The Big Apple Picker 2026

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Prizewinners...

Big Apple Picker - congratulations Eadenpark unbeaten on 101 on home turf.
Men's Draw - Cote9 on 51 pts and a countback from Shimo
Women's Draw - Wendax on 51 pts and a countback from Bevo and Wellzebees.
Lucky Draw - Whakamama - drawn from those who picked every round regardless of wins or losses.
Top Group - The Unforced Errors who for the 2nd game straight win a box of balls for their club.
Winners email Ump a postal address.

Thanks for playing in the 37th picking game of late late nights.
See you on court :)
The Ump 14 Sep

Hi Ump, love this game. Now, I am Bevo count back from Wendax..Women's Draw..any prize for that???
Bevo 14 Sep

Sorry no Bevo apart from the buzz at getting the equal top Women's draw score. Blame it on your 4 dud men's picks. Hopefully the men at your club are more dependable 😨
The Ump 14 Sep

Yes the buzz is everything 🙌
Bevo 14 Sep

Alexander Zverev makes it 2 grand slams for 2026🏆🏆

Am happy to be 140 and only player to get the no of sets kiwi doubles entries got .Just couldn’t repeat top 20 finish like last US due to a few higher ranked players choking in early rounds . Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to pick a kiwi player in the singles .Last kiwi players of any note Erakovich ,Steven ,Everden and the best two of all Belinda Cordwell that’s over 40:years ago and Ony Parun over 50 years ago . But reall
Scoop 14 Sep

I picked Shelton over Zverev on purpose. I could have gone for Z but decided to go with ‘I wish’ rather than statistics. I still ended up in top 100 so that’s ok by me. The Open had some of the most exciting matches I’ve seen in years. Well done players both on court and in our game!
kiki 14 Sep

Thanks for another great comp. See you in Melbourne?
Vixen 14 Sep

Congratulations to the winners- thanks to the Ump, another fantastic game. What a fantastic 2 weeks of tennis.
Billy 14 Sep

Well.done to winner eadenpark
Azatasi 14 Sep

Delightful, smart lady!! Gracious winner👍👍🙏💗💗🏆
GrannyAnnie 13 Sep

Can anybody beat Eadenpark for the Big Apple Picker? Well yes but not if they don't get their pick in by 9pm. Get to it...
Zverev or Shelton? History says Z but Big Ben is a different animal this week and looks ready to blast 140mph serves all night.
Good picking
The Ump 13 Sep

Gutted Sabalenka lost it dropped me down the ranks so hard. Game over for me 😭
Breezey84 13 Sep

Elena Rybakina. US Open Champ today. World #1 tomorrow🥇

Popular Picks for Women's Final.
Before lucky dips, 185 picking Rybakina and 179 for Sabalenka.
After lucky dips exactly 239 picks each with another 39 snookered 😮
The Ump 12 Sep

Make your Women's finals pick tonight by 9pmish. Sabalenka or Rybakina?
The match will be about 8am Sunday NZ time. Likely to be a smashing nailbiter 😰
The Ump 12 Sep

Tiafoe tried everything against Shelton then tumbled out

Men's Semis - Shelton vs Tiafoe and Zverev vs Khachanov.
Popular picks are Shelton and Zverev and collectively you're usually right 👊
The Ump 11 Sep

Tennis 101 Coco! Eyes on the ball 🫢👋

Eadenpark still on top after the Qtrs along with the Unforced Errors in the Groups. Will anyone take them down? Only 1 point in it so definitely no shoo ins yet.
Women's Semi-final pick tonight and Men's tomorrow. Do them both now and...
Good picking
The Ump 10 Sep

Can you put up the doubles set guesses?
Stoic 10 Sep

Dubs sets guesses up tomorrow. Feeling confident there Stoic👌
The Ump 10 Sep

Ha. It might have influenced how I made SF and finals picks.
Stoic 10 Sep

Playing Shelton backwards proved too crazy even for Alcaraz 🫨

Well Tiafoe did the biz in 5 and just now Shelton does the same to Alcaraz. That's a big headache looming for many pickers. Pain coming 😵🤕
The Ump 9 Sep

You outta your mind⁉️ We may be the #1 combo but that'll never work🙂‍↔️

Popular picks for Qtr finals
Men Tiafoe in 4 sets
Women Pegula in 2 sets
Both Frances and Jessica have about 230 pickers.
Well we shall see. Sleep well pickers 💤
The Ump 8 Sep

Don’t know who the brilliant commentators were for Erin’s last match, but one of them provided this gem, “….since it stopped raining it’s been a lot drier”. Insightful stuff!
bobco 8 Sep

