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Testing Rosen's Sequential Elimination Tournament Model

Author

Listed:
  • Keith F. Gilsdorf

    (Augsburg College)

  • Vasant A. Sukhatme

    (Macalester College)

Abstract

The authors use an extensive and unique data set from the men's professional tennis circuit to test Rosen's sequential elimination style tournament model. Specifically, they investigate what effect an increase in prize money differentials between rounds has on the stronger player's probability of winning the match. This involves estimating a standard probit model utilizing data from 2,632 individual matches over 68 tournaments during the 2001 men's professional tennis circuit. The results of the study support predictions associated with Rosen's match play tournament model. Increases in prize money differentials have a positive, statistically significant effect on the stronger player's probability of winning the match.

Suggested Citation

  • Keith F. Gilsdorf & Vasant A. Sukhatme, 2008. "Testing Rosen's Sequential Elimination Tournament Model," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 9(3), pages 287-303, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:9:y:2008:i:3:p:287-303
    DOI: 10.1177/1527002507306790
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Ruud Koning, 2009. "Sport and Measurement of Competition," De Economist, Springer, vol. 157(2), pages 229-249, June.
    3. Pina, Gonçalo, 2019. "Task scheduling and performance: Evidence from professional surf tournaments," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 75(PB).
    4. Eva Marikova Leeds & Michael A. Leeds, 2013. "Do men and women respond differently to economic contests? The case of men’s and ladies’ figure skating," Chapters, in: Eva Marikova Leeds & Michael A. Leeds (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Women in Sports, chapter 15, pages 319-344, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Brian Hill, 2014. "The Heat Is On," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 15(4), pages 315-337, August.
    6. Alex Krumer & Mosi Rosenboim & Offer Moshe Shapir, 2016. "Gender, Competitiveness, and Physical Characteristics," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 17(3), pages 234-259, April.
    7. Julio del Corral, 2009. "Competitive Balance and Match Uncertainty in Grand-Slam Tennis," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 10(6), pages 563-581, December.
    8. del Corral, Julio & Prieto-Rodríguez, Juan, 2010. "Are differences in ranks good predictors for Grand Slam tennis matches?," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 551-563, July.
    9. Klein Teeselink, Bouke & Potter van Loon, Rogier J.D. & van den Assem, Martijn J. & van Dolder, Dennie, 2020. "Incentives, performance and choking in darts," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 38-52.
    10. Kovalchik Stephanie Ann, 2016. "Is there a Pythagorean theorem for winning in tennis?," Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 43-49, March.
    11. Chmait, Nader & Robertson, Sam & Westerbeek, Hans & Eime, Rochelle & Sellitto, Carmine & Reid, Machar, 2020. "Tennis superstars: The relationship between star status and demand for tickets," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 330-347.
    12. Kovalchik, Stephanie & Reid, Machar, 2019. "A calibration method with dynamic updates for within-match forecasting of wins in tennis," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 756-766.
    13. Keith F. Gilsdorf & Vasant A. Sukhatme, 2013. "Gender differences in responses to incentives in sports: some new results from golf," Chapters, in: Eva Marikova Leeds & Michael A. Leeds (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Women in Sports, chapter 5, pages 92-114, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Wozniak, David, 2012. "Gender differences in a market with relative performance feedback: Professional tennis players," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 158-171.
    15. Eric Mao, 2023. "The Incentive Effects of Tournaments and Peer Effects in Team Production: Evidence from Esports," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 24(2), pages 174-192, February.

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