The efficiency of tennis doubles scoring systems

In this paper a family of scoring systems for tennis doubles for testing the hypothesis that pair A is better than pair B versus the alternative hypothesis that pair B is better than A, is established. This family or benchmark of scoring systems can be used as a benchmark against which the efficiency of any doubles scoring system can be assessed. Thus, the formula for the efficiency of any doubles scoring system is derived. As in tennis singles, one scoring system based on the play-the-loser structure is shown to be more efficient than the benchmark systems. An expression for the relative efficiency of two doubles scoring systems is derived. Thus, the relative efficiency of the various scoring systems presently used in doubles can be assessed. The methods of this paper can be extended to a match between two teams of 2, 4, 8, …doubles pairs, so that it is possible to establish a measure for the relative efficiency of the various systems used for tennis contests between teams of players. Key pointsA relatively straightforward expression or formula for the efficiency of a tennis doubles scoring system has been established.The expression for the relative efficiency of two tennis doubles scoring systems is a simple one, and is the same as that for two singles scoring systems.The methodology of this paper can be used and extended so that the efficiency of a scoring system for a match between two teams of doubles pairs can be measured.