The King of Clay 2026

You're in the Commentary Box

I learned many new names during this crazy grand slam. Proves nothing is absolutely predictable! Loved it. Thanks ump.
kiki 8 Jun

Good point Kiki. There are plenty of players with amazing stories. If the game was still going the Ump would give you a bonus 😉
The Ump 9 Jun

Thanks again ump. Enjoy
honestjohn 8 Jun

Thanks Ump, another great game. Enjoy being awol.
Billy 8 Jun

Prizewinners...

King of Clay - congratulations Stag on 84 pts in a crazy mad grand slam.
Men's Draw - Uncle Toni with 46 pts. Best result ever for UT :)
Women's Draw - Benaan Bread on 48 pts and a countback from Sheree who had a lucky dip.
Lucky Draw - Captain Chris - drawn from those who picked every round regardless of wins or losses.
Top Group - The Unforced Errors who win a box of balls for their club.
Caption Contest - Tommo for 'If that is what getting a Brazilian feels like, I never want another one!' 😂

Winners email Ump a postal address.
Thanks for playing in the 36th picking game. It was mayhem.
Sorry but no Wimby game this year. Ump's gone awol :)
The Ump 8 Jun

Thank you for all you do! Bit devastated about Wimby but hope you will return reinvigorated!
virgcat 8 Jun

No worries virgcat. Just trying to avoid anything that bites in OZ 😨
The Ump 9 Jun

Could be more than quite a few RAFA including Stag who finally won one and joins the Hall of Fame. Thanks for your passion 👍
The Ump 9 Jun

Thanks Ump - a really great game. Hope you enjoy being awol - have a good time. But we will miss you. My 4th worst performance for King of Clay - saved from worse by picking two finals winners. One advantage of doing so badly in early rounds - the way is clear for the final. PS Is there a prize for having taken part in all 36 picking games? How many people have done that? From looking at the names I'd say quite a few.
Real & fine athlete 8 Jun

So close....yet so far...
SmashemNat 8 Jun

snookeered for the mens final and forgot to post the womens in whichcase Id have picked Merra !! Sigh!! Wheres my wooden spoon Ump!! I'll cheerfully pay for it for the honour and glory!!
Nancy Jenkins 7 Jun

I'm detecting a pattern, Nancy. You are relentless in your pursuit of a wooden spoon each Grand Slam but keep getting points despite yourself 😆
virgcat 7 Jun

Go Stag - leader after the women's final. Just one match to go. Might come down to sets to decide the King of Clay.
The Unforced Errors jump up to lead the Groups.
The Ump 7 Jun

Might come down to the doubles sets.
Stoic 7 Jun

109 pickers snookered in the women's final.
Mirra or Maja or Mayhem? At least let there be a great contest that goes the distance.
Good watching 😎
The Ump 6 Jun

Thats a lot of trunk slamming
chopperchowmein 7 Jun

Leaderboard about to change big time, 4 out of top 5 snookered😢🤣Go Olive! You’re thinking like me in to win!
FRC! 6 Jun

More mayhem but not for Whakamama who leads by 1 pt after the men's semi.
The Ump 6 Jun

1st time in 11 years I’ve stumped myself 😲 o Sabalenka to pick
Vixen 6 Jun

Wonder how the results would have been with the normal chilly Paris weather!!
Nancy Jenkins 5 Jun

In spite of still being nearer the bottom than the top it been worth every minute in front of the box watching Fonseca espcially the match against Djokovic!! we all thought we were done after the big three went out - no way.!
Nancy Jenkins 5 Jun

Women's final looks like it will blow up the scoreboard. Mirra and Maja already picked by millions of pickers.
Meanwhile Benaan Bread leads by 1 pt and Pakuranga TC skip a couple clear in the Groups.
The Ump 5 Jun

Could be a pretty ordinary women’s final go the Russian teenager Miriam . In the men’s it’s Alexander’s last chance saloon to win a grand slam
Scoop 4 Jun

Berrettini took down 155 pickers including Ally but they still took the lead regardless.
The Ump 4 Jun

