 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
San Antonio Women's
Tennis Association
Tennis Association
SAWTA Standing Rules
Revised December 16, 2009
I. General
A. SAWTA shall abide by all USTA regulations and TTA rules.
B. Two general meetings will be held, one prior to the start of league play and one at the conclusion.
The meeting held at the end of the league will be considered the Annual meeting. The exact times and
dates of the two general meetings will be announced.
II. Teams
A. Each tennis facility participating may select its teams by any method it chooses, limited only by its
own rules and by the regulations stated in these Standing Rules.
B. Each team must select a captain and acting captain, one of whom must be present at all matches,
Captains’ meetings, and Captains’ Council meetings.
C. Rosters
1. Teams will consist of eight to 18 players.
2. During the spring league, teams will be allowed to add players to their rosters as long as there
are two matches remaining to be played, prior to any playoffs. During the fall league, teams will be
allowed to add players until the year-end USTA ratings are published.
3. Teams will be allowed to delete players who incur prolonged injuries, move out of the San
Antonio area or are rated out of their NTRP level in accordance with the USTA dynamic rating system.
D. Players
1. Each individual must have an NTRP rating in accordance with the USTA dynamic NTRP rating
system.
2. All players must play two matches prior to local level playoffs in order to advance to any
playoffs or championship rounds. One of these two matches may be a default.
3. Rule Covering Players Who Register for Multiple Teams in Different Leagues and /or Different
Levels During the Same League Season
a) Players who play in two different leagues and/or play on different levels within the same
league are required to complete the online Primary Team Declaration Form, available at www.satennis.
com. The form must be submitted no later than midnight October 1st for the fall season or midnight
March 1st for the spring season. Exception: If SAWSTT is the only ladies league competing for
participation in the USPTA tournament, a Primary Team Declaration Form will not be required for the fall
season.
b) Players who are added to a team's roster after October 1 or March 1 will be required to
complete the Primary Team Declaration Form prior to playing their first match with additional teams.
c) It is the Captain’s responsibility to see that their players understand and comply with this
rule.
d) If a player plays on multiple teams that reach the San Antonio Area USTA League City
Playoffs and has not completed the Primary Team Declaration Form as specified by the guidelines above,
that player will be considered committed to the team for which they played their first match of the league
season.
E. Forfeiture Policy
1. If a team forfeits three lines of any match, no more than three players will be able to compete on
the same team for one year (the following spring/fall leagues).
2. The League parliamentarian will be responsible to initially enforce and subsequently track the
team and individuals. Counting the matches will be in accordance with USTA guidelines, dependent upon
whether these matches determine the league outcome.
III. League Competition
A. Facilities
1. Participating clubs and facilities shall provide at least three courts per team playing at home.
(Minimum of five (5) courts for every two (2) teams at each time slot.)
2. The decision to play matches outside of the San Antonio area will be made by the captains of
the level affected.
3. The home captain must write court assignments on the cards before play begins, with the
following exception: if a team must play one or more individual matches on a clay surface, which is
different from the rest of the team, the visiting captain will select which individual matches will be played
on clay prior to the exchange of the line-up. The lineups may not be changed after court selection is made
by the visiting captain.
B. League play
1. League play will be on Monday at 9:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. for levels 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5. The
2.5 levels will play on Fridays. A 10-minute warm-up will be allowed starting at 9:30, although courts
should be made available earlier for warm-up. A 15-minute default rule will be enforced beginning at 9:30
a.m., or if playing the 11:00 a.m. match, from the time the court becomes available.
C. Weather
1. In case of bad weather (rain, temperature below 40 degrees, wind chill factor of 32 degrees or
below, snow) the home captain decides whether the courts are playable. Calls to the visiting captain
should be made by one and a half (1½) hours prior to match time if the conditions are questionable.
2. If courts are wet at 9:30, with a possibility of drying, players must wait one-half (1/2) hour unless
both captains consent to leave earlier. When rain causes a delay during a match that begins at 9:30,
players will wait 30 minutes, if there is a possibility of drying. If play cannot be resumed during this time,
the completion of the match will be rescheduled Wind is not considered a factor in determining whether
the courts are playable and matches cannot be postponed or canceled because of wind.
3. When a rainout occurs, both teams must reschedule all lines of that match within one week of the
unplayed match to play prior to the end of the league season. The Home Captain is responsible for
reporting the mutually agreed date to their level scheduler. The Scheduler will track rescheduled matches.
Once a rainout date has been reported to the level scheduler, it may be changed once if both captains
agree and the scheduler is notified. USTA rules state that if a match is interrupted by rain and can no
longer be continued, the makeup match should start exactly where the rain interrupted, so all parties
involved in such a situation should record agreed-to-score.
D. Formats
1. Team match format for levels 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 will be two singles and three doubles; the
format for the 2.5 level is one singles and two doubles. Scoring will be best of three sets, regular scoring,
with a twelve-point tiebreak at 6-6 in any set.
