2012 Adult Tournament Rules and Regulations USTA New England
Adult Tournament Rules and Regulations - pdf version
2012 Friend at Court - The USTA Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations - pdf version
Friend at Court is also available using this Web path: www.usta.com > About USTA > Officials
The rules and regulations, tournament schedule, listing of sectional & designated tournaments, and other information may be updated during the year on the USTA New England web site: www.ustanewengland.com > Adults Tournaments
Adult Tournament Rules and Regulations
USTA New England, Updated January 2012
Updated rules and regulations for 2012 are shaded.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. ADULT TOURNAMENT PROCEDURES
A. ENTRY AND GENERAL INFORMATION
1. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
a. MEMBERSHIP
b. OUT-OF-SECTION PLAYERS
2. DIVISIONS OF PLAY
a. OPEN DIVISIONS
b. SENIOR DIVISIONS
c. FAMILY DIVISIONS
d. NTRP DIVISIONS
3. TOURNAMENT ENTRY
4. SEEDING AND RANKING – GENERAL INFORMATION
5. STARTING TIME CONFIRMATION
6. ARRIVAL
7. RULES
B. ADMINISTRATION
1. ENTRIES AND SELECTION
2. SEEDING
3. MAKING AND POSTING THE DRAW
4. SEPARATING OPPONENTS
5. COURT TIME AND CONTINUOUS PLAY
6. CONSOLATION
a. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
b. SECTIONAL EVENTS
c. HEAD TAX WAIVER
7. TOURNAMENT PRIZES
8. TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND HEAD TAXES
9. TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIATED MATCHES
10. TENNIS BALLS
II. MATCH PLAY REGULATIONS
A. OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT
B. WITHDRAWAL AND ASSOCIATED PENALTIES
1. EARLY WITHDRAWAL
2. WITHDRAWAL
3. NO SHOW/DEFAULT
4. PENALTY DEFAULT
5. RETIREMENT
C. CONDUCT AND POINT PENALTIES
D. SUSPENSION POINTS
E. SUSPENSION AND REQUEST FOR HEARING
F. MATCH SCHEDULING
1. MATCH FORMATS AND SCORING
a. SECTIONAL AND DESIGNATED EVENTS MATCH FORMAT
b. OTHER EVENTS MATCH FORMATS
c. COMAN TIEBREAK PROCEDURES
d. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
2. START OF MATCHES
3. SINGLES PRECEDING DOUBLES
4. NUMBER OF MATCHES
5. REST PERIODS
6. CONTINUITY OF PLAY
7. POSTPONED AND INTERRUPTED MATCHES
G. SCORING
1. REGULAR
2. ALTERNATIVE
III. RANKINGS
A. REQUIREMENTS
1. PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE
2. MATCH RESULTS
3. OUT-OF-SECTION MATCHES
4. NUMBER OF PLAYERS TO BE RANKED
5. OUT-OF-SECTION PLAYERS
6. SPECIAL EVENTS
B. RANKING CRITERIA
C. PROTEST PROCEDURE
D. RANKING REVIEW BOARD
IV. USTA NEW ENGLAND GRIEVANCES AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
V. INTERSECTIONAL TEAMS
I. ADULT TOURNAMENT PROCEDURES
A. ENTRY AND GENERAL INFORMATION
1. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
a. Membership – All players participating in tournaments sanctioned by USTA New England must show proof of membership in the USTA. Individual, family, multi-year, and life memberships are available. A player may join the USTA by calling USTA Member Services at 1-800-990-USTA, or join online at the following web address:
www.ustanewengland.com > Membership > Join Online
Tournament directors are instructed that, in cases where the tournament director cannot determine membership and a player cannot provide proof of membership, the player should be referred to Member Services. The player is excluded from entering the tournament until proof of membership is provided.
b. Out-of-Section Players – Out-of section players may compete in all USTA New England sanctioned tournament events except for the Sectional events. There is one N.E. Sectional event for each division of play.
