Optimizing Tennis Tournament Umpire Scheduling with Operations Research

This paper describes the development of an optimization program to automate the assignment of umpire crews at professional tennis tournaments. Traditional manual scheduling often leads to inefficiencies, especially under constraints like skill levels, gender requirements, and rain delays. The new tool uses integer programming and simulated annealing to create high-quality, feasible schedules quickly. Tested at tournaments like the US Open, the system cut scheduling time by 75% while improving overall assignment quality. It showcases the power of operations research in real-world sports management.