Quality Tennis Discussion / US Open 2016 contest

**Posted by Forehand_lob** 8/26/2016 7:57 am

THE RULES

1. Pick quarterfinalists, semifinalists, finalists, and champions for both ATP and WTA draws. You will receive 7.5 points for each correct quarterfinalist, 5 points for each correct semifinalist and finalist, and 20 points for each correct champion. It's still Djokovic and Serena's world, they're only worth 10 points as champion.

2. SUBSTITUTE PICK: Pick a player from each draw to replace one of your quarterfinalists. If this player makes the quarters, they will take the place of whomever you picked in that section of the draw

3. BIGGEST LOSER: pick the highest seed that will lose in the earliest round from each draw. The player must be a top-16 seed. You get 5 points if your seed is the highest to lose and 2 points if your seed falls in the same round as the highest seed to lose.

EXTRAS

***Unseeded quarterfinalists are worth an extra half point for every seed they take out en route.

***WTF bonus: if you have a pick that makes it to the quarterfinals that no one else made (not even as a substitute pick), you'll gain an extra 5 points for it. If there are only two contestants, then the WTF bonus is not in effect.

**Posted by funches** 8/28/2016 2:02 pm

ATP

Quarterfinals

Djokovic over Cilic
Raonic (Monfils) over Bautista Agut
Del Potro over Kyrgios
Murray over Nishikori

Semifinals

Djokovic over Raonic
Murray over Del Potro

Final

Djokovic over Murray 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 2-6, 7-5

Biggest Loser: Wawrinka
Biggest Loser # 2 (I know this doesn't count, but I had hard time deciding): Thiem

WTA

Quarterfinals

Halep over Makarova (Serena)
Pliskova over Radwanska
Puig over Keys
Kerber over Doi

Semifinals

Halep over Pliskova
Puig over Kerber

Final

Halep over Puig 4-6, 7-5, 6-2

Biggest Loser: Serena

Commentary:

I think I have a pretty good handle on the men, but the women's draw is brutal. Don't think Halep would beat Serena if they played, and they would have been my finalists if they were on opposite sides of the draw. Puig will reach final if she plays like she did at Olympics, but these courts are faster, she'd never played like that before and she's sure to have a letdown after a life-changing event. But I picked her anyway.

If Keys plays a clean match, no one can beat her except for Serena if her shoulder is healthy, but Keys has been incapable of player her best when it matters. At some point, I have to believe, that will change.

I'm not discouting Kerber, either, but she has to be worn down from the rest of the summer.

**Posted by Forehand_lob** 8/29/2016 5:31 am

Hey, I should get my picks in to my own contest.

Men

Quarterfinals
Djokovic v. Cilic
Nadal v. Raonic
Thiem v. Zverev
Nishikori (Goffin) v. Murray

Semifinals
Cilic v. Raonic
Thiem v. Murray

FInal
Cilic v. Murray

Champion
Murray

BL: Wawrinka

Women

Quarterfinals
Serena v. Halep
Radwanska v. Pliskova
Keys v. Muguruza
Lisicki v. Kerber (Kvitova)

Semifinals
Halep v. Radwanska
Muguruza v. Kerber

Final
Radwanska v. Kerber

Champion (and new #1)
Kerber

BL: Serena

**Posted by Forehand_lob** 9/01/2016 6:06 am

I know that Raonic was hurt, but I did not see him losing to Ryan Harrison. I think Harrison has a winnable match against Bagdahtis, and a win should get him back to the top 100.

Is Muguruza the new Kvitova? By which I mean, she should be on a giant winning streak, but she's just too inconsistent.

Unless Wawrinka or Murray go down, Raonic will be our biggest loser for the men. Barring a Serena meltdown, Muguruza will take it for the women.

**Posted by funches** 9/01/2016 8:08 am

Yes, Muguruza is the new Kvitova. Similar game, similar ability to lose to anyone at any time.

If Baghdatis (my favorite current player, by the way) is in good enough physical condition, I think he beats Harrison. Although I saw none of the Harrison match against Raonic, it sounds like Harrison choked at the end of the first three sets and still won. Neither one of them can touch Monfils in the next round. Baghdatis played him in Cincinnati and lost 7-5, 6-0, winning four points in the second set.

The Bagman-Harrison match is huge for both of them. Incredibly, Baghdatis has not been to the fourth round of a slam since the Australian Open in 2009, losing 27 times in a row before then. He played a terrific match against Wawrinka in the third round of the U.S. Open but lost in four tight sets. Other than that, nada.

Last edited by funches (9/01/2016 8:12 am)

**Posted by Forehand_lob** 9/06/2016 5:53 am

It helps if I remember my own rules. Goffin (seeded 12th) went out in the first round and is our biggest loser.

Kerber looked great against Kvitova who was not in "I can hit my spots at will" mode.

You were right about Baghdatis. However, Harrison should make the top 100 given that he got points for qualifying.

Pouille is in his second straight slam quarterfinal and should make the top 20. He'll be the second youngest (after Krygios). Do we have a new future contender?

**Posted by Forehand_lob** 9/11/2016 8:00 pm

My picking Kerber to win was not enough to overcome my other terrible picks. The final score:

funches: 97.5
Forehand_lob: 95

Close! But having faith in Murray was my undoing.

I will take comfort in having written this over two weeks ago:

Champion (and new #1)
Kerber

**Posted by Forehand_lob** 9/11/2016 8:06 pm

So, I think we actually had a higher quality women's final than men's final. There was some back and forth struggle between Kerber and Pliskova. A nice contrast of styles. And Pliskova did not choke at the end (despite what some other sites are claiming), Kerber broke her physically. Two time slam champion and made the number 1 ranking, that's enough for the Hall of Fame, right? Especially given that her name isn't "Kafelnikov".

In contrast, Djokovic got hurt and was not very good in the fourth set. Wawrinka maintains his perfect Slam final record (and we both picked him as the biggest loser, oops). It wasn't a bad men's final, but I don't think it was as good as the women's.

**Posted by funches** 9/15/2016 5:21 pm

I agree. Pliskova got tired midway thru the 3rd set and had nothing left at the end. All credit to Kerber, who punched her ticket to the Hall of Fame.

I have only seen the 1st set of the men's final. When I get some free time aI will watch the final 3 sets.