2. DIVISIONS OF PLAY
Men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles, and mixed doubles, are offered to USTA members in the following divisions of play:
a. Open Divisions – Open events are the most competitive events offered, and provide a high level of competition for experienced players. Any USTA member can enter an Open division event.
b. Senior Divisions (35, 45, 50, 55*, 60, 65*, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90*) – Senior division events follow USTA National age groupings and are open to any player who is at or older than the age level of the event, or turns that age within the calendar year. Players may play in a younger age group, but are not eligible to play in an older age division. *men's division only
Some senior divisions offer only men’s events. See the Ranking Requirements Table for details. www.ustanewengland.com > Adults Tournaments > Standings/Rankings
Mixed doubles divisions are offered as follows:
· Mixed 35 doubles – men and women 35 and above
· Mixed 45 doubles - men and women 45 and above
· Mixed 55 doubles - men and women 55 and above
· Mixed 65 doubles - men and women 65 and above
c. Family Divisions (Father/Son, Parent/Child) – Family doubles events are open to USTA members of the same family without age restriction.
d. NTRP Divisions (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 Singles and Doubles, and Combined Mixed 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 & 9.0 Doubles). The National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) classifies players in specific skill categories (NTRP ratings) to ensure competitive competition. The following criteria apply:
· Players must enter NTRP events at or above their NTRP rating. (Example: a 3.5 singles player may play in 3.5 and 4.0 events, but not in 3.0 events.)
· In men’s and women’s doubles, both players must enter events at or above their NTRP rating. (Example: a 3.5 and 4.0 doubles team may play in 4.0 events, but not in 3.5 events.)
· In mixed doubles, both players must enter events at or above their combined NTRP rating, and their NTRP ratings must be within one point. (Same as USTA League rules. Examples: a 4.0-4.0 doubles team and a 3.5-4.5 doubles team may enter a Combined Mixed 8.0 or 9.0 event. A 3.0-5.0 doubles team may not enter any combined mixed event.
· A player must be 18 years or older in the calendar year of the event to play in an NTRP tournament. A player less than 19 years old may need to register manually with the tournament director.
A rated player can determine his or her TennisLink NTRP rating on the USTA New England web site at the following location:
www.ustanewengland.com > Adults Leagues > TennisLink > Find a Rating [menu on right]
An unrated player must determine an appropriate rating before entering an NTRP event. The player must review the General Characteristics of NTRP Playing Levels, the General & Experienced Player Guidelines, and the Player Background History form. These documents are available on the USTA New England web site at the following location:
www.ustanewengland.com > Adults Leagues > NTRP Ratings/Appeals
Once the player has reviewed this information, the player may register for an NTRP tournament event at the appropriate level. The USTA or tournament director may request that the Player Background History form be completed and submitted before or after the tournament, for the purpose of confirming that a player is registered or has played at an appropriate NTRP level.
Following review of available information, the Adult Players Committee may rule that a player is registered out of level, and may remove the player from the event before play has begun. The APC may also issue sportsmanship penalties per Section II of the regulations. There is no NTRP disqualification from an NTRP tournament during the event.
3. TOURNAMENT ENTRY
A player may register online at the tournament home page, or may register by contacting the tournament director per the information that is available on the tournament home page or in the handbook. If mail-in entries are allowed, send an entry with a check for the entry fee so that it will arrive before the entry deadline. A player should call the tournament director to confirm that his entry has arrived. Deadline dates and required methods of entry to events vary, and it is important to check each tournament individually.
4. SEEDING AND RANKING – GENERAL INFORMATION
Seeding, rankings, standings and rating are not equivalent. Seeding is a player’s position in a tournament based on his current standing relative to other players in that tournament. The seeding at a particular tournament may not be the same as the current standings and a player with a higher published rating may be seeded lower than another player. The Seeding Chairpersons are listed online for contact by tournament directors.
Rankings are from computer data and give an order to players who have met ranking requirements based solely on tournament wins and losses in a specific division during the calendar year. Standings are the current order of players based on wins and losses during the previous 52-week period. Standings use a rolling time frame, meaning each time the standings are updated the time period will reflect the most recent 52 weeks. Notification of tentative rankings on the USTA New England web site will be done in December. Tentative rankings may be republished as needed without notification. The final rankings will be published on the USTA New England web site and in the yearbook.
