SOUTHERN REGION - DISTRICT 8 2018 TRI-LEVEL DOUBLES LOCAL LEAGUE REGULATIONS All captains and players are responsible for following these rules & regulations. GOVERNING RULES: USTA Adult leagues are divided into layers of organization: National, Sectional (Eastern), Regional (Southern), District (Westchester/Rockland), and then Divisions. Three levels of rules apply: The USTA League Tennis Regulations (National), the USTA Eastern rules (Section), and the Local Rules (Southern Region). In addition, the USTA Code of Conduct applies. The local rules are to be read in a manner consistent with the Section and National rules whenever possible and are not intended to supplant those rules. The local rules are intended to identify only the most essential portions of the National and Section rules and only depart from those rules available at https://www.usta.com/content/dam/usta/sections/eastern/pdfs/2017%20national%20and%20eastern%20regulations.pdf as authorized by the USTA and whenever deemed necessary and advisable by local league administration. Any players who use The Code to quote a rule during a match must be able to produce a copy of that rule at that time, as set out by The Code. FORMAT AND GENERAL INFORMATION: Women s and Men s Teams: 1 st doubles: 4.5; 2 nd doubles: 4.0; 3 rd doubles: 3.5 Women s and Men s Teams: 1 st doubles: 4.0; 2 nd doubles: 3.5; 3 rd doubles: 3.0 Each team shall have a minimum of six (6) registered players (2 at each level), and may have additional players. Each team must have use of three courts for home matches; a minimum of 2 hours should be reserved. Players pay $25 court fees (per player) for away matches and court fees for home matches per arrangements with home facility. Each match will consist of three doubles matches, one at each level. 3 rd Set 10 point Match Tiebreak (1 st to 10, win by 2). COMAN rotation for all set & match tiebreaks. Lower rated players are permitted to play up one court. (For example: a 4.0 may play up to 4.5 or a 3.0 player may play up to 3.5). At least one player must be at level on each court. Players may not play on a court below their rating. REGISTRATION / NTRP RATING: 4.5/4.0/3.5 league: No newly self-rated players may play in the 4.5/4.0/3.5 Westchester/Rockland league. Only players with a 2015 or 2016 year-end computer rating may participate.
Exception: If a player registered and played 3 or more matches in a 2017 adult or mixed league as self-rated, and that player will most likely generate a final rating at year-end. Registration Closes: 12/1/2017. Roster additions after the deadline will require approval of the Local League Coordinator. 2018 Tri-Level rule NTRP Ratings. Valid 2016 year-end computer ratings will be used for 4.5/4.0/3.5 tri-level league for all play up to and including sectionals and nationals, except for the two cases listed below. When 2017 year-end ratings are released at the end of November/early December, the following players will have their ratings adjusted the Monday following the release of the ratings. 1. Players with a self-rate from 2017 who receive a valid 2017 year-end computer rating (after the appeal process, should they choose to appeal) that places them above the NTRP level at which they are competing shall be moved to that new NTRP level. Prior team matches played are valid. 2. Players who receive valid 2017 year end computer ratings (after the appeal process) that place them in the CLEARLY ABOVE LEVEL MARK must adjust to that new NTRP level. Prior team matches played are valid. Please Note: The national tournament director has final discretion as to whether 2016 year-end ratings can be used at nationals. 4.0/3.5/3.0 league (starts in January) Players will register with their 2017 year-end rating (these take precedence over 2015 & 2016 ratings). Self-rated players WILL BE permitted to play in these leagues. Please be sure to use all the guidelines for self-rating (self-rated players may be subject to self-rate grievance disqualification if the correct player background information is not provided). Registration end date: to be determined Post season dates TBD TEAM MEMBERS RESPONSIBLITIES: Register to play on their team through TennisLink. Players are permitted to play on more than one team, provided the teams are not at the same trilevel. (A 4.0 may compete in the 4.0 on a 3.0/3.5/4.0 team AND 3.5/4.0/4.5 team). Be members of the USTA through April 2018. Have reached the age of 18 years prior to or during the calendar year of the league season. Note that players turning 18 in 2018 can not register before January 1, 2018. Page 2 of 5
TEAM CAPTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES: Make sure that all players in the 4.5/4.0/3.5 league have a valid 2015 or 2016 computer year-end rating, or they are self-rated but have already played a minimum of three matches in the 2017 season. Make sure that all players in the 4.0/3.5/3.0 league use their 2017 year-end rating. Captains should check a player's level of play and background before the player "self rates". Neglect of this responsibility is grounds for removal of the captain and possible suspension. Make sure all players are registered through TennisLink and listed on an official roster. Contact the visiting captain at least three days prior to the match to confirm the site, availability of courts, time of matches and confirm that there are no forfeits. Cancellations of less than 48 hours will be subject to payment of court fees if the home club requires. Your team will be subject to a forfeit of the next match unless required payments settled. Be present at every match or assign someone in his/her place to be the acting captain. Collect all fees required to pay the facility for the match. Exchange lineups simultaneously, prior to starting play, and record scores of each match. The home team is responsible for