Sabalenka gone. Kalinaskaya gone.
What are you going to do now 🤨 Women’s semi finals picks tonight.
Good luck
The Ump 4 Jun

Woke up in Snooker City 💀
virgcat 4 Jun

Crazy crazy event this time around... fingers crossed I can avoid Snooker City!!
SmashemNat 4 Jun

Bad luck, you were doing so well
Billy 5 Jun

Hopes = Dashed
virgcat 5 Jun

If it’s any consolation , you will still beat me in the womens.
Billy 5 Jun

Vaunj is joined by Drunken in the lead after R4. Will they keep it up? With so many seeds skittled the chances of getting snookered are in the danger zone.

Hall of Fame lead the Groups for maybe the first time ever. Hall of Famers are 20 pickers with legendary status having won a past picking game 🤩
The Ump 2 Jun

Go joao
Alex thomas 2 Jun

Caption Contest is live. A knockout for sure 🥊🤣
The Ump 1 Jun

Half way thru R4 and David S gets the King's honours with a 2 pt lead but not for long if Cobolli does the biz for Vaunj.
The Ump 1 Jun

Go Mensic
Fred Lewis 31 May

Vaunj survived the round 3 carnage and leads alone on 41 pts.
Pakuranga TC narrowly lead the Groups race.

Still a couple of matches to finish so totals may change a bit later.

Round 4 picks close tonight.
Good picking
The Ump 31 May

Appreciate the reminders, Ump.
virgcat 31 May

So just the 4 sets in the doubles for the Kiwis?
Stoic 30 May

Most popular picks for R3 were Karen Khachanov and Yulia Starodubtseva. Both lost. Carnage on the scoreboard and now comes the picking puzzle 🤔
The Ump 30 May

Bam bam bam. What a day at Roland Garros.
For the first time since 1968, no former Grand Slam champions will play in the round of 16 of a men's singles draw at a major.
Tennis - you gotta love it
The Ump 30 May

Come on Collingo
Fred Lewis 29 May

It's time for Zverev - he's been the bridesmaid at the weddings for long enough!
Nancy Jenkins 29 May

Hi UMP, with those having Carreno Busta. please explain when those having a pick in 3 sets get 7 points and those having a pick in 4 sets only get 6 points. Carren Busta lost a set so why is a 4 set pick not more correct than a 3 set?, perhaps they should be both the same?
TROY 29 May

You have to pick correct sets to get 7 points
Vixen 29 May

Have to agree with that...you were robbed while those that pick 3 sets get 7!
FRC! 29 May

Oh FRC there's a subtle difference. It's not about how many sets are played for the win but whether you can actually predict that number of sets correctly. Get it right and get the bonus 👏
The Ump 29 May

What a day at Roland Garros! Jannik Sinner sent packing along with a bunch of other seeds in both draws. Plenty of nailbiters too so at least consolation points for some pickers.

Tom F leads alone after R2 on 29 pts. The Unforced Errors lead the Groups by a decimal point from Northcote TC.
R3 picks tonight you beauties
The Ump 29 May

💪
Tom F 29 May

Sinner is out. Can Novak get his 25th or can Zevrev or Ruud get a first grand slam?
Stoic 29 May

Well that result is really going to set the cat amongst the pigeons! What a result! Hugely difficult now for everyone!
FRC! 29 May

My first round unseeded male won in 2 sets as the opponent pulled out injured but i only got 6pts. Should i not still get the 7pts as I picked the closest set score (3-0)?
XXL 28 May

It's in the rules that it needs to be more than 2 sets for the mens. I think Kokkinakis must have an account on here as he retired after the first game in the 3rd set. " +1 point for guessing a winner and the correct number of sets. No sets bonus for walkovers, or retirements unless more than 1 set played for women and more than 2 sets for men."
Stoic 28 May

Thanks!
XXL 28 May

It appears we can still select Alex De Minaur despite him already receiving a W/O through to Round 3. If this is allowed, how many points would we receive? 5 or 6?
Wazza 27 May

5 pts for De Minaur because zero sets were played. Might be a bit of a headache for the Ump tomorrow if the points go haywire 🤔
The Ump 27 May