Pete Montgomery got a new gig?
Ball boy 8 Sep

Halfway thru R4 and Eadenpark still has a narrow lead. Plenty of close challengers thanks to a bunch of 8 pointers today. Qtr final picks will be crucial as usual 🤔
The Ump 7 Sep

Tommy Paul tried a few high notes but Carlos spoiled his party

Tough for all the Kiwi guys in the doubles today as they went down in the 1st round. But Erin Routliffe won her 2nd round so total Kiwi doubles sets now stands at 4. Go Erin 👏
The Ump 6 Sep 1

Shout out to those who participated in the Levin UTR this weekend now can you keep up with me in apple picker -Alan
Azatasi 6 Sep

Eadenpark leads on 41 pts after 3 rounds. Sadly that didn't quite inspire the ABs to squish the Boks.
R4 picks tonight - Sunday.
The Ump 6 Sep

EALA pleaded for help but Jovic won in a nailbiter

Mr Happy - Gael Monfils enjoys his last US Open fling

Kia kaha to the Team of Aotearoaz finest. In particular our under dogs from Down Under! Karawhiua 💪🏾🤙🏾👊🏾
Waipaa_871 5 Sep

Thanks umpire Probably won’t help me the way l m picking Cheers Begg
begg 4 Sep

OK Ump, last time it was the women who let me down, this time it's everybody bar one!! From now on I'm going to pick anyone whose seeded, that should knock a few more out and get me some points!!!
Nancy Jenkins 4 Sep

Hi i dont have points recorded for de minaur
Arls 4 Sep

0 points for de Minaur because he lost in 3 sets.
Stoic 4 Sep

Paula Badosa at full sweatch couldn't stop Coco Gauff

Hi Think l lost out on a bonus point with Benic losing in 3 sets Cheers Begg
begg 4 Sep

Beg your pardon Begg. Ump will get that corrected 😕
The Ump 4 Sep

Missed picking doubles as I was waiting for the men’s double draw to be posted….infact its a bit of a mess, they are playing r3 before the r2 matches have even been finished…so to get something picked in time only leaves you with half the draw to pick from…
K1Donkey 4 Sep

All part of the drama at the US Open K1Donkey. Rain or celebrities or Presidents often upset the normal order of things.
However with just one R2 match still going there can be no excuses for not smashing your R3 picks before 9pm tonight.
The Ump 4 Sep

Accepted into US Open Men's Doubles main draw 💪💪

Hi ump just checking you are aware there is some. Corruption/error in the posting of results in round 2 and 3 in both the men’s and the women’s draw…,
volleyqueen 3 Sep

Thanks volleyqueen. Will get that sorted - perhaps water in the works ☂️
The Ump 3 Sep

Should be working now volleyqueen. Give it a go but remember to bend those knees 👍
The Ump 3 Sep

Surely count Reynolds and watt they deserve it show some love to these underdogs
Azatasi 3 Sep

Would love to include Finn and James but that is unfair on pickers who already made their guesses and may not even be online today.
Blame the Ump's lack of foresight. Next time it will be stated as any Kiwis 🤓
The Ump 3 Sep

Hey ump I feel 1 bonus point for guessing the sets of finn and James how about that show recognition to these underdogs they may not have a major title like venus or erin but they are kiwis and we love to support them
Azatasi 3 Sep

Great news for the Kiwis - go boys wish you the best of net chords!!!!!
Nancy Jenkins 3 Sep

Hi ump watt and Reynolds now in doubles do we adjust
Azatasi 3 Sep

Hi Ump, What about "Reynolds and Watt's" SETS in the Mens doubles as I see they have made the just published draw.? Thanks TROY
TROY 3 Sep

Fantastic for Finn Reynolds and James Watt to make the draw. Unfortunately their winning sets won't be counted in the Kiwis doubles count as it was previously stated that only Venus and Routliffe were playing.
But hopefully they seize their chance and play fabulous winning doubles.
The Ump 3 Sep

Round 1 finally finished after 3 and a half days of rain delays and a couple of last minute lucky losers.
Blins, Mike W and Shawnsagecleaver lead on 15 beautiful points. Enjoy it you 3 - there are 45 chasing just 1 point back.
The Unorced Errors make the early running in the Groups race.
The Ump 3 Sep

Looking to pick my doubles number of sets and only the women’s doubles is there ?
Vixen 3 Sep

Men's is now up
Stoic 3 Sep

Round 2 picks will close at 10pm
Bit of extra time to consider the rain factor ☂️🤔
Good picking
The Ump 2 Sep