A rating represents a player’s ability level, generated by computer or self-rating, based on actual match scores and the opponent’s skill level.
5. STARTING TIME CONFIRMATION
Players are responsible for obtaining starting times by reviewing the draw posted on the TennisLink tournament home page, or by contacting the tournament director via the information on the tournament home page.
6. ARRIVAL
A player should arrive and check in at the tournament desk at least 15 minutes before his scheduled playing time. There are penalties for late arrivals.
7. RULES
All players participating in USTA sanctioned events agree to be familiar with and abide by these USTA New England Adult Tournament Rules & Regulations, and the National rules of the USTA per Friend at Court. Friend at Court is available at the USTA bookstore web site and at 888-832-8291. It may be reviewed and printed from the USTA Officials web site.
www.ustashop.com > Books www.usta.com > About USTA > Officials
B. ADMINISTRATION
1. ENTRIES AND SELECTION
Tournament directors must accept entries up to the stated close of entries. If the number of applications for entry exceeds the size limit of the draw, the following procedure will be used: One-eighth of the draw may be selected at the discretion of the tournament director. The other seven-eighths must be selected in the following order: 1) Anyone who would be seeded (after consultation with the proper seeding chairperson); 2) other players with a standing; 3) a lottery of all other players. A draw that is limited must be published on the tournament home page by the tournament director before the Entries Open date.
All tournaments and events for which players register will be held, except as noted below.
If less than three players/doubles teams register for an event, the tournament director will contact both players/teams and give them an opportunity to decline to play the match. If a player/team does not provide contact information during registration, it is presumed they wish to play. If a player/team declines to play, players/teams will not be selected and tournament fees will not be charged.
If three players/doubles teams register for an event, the tournament director will if possible schedule the event as a round robin.
2. SEEDING
Seeding in elimination tournaments is done to assure that players of recognized outstanding ability do not encounter each other in the early rounds. USTA New England has provided a seeding chairperson in all Men’s divisions except NTRP divisions. Women’s events must be seeded by tournament directors using standings lists published by USTA New England. The tournament director must contact the seeding chairperson and the recommended order of seeding must be followed. The seeding chairperson has the responsibility for maintaining a current list of players playing the best tennis within that division. The seeding in each tournament is based on this list and current standings, and is the seeding chairperson’s judgment of the players most likely to win. Results from head-to-head matches contested in other age divisions of USTA New England or USTA Sectional and National sanctioned tournaments will count for seeding provided that either player informs the appropriate seeding chairperson in writing within two weeks of the event. Any last minute changes, such as adding late entries, must also have the approval of the seeding chairperson.
3. MAKING AND POSTING THE DRAW
The draw shall be made by the tournament director using USTA tournament software (TDM) in accordance with USTA tournament regulations. The draw may be limited in number of players accepted for entry due to the available court time. Please refer to Sections II.F 1-7 of these rules for additional match scheduling regulations.
The tournament director will publish draws with match times for all events online on the tournament home page at least 48 hours before the start time of the first match of the tournament. Players must check the tournament home page to confirm their acceptance or non-acceptance, and starting times. Players may also confirm information as needed with the tournament director per contact information on the tournament home page.
4. SEPARATING OPPONENTS
When the drawing procedure operates to bring together for their first round match members of the same family, same school, same club or same town, the referee or tournament director may, at his discretion, place the second name on the corresponding line of the next quarter of the draw. If this happens in the fourth quarter of the draw, the second name may be exchanged with the name of the corresponding line in one of the three preceding quarters, the specific quarter being determined by drawing. Players are not to be exempted from meeting each other because they are doubles partners.
5. COURT TIME AND CONTINUOUS PLAY
As a matter of general practice, tournament court time shall be continuous, with a minimum of interruptions by other activities (e.g., clinics, club matches, lessons). Any variation from continuous play is discouraged by USTA New England and all anticipated interruptions must be published on the online tournament home page by the tournament director before the Entries Open date. Reducing the available number of courts from five to one or two for the duration of a club activity is not continuous play. Nor is it continuous play when ample courts are provided for matches on Friday night, but no other tournament matches are scheduled until mid-afternoon on Saturday. See also Sections II.F.4 and II.F.5.