2. The team winning the match will be awarded one team point. At the end of the league, the team
with the most points wins. Ties will be broken by counting (1st) the most individual matches won, (2nd)
the fewest sets lost, (3rd) the fewest games lost, (4th) winner of head-to-head match and (5th) by coin
toss.
3. If the number of teams in a level exceeds the number of Monday dates available for play, the
level will divide into flights and will seed eight (8) teams. The win/loss record of the previous spring season
number of returning players, and team changes must be considered. Teams moving down a level retaining
60% of their players will be automatically seeded at the top. The flights will be divided with the seeded
teams evenly split between them, and the rest of the teams drawn. As in keeping with USTA, tournament
seeding must be public (as in a captains' meeting). The seeding will be done by the captains' council or a
committee appointed by the captains. For the SPRING season the flights shall participate in a playoff
format to be determined by that level's captains PRIOR to ANY league play. If the format is determined
to be a second, championship round robin with a consolation round robin, Flight A must be completed;
matches in Flight B may remain unplayed if rained out.
E. Line ups and defaults
1. Lineups must be exchanged simultaneously before the match begins. No substitutions may be
made in an individual match after the lineup has been exchanged, except for injury to, illness of, or
disqualification prior to the start of the match.
2. Lineup cards for matches must be exchanged simultaneously before the match starts. Players
involved in late matches will not default until 15 minutes after their scheduled time or the time at which the
court becomes available.. A player is allowed a 5-minute warm-up, even if she arrives right before default
time.
3. Defaults must be announced prior to the exchange of line-up cards. When a default occurs,
doubles and singles will be defaulted from the bottom position first.
4. Activated cell phones are not allowed on court during match play. If a player or doubles team
does not comply, and the phone rings, the opposing team wins the point. If the phone is not turned off,
and disturbs play again, the offending team must retire and the opponents wins the match.
F. Complaints
1. All non-violation (conflict) complaints shall be directed to the parliamentarian for resolution.
2. All complaints alleging a violation that cannot be resolved by the Parliamentarian shall be filed in
writing prior to the start of the next team match or within 24 hours after the end of the local league which
includes city area playoffs whichever occurs first.
3. The protesting captain should send letters to the Parliamentarian as the Chairman of the
Captains' Council, the USTA League Coordinator, the opposing team’s captain, and all the players
involved. The Captains' Council will take action. Refer to USTA. League Regulation 2.02A(5) and 2.02C
(2).
Revised December 16, 2009
I. General
A. SAWTA shall abide by all USTA regulations and TTA rules.
B. Two general meetings will be held, one prior to the start of league play and one at the conclusion.
The meeting held at the end of the league will be considered the Annual meeting. The exact times and
dates of the two general meetings will be announced.
II. Teams
A. Each tennis facility participating may select its teams by any method it chooses, limited only by its
own rules and by the regulations stated in these Standing Rules.
B. Each team must select a captain and acting captain, one of whom must be present at all matches,
Captains’ meetings, and Captains’ Council meetings.
C. Rosters
1. Teams will consist of eight to 18 players.
2. During the spring league, teams will be allowed to add players to their rosters as long as there
are two matches remaining to be played, prior to any playoffs. During the fall league, teams will be
allowed to add players until the year-end USTA ratings are published.
3. Teams will be allowed to delete players who incur prolonged injuries, move out of the San
Antonio area or are rated out of their NTRP level in accordance with the USTA dynamic rating system.
D. Players
1. Each individual must have an NTRP rating in accordance with the USTA dynamic NTRP rating
system.
2. All players must play two matches prior to local level playoffs in order to advance to any
playoffs or championship rounds. One of these two matches may be a default.
3. Rule Covering Players Who Register for Multiple Teams in Different Leagues and /or Different
Levels During the Same League Season
a) Players who play in two different leagues and/or play on different levels within the same
league are required to complete the online Primary Team Declaration Form, available at www.satennis.
com. The form must be submitted no later than midnight October 1st for the fall season or midnight
March 1st for the spring season. Exception: If SAWSTT is the only ladies league competing for
participation in the USPTA tournament, a Primary Team Declaration Form will not be required for the fall
season.
b) Players who are added to a team's roster after October 1 or March 1 will be required to
complete the Primary Team Declaration Form prior to playing their first match with additional teams.
c) It is the Captain’s responsibility to see that their players understand and comply with this
rule.
d) If a player plays on multiple teams that reach the San Antonio Area USTA League City
Playoffs and has not completed the Primary Team Declaration Form as specified by the guidelines above,
that player will be considered committed to the team for which they played their first match of the league
season.
E. Forfeiture Policy
1. If a team forfeits three lines of any match, no more than three players will be able to compete on
the same team for one year (the following spring/fall leagues).
