Tuesday, January 12, 2010

A Few More Stats

Last week I addressed the question, “how much of 2009’s production did each team lose to YE09 bump-ups?” I looked at Mens’ 4.0 and 4.5, and only for Citywide Playoffs matches. This week the analysis is extended to all regular-season matches. Also, since it’s time I took a look at some of my new 4.0 competition, I’ve analyzed 3.5 as well.

In 4.5, the numbers are fairly uninteresting, since there were so few bumps to 5.0. But here’s what the data look like. I have sorted in order from those who return the least 2009 production (on an absolute basis) to those who return the most. Other sort orders may be more appropriate depending on the insight being sought.


Teams shaded in yellow are those that made it to Citywide. As with last week’s analysis, if a doubles line was won by a pair consisting of one returner and one non-returner, the returner was given 40% of the credit for the victory.

In 4.5, it looks like most teams did not lose too much production, as expected. Some stats on the impact of self-rates are shown as lagniappe. It doesn’t appear that self-rates had much of an impact on 4.5 (overall only 13% of matches were won by self-rates), if there is a sandbagging problem you’d expect it to be at the lower ratings.

In 4.0 the numbers are shown below:

Results are broadly consistent with those from the Citywide Playoffs analysis – the top teams have a lot of rebuilding to do, and from about Bear Creek on down the list there appear to be several teams that are relatively well-placed entering 2010.

The real eye-popping results are in 3.5. First let’s look at Citywide Playoffs results:
Two numbers stand out for me – only 10% of lines were won by those who will return to 3.5 in 2010, and 37% were won by self-rates. Clearly, if there is a problem with people underrating themselves, it is in 3.5.

For the full regular season, 3.5 looks like this:

A higher % of lines were won by returnees in the regular season vs. the playoffs, but then you’d expect it since it’s the more-successful teams (i.e. those reaching the playoffs) that suffer most from bumpage. The numbers are MUCH lower in 3.5 than 4.0. I also found it very interesting to see that again 38% of lines won were won by self-rates. I’m sure some of that is legitimate but it just feels high. It would be interesting to see how the won-lost records of the self-rates compare with those of the others…perhaps the subject of a future post.

Those are the numbers, I’d be interested in any other insights that readers can glean from these.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Year End Appeals

Based on the uproar that occurred due to the year end ratings, I conducted a search to see how many people in Houston were granted an appeal on their rating. I expected a low number of positive appeals, but never expected anything like this. Out of a total of 3,847 players in Houston a total of 40 were successful (1.0%). In the male category, there were 17 out of 1,508 (1.1%) and in the female bracket, there were 13 out of 2,339 (0.6%).

Males successful appeals by level
3.0 rating (1)
3.5 rating (7)
4.0 rating (9) --Ron Fisher, Ron Latta, Ngoc Xuan Nguyen, Tim Purcell, David Romero, David Wallis, Kenneth Weber, John Woodley, Ronald Zeringue

Females
3.0 rating (2)
3.5 rating (5)
4.0 rating (4) --Christel Dekker, Wendy Elsey, Lisa Littlefield, Trisha Luong
4.5 rating (4.5) --Maria Herrera, Darla Shaub

Just some food for thought. Happy New Year!












Wednesday, December 9, 2009

WTT National Qualifier coming to Houston August 27-29, 2010!




The World Team Tennis Association has just confirmed that a National Qualifier will be held in Houston, TX August 27-29, 2010!

Started by Billie Jean King in 1985, the Advanta WTT Recreational League format features co-ed teams competing in six sets - men's and women's doubles, men's and women's singles and mixed doubles. The unique WTT format, which is also played in the Professional League (remember the Houston Wranglers out of the Westside Tennis Club), includes no-ad scoring, let serves, substitutions and coaching. Players participate first in a local event. If you win the local event, teams have an opportunity to qualify for WTT National Qualifiers and the National Championship. National Qualifier locations include: IMG Academy (Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy) in Bradenton, FL; Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, NV; Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, MO; Millbrook Exchange Tennis Center in Raleigh, NC; Heritage Park in Irvine, CA; Hempfield Sports Complex in Lancaster, PA and now for the first time ever, at the Copperfield Racquet & Health Club right here in Houston, TX! The National Championships are held at the Pac Life Open in Indian Wells, CA. Earlier this year, the USTA purchased 25% of the WTT. So far, Houston has had 5 sectional events in the past two years and 8 teams have gone on to the National Qualifier event in Las Vegas, NV.

From personal experience, I captained a team from Lancaster, PA back in 2003 and we won the local event. We then moved on to the National Qualifier in Bradenton, FL and fortunately won that event as well! Nick Bollettieri personally gave us a tennis clinic and it just so happened that Maria Sharapova was there and hit with us as well so it was an awesome experience. Finally, that year we went to the National Championships, which was held in Palm Springs, CA. We lost in the finals by one game!!! Ever since then, I have been a huge proponent of the WTT. It is a lot of fun with a Davis Cup type of atmosphere!

We will hold another local event in June 2010 so if you are interested in participating (just in time to participate in the August National Qualifier if you win) let me know.

Monday, November 30, 2009

2010 Houston City Masters event POSTPONED

Due to several scheduling conflicts the Masters event has been postponed until between the City Playoffs and Sectionals. As soon as the date is confirmed, I will release more information.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

While waiting for ratings...

A reader just passed this along...looks like some massive "bumpage" in the 3.5 and 4.0 divisions.

Ratings should be out within a week.


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Next on the horizon...

Year end ratings are still probably a few weeks away (though in some years they've come come out in mid-November), but that other thread was just getting too long.

The successes of Houston and Texas teams at Nationals this year, combined with the rumored "evening out of the levels" would seem to indicate that there will be more bump-ups than usual. And few, if any, bumpdowns. Remember, last year there was only one (maybe I'm forgetting someone) bumpdown from 4.5 to 4.0 (JJ Deleon). Don't expect to see many more this time around.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Off to Vegas

Our local 4.5 teams will be jetting off to Vegas tomorrow for Nationals, which begins on Friday morning. The guys will have just about all of their key players. The players have been practicing and should be in good form. There may even be a surprise or two in the lineups over the weekend.

Red and Freeman will hopefully be giving me updates, probably as things are going on, so I will be sure to keep everyone informed. Hopefully Betsie will chime in with some good news as well.

HTA season is in full swing. I've only glanced at results a couple of times, but as far as I can tell the most interesting team seems to be the Deucebags, who have added some talent in an effort to help offset the expected loss of Aadrian Hasker next season. Alex Beaux and his top notch serve should definitely help. Crafty Huy "DJ" Pham has made his reappearance and is now rated 4.0. I heard a rumor that one of their players played on the infamous Backesto team in California, but I can't find any record of that and was apparently misinformed.