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THE SCOOP: U.S. OPEN, DAY 6

Will Martina stay No. 1? Ask the computer

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., SEPT. 1 – In case there’s any question whether you need an advanced degree in mathematics to understand the WTA Tour’s ranking system, here is proof positive that this definitely goes beyond 2 + 2 = 4.

Heading into the U.S. Open, it seemed crystal clear even to those with only a basic comprehension of grade school arithmetic that Martina Hingis was in danger of losing her world No. 1 status. But trying to negotiate the different possibilities of how Hingis could lose her throne is quite another story.

The Sanex WTA Tour released the following scenarios on how Hingis could be booted out of the top spot with a caution that further possibilities might arise when they re-evaluate the tournament as it moves into further rounds. So here it goes, direct from the official source from the home office of the WTA Tour, this week located on the U.S. Open grounds in Flushing Meadows Park.

• If Martina Hingis loses in or before the round-of-16 and Jennifer Capriati makes it to the semifinals, Capriati takes over No. 1.
• If Martina Hingis loses in the quarterfinals and Jennifer Capriati loses in the final, Capriati goes to No. 1.
• If Martina Hingis loses in the quarterfinals and Jennifer Capriati loses in the semifinals, Capriati might go to No. 1.
• If Jennifer Capriati loses in the quarterfinals and Martina Hingis makes it to the semifinals, Hingis stays at No. 1.
• If Jennifer Capriati loses before before the semifinals and Martina Hingis makes it to the final, Hingis stays at No. 1.
• If Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati play each other in the final, the winner will be No. 1.
• If Martina Hingis makes it into the round-of-16, Lindsay Davenport will not reach No. 1 even if she wins the tournament.

Now, speaking of Davenport, she does have a very slight chance of becoming No. 1 if Hingis loses before the round-of-16 and Davenport wins the tournament with the maximum quality points available (defeating all of the highest ranked player in her path).

There will be a quiz on this in the tennisreporters.net version of Advanced Statistics next week, so study up and expect a trick question or two since by then the WTA Tour is most likely to have derived a few other circumstances whereby Hingis could be bumped down a peg or two.