RICHMOND USTA Tri-Level League
2016 LEAGUE PROCEDURES
In order to avoid disputes, please keep a copy of this document and the local league rules in
your tennis bag for reference when questions come up at match time.
1. General Information for Captains and Players:
a. Important Note to Captains: If you contact the Local League Coordinator (LLC) by email, please
identify yourself and give your league and level. Several league seasons overlap so it is very important
that you identify which league you are asking about.
b. Local league matches are not officiated. On match days, team captains (and acting captains) are
expected to identify themselves to opposing captains and to do everything possible to ensure that
matches run smoothly and all rules are followed.
2. Rosters: (Procedure for MAS Local League Rule 2)
a. Rosters Minimum: 9 players for 3 court leagues
b. Roster Maximum: 22 players for this league
c. Roster Deadlines: Exact dates are listed on each league’s Fact Sheet. MAS rule 10. 2nd to last regularly
scheduled match.
d. Only 3 players may be members together on another team in the same Division, within an age group, at
the same team NTRP level, during the same season (Mid Atlantic Rule 11d).
3. Match Schedules and Match Times: (Procedure for MAS Local League Rule 3)
a. Match schedules are firm! Matches are to be played on the scheduled date. Rescheduling matches is
only allowed for situations covered in Procedure #4 listed below. Note: Matches played in advance are
not considered re-schedules. The captains must work out the details of matches played in advance
without intervention from the league coordinator.
b. Match schedules will be emailed to captains and in Tennislink about one week before the season starts.
The LLC’s will set match times. Captains will be notified by email when the schedules are posted.
c. Matches are scheduled according to court availability at each team’s club or facility. Teams are not
guaranteed an even number of home and away matches.
d. The LLC’s will make every effort to schedule all Weekend league matches between 8AM and 7PM, and
all Weeknight matches between 6PM and 9PM. In some cases it may be necessary to schedule matches
outside of those times.
e. Staggered Match Times: If the home team must stagger match times due to court availability, the
opposing captain must be informed of the start times for each match, 2 days in advance by email.
Example: Our #1 doubles will play at 6PM. Our #2 and #3 doubles matches will start at 7:15PM.
4. Match Rescheduling for Reasons Listed in MAS Local League Rule 4:
a. USTA League playoffs, USTA League post season championships, and Club Challenge reschedule
procedures:
i. The request must be made to the opposing captain by email at least 7 days prior to the
scheduled match date.
ii. No more positions may be rescheduled than the number of players attending said
championship.
iii. No substitutions may be made for the players attending the championships and for
whom the match was rescheduled.
b. Inclement weather rescheduling procedures:
i. Rain, lightning and extreme temperatures (below 40° or above 95°) are considered
inclement weather.
ii. For rain and lightning, the home team captain or acting captain is responsible for
deciding whether a match must be cancelled and must inform the visiting team captain
as early as possible.
iii. Extreme temperature reschedules should be very rare. The captains must work out all
details in advance, without intervention from the LLC. If captains are concerned about
extremely hot weather they should communicate with each other the day before the
match. Do not wait until the last minute to cancel a match for extreme heat. Visit
Weather.com the day before your match and review the hourly forecast to make a
determination. If captains cannot come to an agreement over an extreme temperature
reschedule, they should play the match at the originally scheduled time.
c. Facility issues rescheduling procedures:
i. Facility Issues include unexpected club or court closings, court reservation mistakes such
as courts being double booked by club or LLC, court gates locked on match day, and
other unusual situations.
ii. If a Facility Issue occurs, use the reschedule procedures below. Contact the LLC by email
to advise of the situation.
d. Procedures that apply to all reschedules:
i. Delays or cancellations due to weather and post season USTA League Championships
are common; therefore, captains are expected to cooperate in the rescheduling process.
ii. Once a reschedule is determined necessary, captains should immediately begin working
together to find a suitable makeup date so that the makeup matches can be played IN
ADVANCE or within 14 days of the originally scheduled match.
iii. If captains cannot agree upon a date and time for the make-up match, the home captain
will choose 2 possible dates and the visiting captain will choose 1 of the 2 dates.
iv. For weekend or weeknight leagues, rescheduled matches may be played weeknights or
weekends. Weekdays are not allowed unless agreed upon by both home and visiting
teams. For weekday leagues, rescheduled matches are to be played weekdays unless
both captains agree on a weeknight or weekend.
v. If captains request LLC assistance with a reschedule dispute, the LLC may use his/her
discretion to reschedule the entire team match to another date and/or location per
MAS rule 7.
vi. Email must be used for communication. If captains phone each other, they must confirm
the conversation by email.
vii. Once a date, time and location for the makeup match has been agreed upon by the
captains, that match may not be cancelled or rescheduled for any reason other than
inclement weather.
viii. Rescheduled matches may be split into individual matches, and the players involved
must follow the procedure listed above. Captains are responsible for making sure that
the individual matches are scheduled and played within the deadlines given.
ix. If a rescheduled match is rained out multiple times, the captains must notify the LLC by
email to advise of the situation.
