To Tank or Not to Tank?

[GameSetAndMath]

In case you are not already aware, here is a brief update on the Red Group situation with just one match between Simona Halep and Aga Radwanska to go.

1. If Simona wins (independent of in how many sets), Simona is the winner and Serena is the runner-up.

2. If Simona loses in three sets, Simona is the winner and Serena is the runner-up.

3. If Simona loses in straight sets, but wins at least 5 games, Simona is the winner and Ana is the runner-up.

4. If Simona loses in straight sets and also wins less than 5 games, Ana is the winner and Simona is the runner-up.

This leads to the interesting possibility that Simona can lose in straight sets and thus eliminate Serena from WTAF. She can win 5 games along the way to ensure that she ends up on the top of the group.

To TANK or NOT to TANK? That is the question for Simona now.

Note that in this context tanking does not mean just voluntarily losing, it means doing so in straight sets , as otherwise Serena will not be eliminated.

You have 12 hours to vote before the match starts. This is a private poll and so your name will not show up in the results.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

RE: To Tank or Not to Tank is the question?

Simona is 1-3 against Serena and 2-1 against Ana Ivanovic. Moreover, Ana is ranked below Simona whereas Serena is reigning #1. Serena has 18 GS and Ana has one GS. So, it is a no brainer that if she has to choose one of these two to play with, obviously her choice would be Ana.

Note that you may say Simona is not invincible and she can lose to Petra or Wozniacki. However, that is irrelevant to this question as she does not have control over the other group and she has to play whomever as per the rules.

The question is when you do have a chance to take Serena out of the mix, would anyone in the right mind would want to let Serena still hang around. If she gives a second life to Serena, it is highly likely that Serena will win her SF and then extract revenge on Simona if she happens to be across the net in the finals.

 

[colleen66]

I might be sounding a bit naive, but I would hope that Simona would continue to be professional and play her best against Ana regardless of the standings. Yes, I agree that Serena has the best credentials but if one wants to be considered the best, then you have to beat the best (and we know that Serena is the best of her era). Serena threw down the gauntlet when she remarked after her defeat in round 2 that she would love to play Halep again. Let's see if Halep accepts the challenge.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Is there any explicitly stated rule in the WTA rulebook against tanking. If not, while
it may be unethical, it would still be within the rules.

Besides, I think in WTA it should be easy to tank. As all of us know for example,
Kvitova is a totally different player in different matches, one day she could play
very great and next day she could play terrible. So, Simona can claim in the same
manner that she tried and nothing worked, after actually tanking. How do you
prove that someone really tanked? It is an impossible task.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I won't be able to watch in real time. Hopefully, hoergren will be able to post a message
here as to whether Simona tanked or not after the match is over. Thanks hoergren.

 

[faradubii]

I won't be able to watch in real time. Hopefully, hoergren will be able to post a message
here as to whether Simona tanked or not after the match is over. Thanks hoergren.

As you said in your previous post how can he post that she tanked or not? I thought you said it cannot be proven either way. Or am I to understand Ana winning in 2 = tanking by Simona, no matter what?

 

[tossip]

she tried really hard to tank in that first set but second it got a really obvious and had to win that second set to save face....

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Well, I did not see the match. It looks like she went out of the way to ensure that she is
not perceived as tanking. I was not expecting this score line.

Tanking for the purposes of eliminating Serena aside, it does not look like a good move
to seriously play for three sets and waste your energy on a match that does not have
much bearing you, especially when you have to play an important match the very
next day.

To me it would make perfect sense (for Simona) to try hard to win the first set
and when it did not happen, throw the towel to conserve energy. That would be
a kind of tanking, but not the malicious kind whose intent would be to keep
Serena out.

 

[Calvy]

She's a professional athlete, and athletes true to their sport try to win every time they step on their sports respective fields.

These players are used to playing back to back all the time, this is why they do off courts training so they can handle the rigors of what the tour may ask of them.

 

[tossip]

Well, I did not see the match. It looks like she went out of the way to ensure that she is
not perceived as tanking. I was not expecting this score line.

Tanking for the purposes of eliminating Serena aside, it does not look like a good move
to seriously play for three sets and waste your energy on a match that does not have
much bearing you, especially when you have to play an important match the very
next day.

To me it would make perfect sense (for Simona) to try hard to win the first set
and when it did not happen, throw the towel to conserve energy. That would be
a kind of tanking, but not the malicious kind whose intent would be to keep
Serena out.

she was trying really hard to tank,especially when she went up 4-1 in the second set

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Well, I did not see the match. It looks like she went out of the way to ensure that she is
not perceived as tanking. I was not expecting this score line.

