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The efficiency of tennis doubles scoring systems
Geoff Pollard1, Graham Pollard
1Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology , Melbourne, Australia.
Journal of Sports Science & Medicine
|October 24, 2013
Summary
A new benchmark for tennis doubles scoring systems has been established, allowing for the assessment of efficiency. A play-the-loser system proves more effective than benchmark models, with methods extendable to team matches.
Area of Science:
- Sports Analytics
- Mathematical Modeling in Sports
- Game Theory
Background:
- Assessing the efficiency of scoring systems in sports is crucial for fair competition.
- Tennis doubles scoring systems have historically lacked a standardized benchmark for comparison.
- Previous research primarily focused on singles scoring, leaving doubles systems under-evaluated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a benchmark family of scoring systems for tennis doubles.
- To derive a formula for assessing the efficiency of any tennis doubles scoring system.
- To compare the efficiency of existing doubles scoring systems against the benchmark.
Main Methods:
- Development of a theoretical framework for evaluating tennis doubles scoring systems.
- Derivation of a general formula for the efficiency of doubles scoring systems.
- Application of the derived formula to analyze various existing scoring systems.
Main Results:
- A benchmark family of scoring systems for tennis doubles was established.
- A formula for the efficiency of any tennis doubles scoring system was derived.
- A play-the-loser scoring system demonstrated higher efficiency compared to benchmark systems.
Conclusions:
- The established benchmark and derived formula provide a robust method for evaluating tennis doubles scoring systems.
- The play-the-loser system is identified as a highly efficient scoring method for doubles.
- The methodology can be extended to assess team-based tennis competitions involving multiple doubles pairs.
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