1809 on Wednesday 28th of April 2010 07:09:37 PM

Silver · County player

SMC1809 wrote:

At last a few results have gone my way, but I could do with Potato Scarface collapsing against Ferrer!

-- Edited by SMC1809 on Wednesday 28th of April 2010 07:09:37 PM

This is one of my favourite things EVER. Genius.

steven · Tennis legend

2010 ROME MASTERS BOTB - DAY 4 'SYNDICATED' REPORT

Ljubo 43% beat Almagro 56% and F-Loppy 13% beat ili 86%, leaving only two entrants in with any chance of scoring for the semi-finalist coming out of the top quarter - see below. In the other big swing matches, Stani 37% won an incredibly close match against Berdbrain 60% and Bellucci 48% won two tight sets v Isner 43%.

Two of the matches where the majority pick had already gone out also had a significant effect on the table - Volandri 7% beat Benneteau 21% and GGL 14% beat Hewitt 19%, though most of the entrants who got the latter right had probably picked Youzhny to get to R2 and noticed GGL's 4-0 H2H against the Russian, not his 0-1 H2H against the Aussie!

Detailed results can be found at http://www.freewebs.com/britishtennis/competitions.html and they are being updated regularly each day, with 'headlines' and the odd 'quote of the day' appearing on http://twitter.com/botb1 as well.

TEAMS

World no. 3 team TAT had an exceptionally good day, winning R2, jumping from 3rd to 1st, opening up a 0.68 point lead and ending the day with 4 in the individual top 9 including the outright leader!

World no. 5s Team CC remained in 2nd with the 3rd best score in R2, while Tennisopolis rose 2 to 3rd with the 2nd best R2 score.

Overnight leaders JM.org fell 3 places to 4th and R1 highest average scorers the Dammitaires dropped 1 more place to 5th with the lowest average score in R2, slightly worse than the R2 score for world no. 2s Rusedski.co.uk, whose quest to defend lots of points is looking very shaky after they fell 2 to last.

INDIVIDUALS

Overnight leader Robert/AIH (IN), eventually down 1 to 2nd, had a brilliant start to the day which saw him open up a 4-point lead at one stage, but mmmm8 (TA) gradually pegged him back over the second half of the day to end it as the equal top scorer on day 4 with 9/12 winners correct and the outright winner of R2 with 12/16 R2 correct to move up 2 to 1st overall by a single point.

A further point back is mwoods (TA), still in 3rd, a point ahead of two more of day 4's equal top scorers, Cain Bradley (BB), up 23 to 4th, and mysterX (TA), up 23 to 5th, just ahead of Vixs (AM), down 4 to 6th.

Jean-Marc (BT), Orn (AM) & Suliso (TA) all got 8/12 correct on Wednesday to rise 7 places to 7=, while Year of Rafa (IN), jemma (GB), marina36 (RG) & jjnow (TA) have all fallen 5 places to 10=.

ON THE RISE

The biggest risers were the remaining two entrants who got 9/12 correct on day 4 - DJ (MP), up 99 to 22nd, and Hen (MT), up 141 to 55th.

Former world no. 1 Linda (AM) and my partner in BOTB crime Imoen (BT), both up 92 to 75=, and dot (IN), up 101 to 91=, also rose more than 90 places after getting 8/12.

DODGY DROPPERS

Up 106 on Tuesday, down 133 to 198= on Wednesday - that was the fate that befell Deecoco (RN) after getting just 4/12 correct, with Fitz (JM), down 128 to 140=, falling a similar amount for the same reason. Ryzim (DF), down 92 to 213rd, and Blodwyn (AM), down 24 to 220th also got only 1 in 3 winners correct on day 4, just like the gorillas.

Lanterne rouge Mom of Twins (IN) outperformed the gorillas with 5/12 but is still the lone (human) occupant of the cage, 2 points adrift of their hairynesses and 5 points adrift of any human company.

Unusually, all of the bots are in the bottom half of the table, with the rankings bot barely inside the top 200!

