← Search

Testing Contest Theory: Evidence from Best-of-Three Tennis Matches

David A. Malueg¹; Andrew J. Yates²

¹ University of California, Riverside · ² University of Richmond

We study strategic choice of effort in best-of-three contests between equally skilled players. Economic theory predicts such contests are more likely to end in two rounds than in three. If, however, a contest reaches a third round, each player is equally likely to win. We test these predictions with data from professional tennis matches, using betting odds to identify equally skilled opponents. The empirical results support the theoretical predictions, suggesting players strategically adjust efforts during a best-of-three contest.

DOI

10.1162/rest_a_00021

Volume

92 (3)

Pages

689-692

Language

en

Export

BibTeX

Sources

openalex crossref