[EaglesPhan36]

Well now that all the Slam-only bettors are gone, time for the rest of us to grind on to the end of the year. This weekend, we have Davis Cup Semifinals.

Serbia v. Argentina
Spain v. France

To try and keep the forum pumping here to end the season, let's get our contest on. First matches come on Friday, September 16th. Working on a format. Entry will be 10 betpoints. If you're a NON PRO, start paying today, two points per day until you pay your ten. Payout will depend on how many entries we get. I should have a format and rules up tomorrow. Will try this time to be very simple.

[tevari]

asdf

[EaglesPhan36]

If you want to catch up on any news or how the teams have gotten here. Here's the official link:

http://www.daviscup.com/en/home.aspx

[EaglesPhan36]

Just bumping for more interest. Should be posting the format tonight, finalizing it this afternoon.

[reformed]

how exactly is spain the favorite when nadal cannot beat djokovic and he sure as hell wont lose to ferrer.

[EaglesPhan36]

I think Spain is a slight favorite because they are perceived to have an easier road to the finals, playing at home on clay against France. Would take a huge effort from Argentina to beat Serbia in Serbia, but they have a lot of veteran players and Djokovic has to be fatigued. My guess is he won't be used for singles unless necessary - leaving Troicki and Tipsarevic out there against DelPo and Nalbandian likely. Doubles may be the deciding factor in that one.

[reformed]

fatigued or not djokovic is too proud not to play in front of his home fans in a match where if he plays they win easily and if he doesn't its a dogfight. I think djokovic plays on day 1 and gets the easy win against nalbandian. After that his next match will be the 5th one and he would play if its 2-2.

[EaglesPhan36]

I think it is going to be the same set-up as usual for Serbia. Tipsarevic or Troicki will open. If they win, he won't play singles unless he has too. Late last year against France, Tipsarevic opened but lost to Monfils. That forced Djokovic into playing singles. If you look at their history, this is pretty much the M.O. with this squad. If Tipsarevic and Troicki can take of business, Novak does not play until the doubles tie.

[reformed]

so serbia can make novak their # 2 if they want to? what if the first match is serbia # 1 vs argentina # 2 and lets say tipsy loses. joker can step in as the # 2 and play delpo?

[yisman]

Spain should always be favored when they have their top guys playing in it.

No one else can match up.

Djokovic is easily the best in the world, but look at what's there after him compared to Spain.

[EaglesPhan36]

so serbia can make novak their # 2 if they want to? what if the first match is serbia # 1 vs argentina # 2 and lets say tipsy loses. joker can step in as the # 2 and play delpo?

The rules are a bit rough for me to understand. I think they have to name him as a singles player, but they can substitute for him citing injury/fatigue. I think it's supposed to be a random schedule of who plays first, but it seems like they make it to where guys with fatigue concerns don't play 1st. That might just be the conspiracy theorist in me.

[Demonata]

Wait I am a little confused on who we pick? What are the rules? Thanks

Also thanks again for another tournament man.

[EaglesPhan36]

ENTRY INFORMATION
All participants must pay a 10 point entry fee to be considered for the prize payout. PROs should pay all ten points up front. NON PROs may pay two points per day until their ten points are paid up. Your ten point fee MUST be paid in full Sunday to be eligible for prize payouts.

That means if you are a NON PRO, you should begin paying no later than today.

Still working on format.

[Gaskan]

I will play just for general purposes, but I am no good at Davis Cup and from the looks of it, I was no good at the US Open either.

[JBT]

I'm not too clear with the Davis Cup, and it's kind of hard to decide whether to participate, when even you aren't exactly sure about the rules Should've posted the format sooner, so we would see what we're up against...

[EaglesPhan36]

Sorry had to wait for the match-ups to be decided. Format coming within the next hour.

[EaglesPhan36]

RULES

All picks must be PM'ed to EaglesPhan36 by 6:00am ET on Friday, September 16th for Day 1. Any picks submitted after the deadline will not be accepted and you will not accumulate any points in the competition.

Any player entering the competition must have their 10 point fee paid by Sunday to be eligible for the prize payout. Failure to pay the full amount by that date will result in your disqualification from the contest and your points will be kept for the overall prize payout.

FORMAT

These are the matches listed for Day 1, Friday - September 16th.

Serbia vs. Argentina
Djokovic v. Nalbandian
Tipsarevic v. Del Potro

Spain v. France
Nadal v. Gasquet
Ferrer v. Simon

FOR EACH OF THESE MATCHES, YOU SHOULD SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING:

Winner
Total # of games played
Total # of sets played

*These are Best of 5 set matches, so remember that when making your picks.