6. CONSOLATION EVENTS
a. General Requirements - Consolation events are strongly encouraged for all events. Consolation matches will count for ranking purposes the same as main draw matches, and results must be reported to USTA New England. Age groups or NTRP levels must not be combined for consolation events because mixed-age groups will not count for rankings.
b. Sectional Events - All Sectional Championship events for both singles and doubles must offer consolation events for first-round or first-match losers. At the discretion of the tournament director, these consolation matches may be 8-game pro-sets. Sectional events must also offer a 3rd/4th place consolation match.
c. Head Tax Waiver – The USTA New England head tax (see section I.B.8) will be waived for the divisions of adult events that list, run, and report a consolation event. For head tax purposes, a round robin will be considered a consolation event. Men’s and women’s events are separate divisions. Singles and doubles, within the same gender and age category, are also separate divisions. For example, men’s 65 singles and doubles and women’s 65 singles and doubles are four separate divisions.
7. TOURNAMENT PRIZES
Prizes for tournaments are awarded at the discretion of the tournament director.
8. TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND HEAD TAXES
All tournament results must be completed on USTA tournament software and uploaded to the USTA web site within three (3) working days of the event. Match results are posted on the USTA web site as soon as they are uploaded, and are included in the rankings after being reviewed by USTA New England, typically within two weeks of being reported by the tournament director.
Head taxes ($3.00 per adult player, per tournament, per division; unless waived per I.B.6.c must be sent to the USTA New England office within three (3) working days of the event.
9. TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIATED MATCHES
The tournament director or a designated tournament official (i.e., someone knowledgeable of tournament procedures and rules) must be on location and overseeing the tournament wherever and whenever matches are played. Use of the Point Penalty System is in effect for all events for applicable rule violations.
The tournament director may provide a certified official or court monitor for the tournament. Most tournaments do not have certified officials.
All unofficiated matches will follow Friend at Court’s “The Code – The Player’s Guide To Fair Play and The Unwritten Rules of Tennis.”
10. TENNIS BALLS
In all tournaments sanctioned by USTA New England, three new regulation balls are to be supplied to players at the beginning of every main draw match. Tournament directors have the option of providing a new can of balls prior to the start of the third set. This should be conveyed to the players prior to the start of the match. If the tournament director has opted to provide new third set balls, the request of either player for a new can of balls to start the third set will be granted.
If an alternative scoring method (less than two out of three complete sets) is used, requests for new balls are not permitted. For round robin events, a new can of balls should be provided after every three sets of use.
II. MATCH PLAY REGULATIONS
A. OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT
Once the draw has been made, the tournament is official.
B. WITHDRAWAL AND ASSOCIATED PENALTIES
1. EARLY WITHDRAWAL
If a player withdraws prior to the close of registration, his entry fee is returned and the withdrawing player receives no suspension points. If the registration was completed online, the withdrawing player must withdraw online.
If a player withdraws after the close of registration and before the draw is made, the withdrawing player receives no suspension points.
2. WITHDRAWAL
If the draw has been made but the tournament has not begun, and the player advises the tournament director that he is not going to play, the player is defaulted. No credit is given towards ranking, and the defaulted player is not given credit towards the minimum number of required tournaments. The withdrawing player receives two suspension points.
3. NO SHOW/DEFAULT
If the draw has been made and the tournament has begun and a player does not inform the tournament director he is not going to play, the player is defaulted. The defaulting player receives a loss; the opponent does not receive a win. No credit is given toward the minimum number of required tournaments. The defaulting player receives three suspension points.
4. PENALTY DEFAULT
A penalty default is assessed once a player has begun play in a tournament and is defaulted or defaults. The player who defaults receives a loss. His opponent is NOT given credit for a win. If the defaulted player has not completed one match, the tournament will not count as a required tournament. The defaulting player receives four suspension points.
5. RETIREMENT
If a player is forced to retire during a match (is unable to continue), the player who retires receives a loss; the winner receives credit for a win. Both players receive credit for having played the tournament. The retiring player receives no suspension points.