OUTLOOK

Nobody still has all of their R3 winner picks alive, but 13 entrants (from Cain Bradley (BB) in 4th place all the way down to KingTiger (IN) in 210=) have only lost one so far. They include Orn (AM) in 7=, one of just two entrants who (with Ljubo) can still potentially score points for a semi-finalist from the top quarter - Austin (AM) in 145= is the other.

Everyone else has at least half of their R3 winner picks still standing except doublelix (AR) in 2nd last who has just three.

THURSDAY

All of the L16 matches are scheduled to be played on Thursday as follows:

C1: (2) Nole 96% v Bellucci 0% (1) - 3% went for Isner
P1: (6) Verdasco 93% v GGL 0% (0) - 6% went for Youzhny
C2: (WC) Gulbis 1% v Volandri 0% (0) - 99% went for Fed
P2: (7) Tsonga 37% v (Q) Giraldo 0% (0) - 61% went for JCF
C3: (13) Pics 68% v (4) Muzza 32% - could well be the match of the day
P3: (11) Ljubo 18% v Floppy 4% - 44% went for ili, 34% for Almagro
P4: (5) Sod 83% v Stani 5% - 9% went for Berdbrain
C4: (3) Rafa 100% v Hanescu 0% (0) - unanimous for Rafa

LadyTigress · County player

Good god, my dad has only lost one R3 pick so far?!?!

On a random note: FREEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOM!!!!

I've finished my degree and can now look forwards to a lovely long summer

and then graduation! biggrin

AND, it's my birthday in 12 days!

steven · Tennis legend

2010 ROME MASTERS BOTB - DAY 5 'SYNDICATED' REPORT

The big upset of the day was Stani 5% beating Sod 83% and nobody can score for a semi-finalist in the top quarter of the draw after 4% pick Floppy took out Ljubo 18%, whom two entrants had picked to reach the semis.

In the big swing match of the day, Pics Ferrer 68% was too much for Muzza 32%, despite the Scot beginning to re-find some form, while Tsonga 37% ended Giraldo's run, which was unfortunate for the 61% who had picked the Mosquito to reach the QFs and were hoping for some damage limitation.

Detailed results can be found at http://www.freewebs.com/britishtennis/competitions.html and they are being updated regularly each day, with 'headlines' and the odd 'quote of the day' appearing on http://twitter.com/botb1 as well.

TEAMS

There was no change at the top today, with world no. 3 team TAT and world no. 5s Team CC staying in 1st & 2nd, the gap between them cut only slightly to 0.6.

The biggest gainers of the day were R3 winners BT.net, up 3 to 3rd. A dead cat bounce of 2 places to 5th for the Feddies was the only other rise of more than one place.

The biggest fallers of the day were Tennisopolis, down 4 to 7th. They went heavily for Muzza to beat Pics, as did the other fallers JM.org, down 2 to 6th, and AM.com, down 1 to last.

INDIVIDUALS

mmmm8 (TA) opened up a 4-point lead by getting 6/8 quarter-finalists correct. Only two other entrants managed that and they also ended the day in the top three - Jean-Marc (BT), who moved up 5 to 2nd, and DJ (MP), up 19 to 3rd.

Cain Bradley (BB) ended the day where he started in 4th, while getting just 4/8 correct saw Robert/AIH (IN) drop back another 3 places to 5th.

Year of Rafa (IN), regained 4 places to 6th and fil-813 (IN) & Petalp (CC) both moved up 6 to 8= to join the top 10, while mwoods (TA), down 4 to 7th, and mysterX (TA), down 5 to 10th, dropped back but held onto a top 10 place.

ON THE RISE

Outside the top three, most of us got 4 or 5 quarter-finalists correct, with elisat (TA), up 81 to 115th, the fastest climber.

