Contest fewer in number, being without equal (9)
I believe the answer is:
matchless
'without equal' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'contest fewer in number' is the wordplay.
'contest' becomes 'match' (match is a kind of contest).
'fewer in number' becomes 'less' (I've seen this before).
'match'+'less'='MATCHLESS'
'being' is the link.
(Other definitions for matchless that I've seen before include "Incomparable" , "Having no equal" , "Unbeatable" , "Unique" , "Without peer, nonpariel" .)