Damn, fell asleep on the couch and missed the extension by 9 mins :-(
virgcat 2 Sep

The scoreboard is very misleading as I'm being told I'm 44th when I'm actually 2 pts behind the leader so actually 3rd equal... ;)
Chalk_Flew_Up! 2 Sep

Nice try Chalk_Flew_Up but although you are only 2 pts behind there are still 43 players ahead of you 🙃
The Ump 2 Sep

Well no, most of them were *equal* with me...
Chalk_Flew_Up! 3 Sep

i.e. all of us on the same score were 3rd equal. You make it sound like there were 40+ scores above us but there were only 2. Those punters *shared* those 2 higher scores. In any normal competition (isn't this one?) we'd all be 3rd equal.
Chalk_Flew_Up! 3 Sep

Rain has postponed a bunch of matches until tomorrow. However you still need to make your round 2 picks by 9pm tonight.
You can still pick someone who hasn't finished R1 but if they lose their R1 match tomorrow then you will get a Lucky Dip replacement. Worth the RISK?? probably not ;)
The Ump 2 Sep

Where are the 2nd round draws so that I csn make my pick before tonight
GLW 2 Sep

Click the Umps Mens Draw link or Womens link and you will see the draw with the players who are already in the 2nd round.
The Ump 2 Sep

Neither men’s or women’s draw comes up on my screen
GLW 2 Sep

Anyone else got a problem? Working for Ump
The Ump 2 Sep

Round 1 was fine!!
GLW 2 Sep

Try closing the browser and restarting. Might kick it back to life 🤞
The Ump 2 Sep

Tried co plerelyshuuting down and restarting iPad…..no good
GLW 2 Sep

Medvedev and Fils lead the tongue biting ball tossers club

Just the night matches to finish after a big day 2 at Flushing Meadows. Nobody has maximum points yet and no Novak level shockers either.
One more day of round 1 action to go. Sleep well - round 2 picks in Wed night.
The Ump 1 Sep

PAIN PAIN PAIN

2 late withdrawals from the mens singles were Casper RUUD and Marin CILIC. If you picked Casper or Marin then you now have their Lucky Loser replacements Arthur GEA and Otto VIRTANEN respectively.
The Ump 31 Aug

whose coming the to the Levin UTR event this weekend?
Azatasi 30 Aug

1st round picks closing at 9pmish.
If you don’t pick you’ll still get a Lucky Dip pick.
The Ump 30 Aug

no there will be new champs this year
dandevito 29 Aug

Draws will be available later today. Blame the late finish to qualifying and a few other distractions 🫤
The Ump 29 Aug

I will win
Fred Lewis 28 Aug

Its not impossible.
Real & fine athlete 28 Aug

Will Sabalenka and Alcaraz be toasting victory again?

Everyone is asking where you were Ump But I’m sure you told us you would be away for Wimbledon ? We did miss you. So welcome back
Vixen 26 Aug

Wimby was murder for the seeds - the picking pain would have been head splitting 🥲🤕
The Ump 26 Aug

Great to see you back Ump. Love this competition
P J 26 Aug

Thanks PJ. And how is the Nth Otago team shaping up for the SI Super Masters showdown this weekend? 🙃
The Ump 26 Aug

Looking good combining with Southland, so will be interesting to see how they shape up
P J 26 Aug

Yo Ump and Mrs Ump, thought you'd ditched us for a better offer like front row seats at Arthur Ash!!!! Welcome back hope you are both well.Time to light my fire again!!!
Nancy Jenkins 25 Aug

Thats the spirit Nancy. Best thing you can do is burn any thoughts of a wooden spoon 🥄
The Ump 26 Aug

Oh yay your back where were u at wimbledon we missed you
Azatasi 25 Aug

Good to be back Aza and just in time - it's a long story but David S got in first 😎
The Ump 26 Aug

Hi Ump - Surprised to see you pop up in my inbox without any explanation whatsoever, no matter how lame or unbelievable, as to where you were for Wimby this year!
David S 25 Aug

Oh David it's a long story. The Ump went walkabout but delegated the Wimby game to a confident AI bot which immediately panicked at the magnitude of the task and applied to the Bishop for a fast tracked mega Data Centre which was rejected after an emergency Cabinet meeting. Moral of the story - blame the govt 😉
The Ump 26 Aug

Here we go - time for the Big Apple Picker.
Rego closes 9pm Sunday Aug 30th
Good picking 😎
The Ump 24 Aug

Check the Rules

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