The tournament director will notify USTA New England in writing of withdrawals and defaults that are not recorded on the draw.
C. CONDUCT AND POINT PENALTIES
Sportsmanlike conduct is expected of players at all times. Poor behavior or profanities shall be sufficient cause for default. If any such conduct requires disciplinary action to be taken, a full report should be made to USTA New England. Referees may assign umpires to a match whether the players request it or not. The following is an explanation of the Point Penalties.
Point Penalties will be imposed against a player for unsportsmanlike conduct during a tournament such as the following:
· Unreasonable delays after the warm-up period, between points and when changing ends, and otherwise unreasonably delaying a match
· Audible obscenity
· Visible obscenity
· Violently or with anger hitting, kicking or throwing a tennis ball, racquet or other equipment
· Verbal or physical abuse of any official, opponent, spectator or other person
· Disruptive behavior
· Coaching by a captain or any other accompanying person
Following are the penalties for the above violations:
· First offense – Point
· Second offense – Game
· Third offense - Default
The imposition of penalties is primarily a function of the Chair Umpire, but the Referee or tournament director may impose penalties in any umpired or non-umpired match on the basis of his own observations or those of his designated assistants. If a line umpire observes a conduct violation or is the object of a conduct violation by a player, he shall, as soon as possible, without disrupting play in progress, inform the Chair Umpire, Referee or tournament director who will then make a decision under the Point Penalty System.
While normally the imposition of penalties will be in accordance with the basic table, a flagrantly unsportsmanlike act may result in the imposition of an immediate penalty, even a default for a first offense. Such a default, if declared by a Chair Umpire or referees’ assistant, may be appealed to the Referee or tournament director; if imposed by the Referee it may be appealed to the Tournament Committee.
A player may not appeal to the Referee or tournament director a penalty imposed by an umpire until a default has been imposed on that player.
D. SUSPENSION POINTS
Suspension points will be recorded against a player for the following reasons. Suspension points do not affect a player’s standing.
· Each point penalty imposed under the Point Penalty System (PPS) excluding unintentional time violations: 1 pt.
· Unsportsmanlike conduct at a tournament site while not on-court: 1 pt.
· Entering two tournaments at the same time without written permission from both tournament directors: 2 pts.
· Leaving the court during a match without permission of the Umpire, Referee or tournament director except to get a linesperson: 2 pts.
· Withdrawal from a tournament or doubles event after the draw is made: 2 pts.
· Default for a flagrantly unsportsmanlike act including a no-show: 3 pts.
· Each penalty default imposed under the PPS: 4 pts.
The tournament director will notify USTA New England in writing of any conduct issues and Point Penalties (section C. above) levied against any player.
E. SUSPENSION AND REQUEST FOR HEARING
A player will be notified and warned when he has received seven suspension points. If a player receives ten or more suspension points during a 12-month period, he will be suspended from competing in USTA New England sanctioned events for eight weeks.
· Upon receipt of a suspension notice, the player will have the right to a hearing before the USTA New England Adult Players’ Committee. To request a hearing, a player must make a written request to the USTA New England Adult Players’ Committee within five days following the receipt of the suspension notice. If requested, and if the suspension is affirmed by the Adult Players’ Committee, the eight-week suspension will commence the day after the committee has made a decision affirming such suspension. If a hearing is not requested, the eight-week suspension will commence the day after the expiration of the five-day period.
· The above violations are applicable to the qualifying, main and consolation draws. No suspension points will be levied for penalties that are due to illness, injury or personal emergency, provided the USTA New England office receives acceptable written documentation within ten days of the conclusion of the tournament.
· Any suspension points received out-of-section will count in USTA New England.
· USTA New England will notify the national USTA office of any player with regard to penalties received in USTA New England sanctioned events.
· A player who is suspended for a second offense of the Point Penalty System will be suspended from competing in USTA New England sanctioned events for six months.
· A player who is suspended for a third offense of the Point Penalty System will be suspended from competing in USTA New England sanctioned events for a specific period of time, determined by the USTA New England Adult Players’ Committee, greater than six months and up to permanent suspension.