Tanking for the purposes of eliminating Serena aside, it does not look like a good move
to seriously play for three sets and waste your energy on a match that does not have
much bearing you, especially when you have to play an important match the very
next day.

To me it would make perfect sense (for Simona) to try hard to win the first set
and when it did not happen, throw the towel to conserve energy. That would be
a kind of tanking, but not the malicious kind whose intent would be to keep
Serena out.

she was trying really hard to tank,especially when she went up 4-1 in the second set

Are you serious? I have not seen even the highlights yet.

 

[tossip]

Well, I did not see the match. It looks like she went out of the way to ensure that she is
not perceived as tanking. I was not expecting this score line.

Tanking for the purposes of eliminating Serena aside, it does not look like a good move
to seriously play for three sets and waste your energy on a match that does not have
much bearing you, especially when you have to play an important match the very
next day.

To me it would make perfect sense (for Simona) to try hard to win the first set
and when it did not happen, throw the towel to conserve energy. That would be
a kind of tanking, but not the malicious kind whose intent would be to keep
Serena out.

she was trying really hard to tank,especially when she went up 4-1 in the second set

Are you serious? I have not seen even the highlights yet.

I watched the whole match,she was up 4-1 then she started shanking balls into the net.I saw her coach face during the 2nd set when she went up 4-1,he looked frustrated like what are you doing...she tried really hard to mask it but it was becoming clear that she wanted Ana to win...
she still a novice to these shenanigans thats why the plot failed..if it was an experienced cheater they would got away with it...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There is an article in tennis.com hailing halep for her non-gameswomanship.

When I was googling around, I got this on Simona tanking

 

[tossip]

There is an article in tennis.com hailing halep for her non-gameswomanship.

When I was googling around, I got this on Simona tanking

those reporters prawl the msg boards for information...

 

[Kieran]

How would you know a woman player was tanking? Because she hit a few shanks? That's what it looks like when they're trying very hard to hang in there!

 

[faradubii]

I watched the whole match,she was up 4-1 then she started shanking balls into the net.I saw her coach face during the 2nd set when she went up 4-1,he looked frustrated like what are you doing...she tried really hard to mask it but it was becoming clear that she wanted Ana to win...
she still a novice to these shenanigans thats why the plot failed..if it was an experienced cheater they would got away with it...

All that popcorn is bad for the brain. You're the perfect example.

 

[10isfan]

I was hoping Halep would be rewarded for having integrity. I think there are players who would not have allowed Serena to advance. I also believed Serena would not be so ruthless after Halep's gesture, but I was wrong. Halep is religious so she will take comfort in having done the right thing. She is quietly winning a lot of hearts, and I will be rooting for her to win a major next year.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I was hoping Halep would be rewarded for having integrity. I think there are players who would not have allowed Serena to advance. I also believed Serena would not be so ruthless after Halep's gesture, but I was wrong. Halep is religious so she will take comfort in having done the right thing. She is quietly winning a lot of hearts, and I will be rooting for her to win a major next year.

What are u talking about? Are u saying that some supernatural power will come and
make her win as she did the "right thing". Get real. Nice girls finish last. She should
be happy that she managed to finish at least second.

After staying in the court for more than 2 hours and losing a meaningless match in
three sets, she could even have lost the semifinals.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

There is an article in tennis.com hailing halep for her non-gameswomanship.

When I was googling around, I got this on Simona tanking

I am really not thrilled by Davenport's suggestion in that article.:nono

 

[10isfan]

I was hoping Halep would be rewarded for having integrity. I think there are players who would not have allowed Serena to advance. I also believed Serena would not be so ruthless after Halep's gesture, but I was wrong. Halep is religious so she will take comfort in having done the right thing. She is quietly winning a lot of hearts, and I will be rooting for her to win a major next year.

What are u talking about? Are u saying that some supernatural power will come and
make her win as she did the "right thing". Get real. Nice girls finish last. She should
be happy that she managed to finish at least second.

After staying in the court for more than 2 hours and losing a meaningless match in
three sets, she could even have lost the semifinals.

I agree with you. Halep should have lost to Ana in two sets instead of losing in three. That was the worst outcome because she risked injury and exhausted herself. Ana actually played well, and was a worthy semi finalist. I am a scientist by training, and not at all superstitious. By "reward" I meant that I had hoped Serena would be off enough to give Halep the win. Nice people usually do finish last. Such a pity.

Incidentally, I very much appreciated all the calculations you posted over the last few days. I think the format should be changed so that there is no room for manipulation. Top six play everyone. Best two play the final.