SCORING
25 points for correctly predicting the winner of the match
50 point bonus if winner is correctly predicted and priced as the underdog

75 points for correctly predicting the number of sets in a match w/winner
25 points for correctly predicting the number of sets in a match w/loser
200 points for correctly predictiing the number of games in a match

[Total Games Within 3 games of total played]: 100 points
[Total Games Within 4-5 games of total played]: 25 points

Correctly Predicting All 4 Winners: 225 points

All pricing information will come from the Opening Price listed at tennisinsight.com

So your entry should look something like this:

Djokovic 3-1 [38 games]
Del Potro 3-2 [50 games]

Nadal 3-0 [27 games]
Ferrer 3-1 [36 games]

[EaglesPhan36]

Since the matches on Sunday can potentially change from the listed opponents, I am going to see how Friday shakes down before deciding what else to do with the contest. Saturday is doubles play. Will set something up for that day only following the Friday matches.

[yisman]

I'd do it but if we have to pick Saturday after the Friday matches, I probably wouldn't be online then to make those picks.

[EaglesPhan36]

Saturday will only be two matches, doubles matches. I will post something later on about those picks. I'll have it ready before Friday if you want to participate.

[EaglesPhan36]

*Also, if substitutes are made for any of the players, ALL guesses for that match will be VOID for everyone. This will also cancel the possibility of the bonus points for guessing all four winners correctly*

I say this because there is a very real possibility that Djokovic will not be playing in the match he is scheduled for from what I have read.

[yisman]

OK, I'm in, then. I just wanted to make sure I'll be able to enter all my picks.

[EaglesPhan36]

Just bumping so peeps can get in their Friday entries.

[yisman]

sending my picks in now

[reformed]

EP I'm not able to PM for some reason.

[EaglesPhan36]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner Reformed. If you have time to post your picks here, go ahead and I will count them.

For Saturday's Doubles Picks, here are the matches:

Lopez-Verdasco v. Tsonga-Llodra
Tipsarevic-Zimonjic v. Chela-Monaco

For these, same format: Winner, # of Sets, # of Games. These are also Best of 5. Scoring will be the same as the singles matches but no bonus for underdogs since prices I don't know will be set or not. And no bonus for picking both matches correct.

Same as earlier, if any substitutes are made - all picks for that match will be VOID.

[EaglesPhan36]

ENTRIES

Demonata
Djokovic 3-1 [35 games]
Tipsarevic 3-2 [45 games]

Nadal 3-0 [29 games]
Ferrer 3-1 [37 games

Gaskan
Djokovic 3-0 [27 games]
Tipsarevic 3-1 [40 games]

Nadal 3-0 [30 games]
Ferrer 3-1 [38 games]

EaglesPhan36
Nadal 3-0 [29]
Ferrer 3-0 [31]

Djokovic 3-1 [36]
Del Potro 3-2 [51]

yisman
Djokovic (3-0) - 28 games
Tipsarevic (3-1) - 39 games

Nadal (3-0) - 26 games
Ferrer (3-0) - 32 games

shari91
Djokovic 3-0 [31]
Tipsarevic 3-1 [43

Nadal 3-1 [34]
Ferrer 3-1 [44]

[EaglesPhan36]

Djokovic has pulled out of the 1st match, so all guesses for that one are voided.

[yisman]

I had the lowest number for Nadal games but he went under that.

[EaglesPhan36]

Looks like the French team was already set on being somewhere else. Gasquet and Simon showed no spine.

[yisman]

sent in my picks. Harder handicapping doubles.

[EaglesPhan36]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner Reformed. If you have time to post your picks here, go ahead and I will count them. For Saturday's Doubles Picks, here are the matches: Lopez-Verdasco v. Tsonga-Llodra Tipsarevic-Zimonjic v. Chela-Monaco For these, same format: Winner, # of Sets, # of Games. These are also Best of 5. Scoring will be the same as the singles matches but no bonus for underdogs since prices I don't know will be set or not. And no bonus for picking both matches correct. Same as earlier, if any substitutes are made - all picks for that match will be VOID.

Deadline to get in Saturday's picks is 6:00am ET

[babar1000]

Looks like the French team was already set on being somewhere else. Gasquet and Simon showed no spine.

French Davis Cup is Over since last year (Simon rejected)
Now Forget will have to go back home.

[EaglesPhan36]

Well since only myself and yisman did doubles picks, I am going to just grade based on Friday's matches and end it that way. Was a bit rough trying to set this up. I'll try something better next time.

Demonata
125

Gaskan
125

EP36
225

yisman
225

shari91
50

yisman, since you and me tied - if you want to do something head-2-head to go all or nothing on the points, let me know. I'm down for it.

[Demonata]