F. MATCH SCHEDULING
1. MATCH FORMATS AND SCORING
a. Sectional and Designated events match format: All matches are best-of-three tiebreak sets and use regular scoring with 7-Point Set Tiebreak. Only in an emergency, such as a power failure, extreme weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstance, may a 10 Point Match Tiebreak (first to 10 points by a margin of two) be used in lieu of a third set.
b. Other events match formats: Matches for other events may be played per the format above. Matches may also be played by an alternative format if posted by the tournament director on the tournament home page before the Entries Open date (unless the alternative format is used in an emergency as described above). Alternative formats include but are not limited to No-Ad scoring, matches consisting of the best-of three sets with a 10 Point Match Tiebreak in lieu of the third set, Pro Sets, matches consisting of one set only, and Short Sets. An objective of alternative formats is to increase participation by providing more predictable scheduling of play for players and tournament directors.
c. Coman Tiebreak Procedure: The Coman Tiebreak Procedure (change ends after the first point, then after every four points) may be used for set and match tiebreaks provided this is specified on the tournament home page before the Entries Open date. If not specified the regular procedure for changing ends will be used.
d. Additional information: Refer to Friend at Court for additional details – Part 1 ITF RULES OF TENNIS Rule 10 and Appendix IV; and Part 3 USTA REGULATIONS I.E.
2. START OF MATCHES
a. In any division of play, singles play will start on the second day of a three day tournament if there are 16 or fewer players. Singles will start on the first day of a two day tournament. See also Section II.F.4.d below.
b. In any division of play, doubles play will start on the second day of a three day tournament if there are 16 or fewer teams. Doubles may start on either day of a two day tournament.
c. Matches may be scheduled on other days (example: a draw with less than 16 players may start on Friday of a three day tournament), provided the information is posted by the tournament director on the tournament home page before the Entries Open date.
d. Matches may not start before 8 a.m. or after 10 p.m.
e. Summer weekend tournament matches (Friday of Memorial Day weekend to Monday of Labor Day weekend) may not start before 2 p.m. on a Friday; with the exception of the N.E. Men’s Open Sectional Championship.
f. Winter weekend tournament matches may not start before 4:00 p.m. Friday.
g. Exceptions: Matches may be scheduled at other times by the tournament director provided that USTA New England approves of the exception. The starting times must be posted by the tournament director on the tournament home page before the Entries Open date.
3. SINGLES PRECEDING DOUBLES
In an event where one or more players is involved in both singles and doubles, it is recommended through the quarterfinals and mandatory for semifinals and finals, that in any given round, singles be played before doubles.
4. NUMBER OF MATCHES
a. No adult player shall be required to play more than five matches per day, or more than three matches in any one event. Note specific exceptions that follow.
b. When counting the number of matches played in a day, in all divisions, any two consolation matches using an alternative match format will count as one match.
c. In the 35’s through 65’s divisions, a player shall not be required to play more than four matches in one day in the same division (including consolation and doubles). No more than two matches may be singles.
d. In the 70’s and above divisions, two rounds of singles may be played on the first day of play. Thereafter, only one round of singles may be played per day. However, an additional consolation match may be played when necessary. In any combination of singles and doubles (including consolations) the total matches played per day may not exceed two.
5. REST PERIODS
a. Between points: A maximum of twenty (20) seconds is allowed, per Friend at Court Rules of Tennis.
b. When changing ends: There is no rest on the changeover after the first game of any set. During all other changeovers players are entitled to 90 seconds of rest, per Friend at Court Rules of Tennis.
c. Between sets: In all divisions except Men’s Open, either player is entitled to a rest which shall not exceed 10 minutes between the second and third set. Players in the Men’s Open are not entitled to a rest period between sets.
d. Between matches: In the Open division, the Referee shall offer a player who is required to play back-to-back matches a minimum rest period of 30 minutes. Players in 35’s, and 45’s divisions shall be offered a minimum rest period of 60 minutes; players in 50’s, 55’s and 60’s divisions shall be offered a minimum rest period of 90 minutes; and players in 65’s, 70’s, 75’s, 80’s and 85’s divisions shall be offered a minimum rest period of 120 minutes.