providing match balls and water on the courts for matches if it is not available at the facility. Sign both scorecards after checking that the scores are written correctly. Both team captains are responsible for entering & confirming scores through TennisLink, within 48 hours! MATCH REGULATIONS: A 10-minute warm-up, including serves, is permitted before the match begins. Play must be continuous throughout the match. The 15-minute default period may begin with the scheduled starting time of the match. Enforcing a default is at the discretion the captains. If court time and players are available to accommodate the late start, the match can be played. If, after the scorecards have been exchanged but prior to the first point of an individual match being played, a player becomes unable to play due to injury, illness or disqualification; a substitution may be made using a roster player. If 1 st or 2 nd doubles must be defaulted, the lower court is not required to play the higher level match. Simply default the appropriate court. All matches will be best of three sets, with regular scoring and a match tiebreak in lieu of a third set. Captains should discuss prior to the start if the courts must be vacated at the 2 hour mark. If so, please use the following time rules at five minutes before the two hour time limit to ensure completion of the court. Both teams must agree on which clock will be used to determine the end of the match before play starts. When entering the score for that court, check timed match instead of completed Page 3 of 5
Timed Match Procedure (to begin five minutes before the two hour time limit) A game in progress should be completed. If the teams have split sets, with no time left to start the match tiebreak: A deciding point should be played to determine the winner. The server stays in rotation for the deciding point. If the team that won the first set is on serve, tied, or ahead by 1 break or more in the 2nd set: That team is the winner of the match. If the team that won the first set is losing the 2nd set by 1 break or more: The match is now considered tied and a deciding point must be played to determine a winner. The server stays in rotation for the deciding point. If the teams have split sets and are in the middle of a match tiebreak (in lieu of a third set), the match is decided according to the following guidelines: If the match tiebreak is tied a deciding point must be played to determine the winner. The server stays in rotation for the deciding point. If a team is up by one or more points - that team is the winner of the match. If the teams are in a second set tiebreak, the match is decided according to the following guidelines: The team that is up by one or more points in that tiebreak wins the set (and it can then be decided if there is a match winner or if the match is now tied). If the score in the second set tiebreak is even - a deciding point is played to determine the winner of the set. The server stays in rotation for the deciding point. If the sets are now tied - another deciding point should be played to determine the winner of the match. Server continues to stay in rotation. RESCHEDULING MATCHES: It is important for the sake of league standings that all matches be completed. In order to have a valid match, at least 2 courts must be played. Every effort should be made to keep the matches as scheduled. Matches can only be rescheduled with the prior approval of the local league coordinator, and only enough courts will be rescheduled to constitute a valid match. The team requesting the reschedule will default the appropriate number of individual matches as follows: In 5-court leagues, two individual matches will be defaulted. In 3-court leagues, one individual match will be defaulted. The team that has been asked to reschedule will choose the defaulted court. If reschedules cannot be accomplished, the team that causes an illegal match to occur may have their matches removed to calculate final standings. A team that has caused an illegal match & not played all their matches may not advance to playoffs, even if they have the higher standing. Page 4 of 5
SCORING: One team court point is awarded to each winning team. Defaulted matches - In case of a default, the non-defaulting party shall be credited with a 6-0, 6-0 win. MATCH GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES: All complaints, grievances, and appeals must be submitted in writing by the team captain within 48 hours of the incident. Grievance procedures, forms and payment can be found at https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/eastern/grievancesandappeals.html. A payment form must accompany your grievance and both should be emailed directly to the Eastern office at bull@eastern.usta.com. The $25 fee will be refunded if the grievance is upheld. PLAYOFFS: Please see 2018 Eastern rules, when available, for number of matches required for regional and sectionals. 4.5/4.0/3.5 There will be a local playoff according to the following criteria to determine the local winner. Leagues with 6 or fewer teams & 2 or more rounds of local matches: The 1st place team advances directly to the regional playoff. Leagues with 7 or more teams in one division & one round of local matches: There will be a playoff at the end of the season between the top 2 teams. Playoff format can be changed at the discretion of the Local League Coordinator. Regional and Sectional dates will be communicated to the captains once they ve been determined. The national tournament director has final discretion as to whether 2016 year-end ratings can be used at nationals. 4.0/3.5/3.0 Playoff details to be determined. CONTACT INFORMATION: Women s trilevel: Amy Guttman, Guttman@eastern.usta.com, 914 263-7262 Men s trilevel: Kate Jennings, Jennings@eastern.usta.com, 914 642-3167 Updated 9/28/17 Page 5 of 5