Apologies ump Leaner Tien is a seeded player so 6 points is correct
Cocksy 27 May

Hey ump l picked Leaner Tien to win in 4 sets which was correct how come l only picked up 6 points not 7 ? Can you explain scoring
Cocksy 27 May

Round 1 dusted and day 3 finally brought a swag of 8 pointers as seeds tumbled.
4 way tie for the lead on 15 points.
R2 picks close tonight.
Good picking
The Ump 27 May

Does doubles sets include james watt and Finn as they have qualified too
Azatasi 27 May

Good question Azatasi but James and Finn didn't make the draw until after sets guesses closed so it wouldn't be fair to now include their sets in the Kiwi sets count.
But hopefully they play outstanding doubles, win a bunch of matches, and we can all celebrate wildly 🎉
The Ump 27 May

Surely a seperate bonus point offer to recognize the duo surely first grandslam title for the kiwis go kiwi!!!! Especially with watts massive serve
Azatasi 27 May

Just a note for people guessing the correct number of doubles sets to be won, given some of the ridiculous numbers posted in the last couple of competitions - the maximum number of sets that can be won is 24, and that would happen only if Mike and Erin BOTH win their titles.
anotherkiwi 26 May

We have james watt and Finn Reynolds in as well
Azatasi 27 May

Doubles sets guesses close tonight. Both Mike Venus and Erin Routliffe are scheduled to play.
3 bonus points if you guess the number of doubles sets Kiwis will win in the whole tournament.
The Ump 26 May

How did I miss that? 🙄 Work getting in the way of my good time AGAIN
virgcat 26 May

Shame but you're not the only one Virgcat. Dubs usually starts same day as R2 singles but you know the French 😉
The Ump 27 May

I assumed 2nd round so missed it as well. As the saying goes assume - made an ass out of me and u
Billy 27 May

8 pointers scarce so far as the seeds mostly survive. 19 pickers tied for 1st after day 2.
The Ump 26 May

Here we go. Players ready? Ball kids ready? Play.

Popular picks R1...
Men - Alexander BLOCKX - 29 picks
Women - Donna VEKIC - 33 picks

May the force be with you 😅
The Ump 24 May

1st round closing 9.30ish. Ump’s still doing the dishes 🫤
The Ump 24 May

Draws will be up by midday Saturday 🤞
The Ump 23 May

Go novak!
Azatasi 21 May

Surely he is too old now?
Phil10isAce 23 May

39 is the new 29 I think
Azatasi 23 May

I mean Novak is GOATED but not sure about that...I wish him well but don't see anyone beating Sinner ATM..
Phil10isAce 23 May

39 is the new 29 but I reckon 29 is the new 19!! Lets see what Carlos's young brother turns out like - he won a good tournament last year!!
Nancy Jenkins 24 May

Great to be back
Vixen 20 May

Salut tennis nuts.
The Ump is back with the King of Clay - the picking game that started when Rafa still had long hair and Serena was scorchingly dominant.
Good picking
The Ump 19 May

Thanks Ump! Love this game.
Phil10isAce 23 May

Winning a grand slam is no longer a
dream for Alexander the Great

Mirra Andreeva - 2026 Queen of Clay
Dog's name anybody?

Arnaldi's woes. I can't move and I
can't eat and I can't drink. 19 hours
on court has that effect Matteo

Bye bye Aryna. Dont take it too badly

Fonseca finally foiled but what a run

Dog day at Roland Garros. Woof woof

And another big seed tumbles. Iga
lost but looked on the bright side

Novak's smiling but his fingers look
twitchy. Watch out Joao!

Xiyu Wang shows total commitment

Holy smoke. Sinner's gone gone gone

The one and only Gael Monfils reflects
on his last 5 setter at Roland Garros

Excited - you bet! Susan Bandecchi
delivers an 8 pointer to 4 pickers

Taylor Fritz sucks it up. Not the BOSS
today and the 1st top 10 eliminated

Coco loves the clay. Can she repeat?

French Open player towel is the best

Check the Rules

Good picking........The Ump :-)