Additional rest time may be authorized by the referee when the length of the prior match or severe weather or other conditions, in the referee’s opinion, justify an extension. When a player is competing in more than one division, the foregoing shall not apply to matches in different divisions.
6. CONTINUITY OF PLAY
Play must be continuous. Under certain circumstances, play may be suspended, delayed or interfered with to enable a player to recover from natural loss of physical condition. The tournament referee must either employ the Point Penalty System or use his best judgment regarding unacceptable delay of the match. Players desiring water may not leave the court, but may have it brought to them.
7. POSTPONED AND INTERRUPTED MATCHES
The postponing and interrupting of matches because of weather, darkness or court conditions shall be at the sole discretion of the tournament referee. Interrupted matches shall be resumed from the point of interruption as soon as ordered by the referee. Matches that are rescheduled because of inclement weather should be rescheduled to accommodate the affected players while taking the court availability into consideration.
III. RANKINGS
A. RANKING REQUIREMENTS
The ranking year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31, and includes all tournaments that begin during the year. Rankings are based solely upon the player’s record for one calendar year, and solely upon the results within an age division or level in which the ranking is given.
End-of-year tentative and final rankings will be determined at the completion of the ranking year. To be eligible for an end-of-year USTA New England numerical ranking, a player must be registered with USTA Member Services with a New England Principal Residence (see section III.A.1 below), must have played the required number and distribution of tournaments, and must have at least one match win. Players not meeting ranking criteria are listed as “Ineligible Players.”
The Adult Tournaments Ranking Requirements table and listing of Sectional and Designated events are posted on the USTA New England web site at the following address:
www.ustanewengland.com > Adults Tournaments > Standings/Rankings
Tournament Divisions are listed along the top of the ranking requirements chart, and the ranking requirements for singles and for doubles are listed on the left side. Each division of play is ranked separately, and singles and doubles are ranked separately. Requirements in all rows of each division must be met or exceeded to receive a ranking.
· Minimum Number of Tournaments Required - Indicates the minimum number of tournaments a player must play in a division to receive a ranking.
· Must Compete in Two New England States - No longer required in any division. See Adult Tournaments Ranking Requirements table.
· Sectional Championship Event Counts as One Tournament - The Sectional Championship event in all divisions counts as one tournament for eligibility. See Adult Tournaments Ranking Requirements table. Sectional events continue to have a higher weight value in ranking calculations than Designated and non-designated events - see below.
· Minimum Number of Designated/Sectional Tournaments Required - Indicates the number of designated events that are required for ranking in the division. Sectional championships are considered designated tournaments.
· Designated/Sectional Tournaments Offered - Sectional championships are considered designated tournaments. Some Designated events also count as "national sectional tournaments" for national ranking. For additional information see the listing of Sectional and Designated events.
Weight values for ranking calculations are as follows:
· Sectional Championship events: 1.7
· Designated events (which are not Sectional Championships): 1.3
· Non-designated events (“regular tournaments” which are not Sectional or Designated): 1.0
Standings are a type of ranking list that are calculated on a 52-week rolling calendar and are used as a guideline for seeding tournaments. Singles players must have at least two tournaments played and one match win to qualify for an eligible standing. Doubles teams must have at least one match win to qualify for an eligible standing. Players not meeting eligible standings criteria are listed as “Ineligible Players.” Standings are published on the USTA New England web site following the posting of each tournament’s results by the tournament director. Eligible players on a standings list may not have met all of the requirements for an end-of-year ranking.
1. PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE
Only a player with his principal residence in the USTA New England Section, as defined by USTA and USTA New England By-laws, is eligible for ranking consideration. If a question of the principal residence of a player should arise, the burden of proof shall lie with the player. A parent and child doubles team is eligible for ranking consideration if either member of the team has his principal residence in New England.
2. MATCH RESULTS
All matches in all USTA New England sanctioned events within any given ranking division, including consolation events, will be considered for ranking purposes. Non-sanctioned events will not be considered. In determining the ranking of any division, the Ranking Review Board will not consider results from other divisions.
