16 seeds in GSs from 2019

[GameSetAndMath]

It is official now. They have announced that starting from 2019, there will only be 16 seeds in Grandslam events. I welcome this move. The current scheme gives too much protection for top players. Here are the details .

Also, in AO 2018, there will be a 25 second stop clock. Not sure whether this is experimental or will be the new norm. I welcome this too.

If a player is not fit and tries to play in the first round just to get the money, they may be punished with a penalty equal to first round prize money. If they cop out, a new player in waiting list will get to play and the prize money will be split between them (the 1st round loser's money). But, if the new player goes on to win, he gets to keep the extra money derived from winnings. I welcome this too.

 

[Federberg]

Those are all great changes. The whole move to 32 seeds is one of the issues that makes cross-era comparisons so difficult. We can never know how treacherous the draw might have been for top players. The ones who start off strong will probably have been ok I'll admit, but still.

I also love the shot clock. Wish they'd brought that in 20 years ago! A lot of things might be a bit different

 

[mrzz]

The shot clock would be even greater if offenders would get shot around the clock.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

So, now folks will say that Fedalovic accomplished so much only because they played primarily during the 32 seed era. I am not so sure, I will buy into that if anyone says so. Having said that, I admit that their accomplishments can only be less if there were only 16 seeds. But, they would still be great players with or without 32 seeds.

 

[Ricardo]

how about their accomplishment with shot clock turned on? would certainly impact Rafa and Novak, can you imagine they really do that while Rafa picks 'it' and Novak can't finish bouncing balls before a big point? Murray and Fed would get by just fine.

 

[mrzz]

I admit that their accomplishments can only be less...

Would say "probably" and not "only". Tennis is highly non-linear. Federer won his first slam in ages precisely when he was low seeded (and thus faced better opposition earlier, just what happens with less seeds). Actually this only means that you get a guy ranked from 17 to 32 maybe earlier and given that the big three crushed this kind of opposition it is fair to say it would have changed almost nothing...

 

[isabelle]

don't know why they do that, not sure it's a good idea

 

[britbox]

I like it. How it used to be. Should make for some more interesting early round clashes.

 

[Federberg]

Would say "probably" and not "only". Tennis is highly non-linear. Federer won his first slam in ages precisely when he was low seeded (and thus faced better opposition earlier, just what happens with less seeds). Actually this only means that you get a guy ranked from 17 to 32 maybe earlier and given that the big three crushed this kind of opposition it is fair to say it would have changed almost nothing...

I certainly agree that the top guys proved their credentials getting to the top. But we can't assume that they would have navigated through every field. We all know how important match ups are in tennis. I would say that it's likely - not certain - that outcomes could have been different if there were only 16 seeds for the last 2 decades

 

[GameSetAndMath]

While I like all the changes that they are making in this iteration, I am strongly against the following and hope they don't go overboard.

I say no to

1) No ad scoring
2) Four game sets
3) On court coaching
4) Eliminating Lets

 

[mrzz]

I played a non-let set once, it was a nightmare. I lost all the let points, I could not convince my body to react in those cases. Obviously that with time you train yourself. Ok, it adds some unpredictability, but honestly I guess it works against the returner, so it will be even harder to break serve. Hope they have some stats on this before trying it out...

About on court coaching, yeah, the should create a new sport: sissy tennis. It would be perfect for it.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There is an article about the changes in tennis.com.

Rafa can now relax. They are not using the shot clock in main draw matches at AO 2018. They are going to use it only in
Qualifying matches and junior events, just like they did at USO 2017.

 

[mrzz]

They are not using the shot clock in main draw matches at AO 2018.

Are you sure, GSM? I saw otherwise in some other sources... couldn't find anything official, though.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Are you sure, GSM? I saw otherwise in some other sources... couldn't find anything official, though.

I am not sure. The tennis.com article explicitly states that it will be used only in qualifying and junior matches. The other sources simply say shot clock will be introduced at AO, without specifying in which events. Due to its specificity, I give credence to tennis.com