2. The League parliamentarian will be responsible to initially enforce and subsequently track the
team and individuals. Counting the matches will be in accordance with USTA guidelines, dependent upon
whether these matches determine the league outcome.
III. League Competition
A. Facilities
1. Participating clubs and facilities shall provide at least three courts per team playing at home.
(Minimum of five (5) courts for every two (2) teams at each time slot.)
2. The decision to play matches outside of the San Antonio area will be made by the captains of
the level affected.
3. The home captain must write court assignments on the cards before play begins, with the
following exception: if a team must play one or more individual matches on a clay surface, which is
different from the rest of the team, the visiting captain will select which individual matches will be played
on clay prior to the exchange of the line-up. The lineups may not be changed after court selection is made
by the visiting captain.
B. League play
1. League play will be on Monday at 9:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. for levels 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5. The
2.5 levels will play on Fridays. A 10-minute warm-up will be allowed starting at 9:30, although courts
should be made available earlier for warm-up. A 15-minute default rule will be enforced beginning at 9:30
a.m., or if playing the 11:00 a.m. match, from the time the court becomes available.
C. Weather
1. In case of bad weather (rain, temperature below 40 degrees, wind chill factor of 32 degrees or
below, snow) the home captain decides whether the courts are playable. Calls to the visiting captain
should be made by one and a half (1½) hours prior to match time if the conditions are questionable.
2. If courts are wet at 9:30, with a possibility of drying, players must wait one-half (1/2) hour unless
both captains consent to leave earlier. When rain causes a delay during a match that begins at 9:30,
players will wait 30 minutes, if there is a possibility of drying. If play cannot be resumed during this time,
the completion of the match will be rescheduled Wind is not considered a factor in determining whether
the courts are playable and matches cannot be postponed or canceled because of wind.
3. When a rainout occurs, both teams must reschedule all lines of that match within one week of the
unplayed match to play prior to the end of the league season. The Home Captain is responsible for
reporting the mutually agreed date to their level scheduler. The Scheduler will track rescheduled matches.
Once a rainout date has been reported to the level scheduler, it may be changed once if both captains
agree and the scheduler is notified. USTA rules state that if a match is interrupted by rain and can no
longer be continued, the makeup match should start exactly where the rain interrupted, so all parties
involved in such a situation should record agreed-to-score.
D. Formats
1. Team match format for levels 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 will be two singles and three doubles; the
format for the 2.5 level is one singles and two doubles. Scoring will be best of three sets, regular scoring,
with a twelve-point tiebreak at 6-6 in any set.
2. The team winning the match will be awarded one team point. At the end of the league, the team
with the most points wins. Ties will be broken by counting (1st) the most individual matches won, (2nd)
the fewest sets lost, (3rd) the fewest games lost, (4th) winner of head-to-head match and (5th) by coin
toss.
3. If the number of teams in a level exceeds the number of Monday dates available for play, the
level will divide into flights and will seed eight (8) teams. The win/loss record of the previous spring season
number of returning players, and team changes must be considered. Teams moving down a level retaining
60% of their players will be automatically seeded at the top. The flights will be divided with the seeded
teams evenly split between them, and the rest of the teams drawn. As in keeping with USTA, tournament
seeding must be public (as in a captains' meeting). The seeding will be done by the captains' council or a
committee appointed by the captains. For the SPRING season the flights shall participate in a playoff
format to be determined by that level's captains PRIOR to ANY league play. If the format is determined
to be a second, championship round robin with a consolation round robin, Flight A must be completed;
matches in Flight B may remain unplayed if rained out.
E. Line ups and defaults
1. Lineups must be exchanged simultaneously before the match begins. No substitutions may be
made in an individual match after the lineup has been exchanged, except for injury to, illness of, or
disqualification prior to the start of the match.
2. Lineup cards for matches must be exchanged simultaneously before the match starts. Players
involved in late matches will not default until 15 minutes after their scheduled time or the time at which the
court becomes available.. A player is allowed a 5-minute warm-up, even if she arrives right before default
time.
3. Defaults must be announced prior to the exchange of line-up cards. When a default occurs,
doubles and singles will be defaulted from the bottom position first.
4. Activated cell phones are not allowed on court during match play. If a player or doubles team
does not comply, and the phone rings, the opposing team wins the point. If the phone is not turned off,
and disturbs play again, the offending team must retire and the opponents wins the match.
F. Complaints
1. All non-violation (conflict) complaints shall be directed to the parliamentarian for resolution.
2. All complaints alleging a violation that cannot be resolved by the Parliamentarian shall be filed in
writing prior to the start of the next team match or within 24 hours after the end of the local league which
includes city area playoffs whichever occurs first.
3. The protesting captain should send letters to the Parliamentarian as the Chairman of the
Captains' Council, the USTA League Coordinator, the opposing team’s captain, and all the players
involved. The Captains' Council will take action. Refer to USTA. League Regulation 2.02A(5) and 2.02C
(2).