3. OUT-OF-SECTION MATCHES
Head-to head matches in any ranking division between USTA New England players in events sanctioned by the USTA (i.e.; National tournaments) or other USTA Sections will be considered for ranking purposes provided such results are submitted in writing to the USTA New England office by either player or team before January 5 of the next ranking year. The event does not count as one of the required events for ranking eligibility.
4. NUMBER OF PLAYERS TO BE RANKED
All adult players who have met eligibility requirements for a division are eligible for a ranking.
5. OUT-OF-SECTION PLAYERS
Out-of-section players who have met eligibility requirements for a division are eligible for a ranking, and will be placed in the yearbook rankings in the proper order with an asterisk. USTA New England players will be ranked numerically in the yearbook as if the non-resident were not included. Out-of-section players may not compete in the USTA New England Sectional Championships.
6. SPECIAL EVENTS
Results from the following events are not considered in determining rankings: Addie Cup, Atlantic Coast, Church Cup, Friendship Cup, Sears Cup, Talbert Cup, Thurston Cup, interscholastic and intercollegiate tournaments, USTA League Tennis play, and US Open Qualifier tournament.
B. RANKING CRITERIA
Rankings are indicative of a player’s record of play in sanctioned tournaments during the ranking year under consideration, relative to the records of other players during the same ranking year. Rankings for a particular year do not take into account rankings or results of prior years, nor are they necessarily an accurate reflection of ability.
A player’s total record of wins and losses (direct and indirect) and in general his exposure against quality opponents will determine his position in the ranking order. The round reached in a tournament in and of itself has no significance for ranking purposes. It must be considered within the context of players met, quality of draw, etc.
Results alone will count. Physical or mental bad breaks and other disturbing elements will not be taken into consideration and will not give cause for exemption to the ranking requirements. The more wins a qualifying player produces, the more likely it is that the player will be ranked; the higher and more consistent the quality of wins, the higher the ranking will be.
USTA New England uses a computerized ranking system. Therefore, unless factual data is lacking or incorrect, rankings as determined by the computer program will be honored. Players may provide corrections to their player record to a tournament director or USTA New England if the player feels that data has been overlooked or has not been properly entered. If there are any changes in procedure, they will be communicated to all players at the time of the mailing of tentative rankings.
In determining the ranking of any division, results from other divisions will not be considered.
C. PROTEST PROCEDURE
Any protest concerning the rankings must 1) be in writing, 2) state the reason for the protest and 3) refer to the protesting player’s entire record for the season. The protest must be directed to the Ranking Review Board in care of the USTA New England office within 10 days of the publication of the tentative ranking lists. The Ranking Review Board will review and reconsider the case to arrive at a decision. A written decision will be provided to the protesting player within 14 days of the Ranking Review Board meeting, stating the reasons for the decision.
D. RANKING REVIEW BOARD
There shall be a Ranking Review Board consisting of a Chairperson and three additional members. All final rankings shall be determined at the meeting of the Ranking Review Board. The Ranking Review Board shall also serve as the final review for any protests, as outlined in Section III.C PROTEST PROCEDURE and explained in Section III.B RANKING CRITERIA.
IV. USTA NEW ENGLAND GRIEVANCES AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
USTA New England Grievances and Grievance Procedures can be found on the USTA New England web site www.ustanewengland.com by selecting Adults Tournaments and then Grievance Procedures.
V. INTERSECTIONAL TEAMS
Information on the Adult Intersectional and Intrasectional teams is available on the USTA New England Web site. An application form for the teams is available on the USTA New England Web site at the time that end-of-year tentative and final rankings are published. Interested players should complete and return the form to USTA New England per the instructions and by the listed deadline.
www.ustanewengland.usta.com > Adults Tournaments > Competitions
Team captains must use the following USTA New England requirements and guidelines in their selection process:
· USTA membership – all players must be current USTA members through the date of the competition
· USTA New England tournament play - all players must have competed in at least one USTA New England sanctioned tournament the previous calendar year. (effective for 2013 teams; must have played a 2012 tournament)
· Current standings and rankings
· Information from Seeding Chairpersons
· Knowledge about new players eligible for competition
· Responsiveness to participating in the event
· Ability to contribute to the team effort in other ways