DODGY DROPPERS

The biggest fallers were among the half dozen entrants who only got two quarter-finalists correct. A good day for Mom of Twins (IN) saw her climb 3 places off the bottom leaving the gorillas without a captive, so who should start diving down to save them? Yes, you've guessed it, with her usual impeccable timing sallydaisy (JM), down 139 to 195th, was the faller of the day.

The others who got just 2/8 today were waylandboy-tw (TA), down 134 to 196th, Gigi (AM), down 69 to 214th, Andelius (AM), down 46 to 216th, and the new bottom two, pabbers (AM), down 3 to 221st, & doublelix (AR), down 1 to 222nd.

Amazingly, all of the bots are now down in the bottom third.

OUTLOOK

Well over 100 of us have 3 semi-finalists still standing, including 6 of the top 10, and only our favourite serial gorilla-botherer has nobody left at all.

FRIDAY

All of the L16 matches are scheduled to be played on Thursday as follows:

C1: (2) Nole 54% v (6) Verdasco 45% - the swing match of the day
C2: (13) Pics 47% v (7) Tsonga 13% - 20% went for JCF, 19% for Muzza
C3: (3) Rafa 96% v Stani 0% (0) - 3% went for Sod
C4: (WC) Gulbis v Floppy - dead match for everybody

Silver · County player

205th? Yep. Bottom 20% Best preheat the oven for Federer!

He might take a while. He should be ready on Sunday :D Feel free to come round for the feast.

indiana · Tennis legend

Minor detail before poor Roger gets roasted smile

It's not really his fault given 99% of us had him reaching the quarter finals.

LadyTigress · County player

Sigh. Far from my best ever Pick'em performance.

Still, the end of the year has always been good to me... it had better be for a third year in a row, else I have a heck of a lot of points coming off after Shanghai.

-- Edited by LadyTigress on Thursday 29th of April 2010 10:28:57 PM

Silver · County player

indiana wrote:

Minor detail before poor Roger gets roasted

It's not really his fault given 99% of us had him reaching the quarter finals.

I'm fairly sure it's partially his fault he lost like a dimwit. Anyway, Ferrer and Verdasco are saving me right now. BUT FEDERER COULD STILL GO IN THE OVEN.

steven · Tennis legend

2010 ROME MASTERS BOTB - DAY 6 'SYNDICATED' REPORT

Friday was dominated by the two big swing matches. Verdasco 45%, who seems to be fast becoming the Duracell bunny, continued to defy those of us who thought he must run out of steam at some point this week as he took out 54% pick Nole, while Pics Ferrer 47% followed up his win against Muzza by beating 13% pick Tsonga.

After Rafa 95% won too, only Gulbis (of all people) in the dead match managed to prevent a Spanish clean sweep of the QFs.

Detailed results can be found at http://www.freewebs.com/britishtennis/competitions.html and they are being updated regularly each day, with 'headlines' and the odd 'quote of the day' appearing on http://twitter.com/botb1 as well.

TEAMS & TOP 3 OUTLOOK

World no. 4 team BT.net, up 2 to 1st, not only made it to the top today, they can no longer be caught, so congratulations to them on winning the Rome team title.

World no. 3s TAT did not have a good day but had been far enough ahead that they only dropped one place to 2nd. They will stay there if Rafa and Pics make it to the Final, finish 3rd if just one of them does and drop out of the top three if neither of them do.

World no. 2s Rusedski.co.uk had another excellent day, winning the QF round and soaring 6 places from 2nd last to 3rd! They will stay in the top three unless Gulbis plays Pics in the Final and will finish 2nd if Verdasco wins his semi.

The other big risers on Friday were MTF, up 4 to 4th after finishing 2nd in the QF round. They need Pics to play Gulbis in the Final to finish in the top three and if that happens, they will finish 2nd. Completing the top 5, JM.org, up 1 to 5th, will edge into the top 3 if Gulbis plays Verdasco in the Final.

The biggest fallers were Team CC, down 5 to 7th, while there were 3-place falls to 8th for world no. 1s the Feddies, who will finish last if Rafa wins the title, and for Tennisopolis, who will stay in last place if Rafa fails to win the title.

INDIVIDUALS & TOP 3 OUTLOOK

55 entrants equal top scored with 3/4 correct. One of them, Jean-Marc (BT), up 1 to 1st, not only eliminated the 4-point gap between himself and the overnight leader, he then went and opened up a 4-point gap of his own! He will win the title if Verdasco reaches the Final or finish 2nd otherwise.

mmmm8 had a bad day, getting just 1/4 correct, but her brilliant performance over the previous two rounds stopped her from dropping more than one place. However, she will drop out of the top three whatever happens at the weekend ... unless the world ends before the semis can be played! (I'm not sure how advanced her plans for global destruction are ...)

Just behind her on tiebreak are fil-813 (IN) & Petalp (CC), both up 5 to 3=. The former will win the title if Pics reaches the Final, while the latter will finish 2nd if Nando reaches the Final unless he beats Ernests when he gets there, in which case she will drop behind Smidster (BT), up 37 to 24= today, who will then finish 2nd.

Scratchy (BT) & GVGirl (TA) both rose 6 places to 5=. The latter will finish 3rd if Verdasco reaches the Final, once again unless he beats Gulbis when he gets there.

Completing the top 10 are Vixs (AM), up 8 to 7th, Strokel (RF), up 8 to 8th, and janeInScotland (JM) & bagou (RG), both up 11 to 9=, while Hen (MT), up 12 to 13th today, will finish 3rd if Pics reaches the Final.

ON THE RISE

There were rises of more than 75 places for Yorkie (AM), up 77 to 98th, Boarder35m (MT) & Deecoco (RN), both up 77 to 110=, and riser of the day Matthew (GR), up 80 to 114th.

DODGY DROPPERS

One of just four entrants who failed to get a single semi-finalist correct, Dark_Necrofear (CC), down 123 to 175th, was the biggest faller of the day. The other three who drew a blank were BillBaker (TN), down 97 to 198th, Daniel/Belgarath1981 (RF), down 28 to 215th, and sallydaisy (JM), down 22 to 217th.

Sally is just too late to challenge for another lanterne rouge - that 'honour' will go to doublelix (AR) if Gulbis reaches the Final, but if Rafa beats Ernests in the semis, pabbers (AM) will be able to join the exclusive society known as 'les Lanternes Rouges des Forums Murray'!

Bo****ch - Billy the Bookie is now in the bottom 10%!

SATURDAY

It is probably fairly clear from the top three possibilities covered above that in BOTB terms, the all-Spanish semi is by far the most crucial match left in the tournament for most of us - e.g. I am close to mid-table at the moment, and that semi will make a difference of 70-80 places and 250-300 ranking points to me depending on who wins.

11.30 GMT / 12.30 UK / 13.30 CET / 07.30 US EDT:

(6) Verdasco 36% v (13) Ferrer 8% - Nole 42%, Muzza 7%, JWT 5%, JCF 2%

n/b 14.00 GMT / 15.00 UK / 16.00 CET / 10.00 US EDT:

(4) Rafa 87% v Gulbis 0% (0) - Fed 11%, Sod 1%, others 1%

steven · Tennis legend

LOL if I put a hyphen in, it might let me get away with "Bot-watch" - I really didn't see that bit of censorship coming! biggrin

Josh · Challenger level

Who is Jean-Marc (BT)??

Surely not this 'poster': http://britishtennis.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=61841&p=20&memberID=721940

steven · Tennis legend

Josh wrote:

Who is Jean-Marc (BT)??

Surely not this 'poster': http://britishtennis.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=61841&p=20&memberID=721940

I think that is him. We only ask that people enter for the board they use the most or identify with for some reason, so if he reads the forum a lot but never posts, that doesn't stop him entering for the BT team. I imagine TAT would have pipped you to the teams comp if he hadn't!

Josh · Challenger level

But last access Aug 07 would suggest he doesn't read the forums a whole lot.