5. Matches Scheduled during “Holiday” Weekends:
a. Reschedules are not allowed for “Holidays”. Due to league season time constraints, some
matches must be scheduled for some “Holiday” weekends. (Examples: Spring Break, Easter,
Father’s Day, Memorial Day, etc.) If captains can’t field a team, matches MAY BE
PLAYED IN ADVANCE. Matches played in advance are not considered a reschedule. The
captains must work out all details, in advance, without intervention from the LLC. If captains
cannot come to an agreement for playing in advance, they should play the match at the
originally scheduled time.
6. Match Format & Courts: (Procedure for MAS Local League Rule 5)
a. The following is the recommended format:
i. Match play will consist of best of two sets using regular scoring and a set tiebreak (first
to 7 points by 2 points) at six games all in each set. In the event of split sets, a match
tiebreak (first to 10 win by 2) in lieu of a third set shall be played immediately following
the end-of-set rest period.
ii. The Coman tiebreak procedure will be used for all tiebreaks, unless stated otherwise for
indoor matches in the attached Local League Procedures.
7. Line-up Exchanges: (Procedure for MAS Local League Rule 6)
a. Each captain should write their lineup on a Tennislink scoresheet. A blank piece of paper is
acceptable if a Tennislink scoresheet is not available.
b. Do not reveal your lineup to an opposing captain who states that their lineup is “in their head”.
Advise that they must hand you a written lineup so that rule 6 is followed.
c. What happens locally when a captain expects/states that the #1 position (singles or doubles) will
be there shortly, so the opposing captain permits the other positions (#2 and/or #3) to go on the
court and start/complete matches, and then team (or person) doesn't show up and a default is
recorded at the #1 position? If both captains agree to begin the match with positions missing,
all courts stand as played. (USTA National Q&A page 9)
8. Tennislink Match Scoring Procedures: (Defaults, Retirements, etc.)
a. Match results must be reported on Tennislink within 48 hours of the completion of the team
match. This may be done by either the winning or losing team captain, or their designee. The
other captain must Confirm or Dispute scores within 48 hours after they have been reported.
b. Disputed Scores: If a match score is disputed in Tennislink, the League Coordinator must be
contacted by email with an explanation. Scores may be disputed due to incorrect scores,
incorrect players, or incorrectly scoring a defaulted or retired match.
c. Defaulted Matches: If a match is defaulted, the match score is entered as 6-0, 6-0 in Tennislink.
The team receiving the default enters player(s) names. No team names are entered for the
defaulting team.
d. Retired Matches: If a player is unable to finish a match due to injury, physical condition, or other
extenuating circumstances, that player must “Retire”, resulting in a win for the opposing team.
The score must be entered as it stood at the time of retirement and the match must be marked
using the “Retired” code in Tennislink.
9. Player Deletions and Fee Refunds
a. The player is responsible for completing a refund form prior to the end of the regularly
scheduled local league season (does not include playoff matches and/ / or championship
schedules) if a refund is requested.
b. If a team drops out of the league after the schedule has been completed and after players have
registered in Tennislink, no refunds will be issued. However, the registered players may be
transferred to another team.
10. Player Transfers
a. Players may be transferred from one roster to another if the player has not yet played in a
match. Team captains should follow the procedure below for player transfers:
i. Send an email to the LLC including the player name, player USTA #, and current team’s
level, name and number. The player and both captains should be copied on the email to
avoid confusion. List the team level, name and number for the team the player should
be transferred to.
ii. The LLC will verify the information and make the appropriate changes.
11. Specific Club Information/Requirements
a. The home team captain is responsible for informing the opposing captain (by email) of any
specific information or rules for their club. Is there a dress code? Are water, towels and
restrooms available? Will clay or hard courts be used?
b. Any combination of hard courts, clay courts, or indoor courts may be used for league matches,
but opposing captains must be informed if multiple surfaces will be used.
c. If a club has a dress code, visiting players must follow the dress code in order to play in a USTA
league match.
d. If your club does not have a website that gives directions to the courts, please provide the
opposing captain with directions to the club.
12. Timed Match Procedure
a. The Timed Match Procedure may be used at clubs that allow 90 minutes for matches. However,
the home captain must inform the visiting captain before the match that the Timed Match
Procedure will apply.
b. Timed Match Procedure: With 10 minutes remaining in the allotted match time, please do as
follows:
i. If you are on serve in the second set, play a tiebreaker for the second set. If you are not
on serve in the second set, the team that is up a break is declared the winner of the
second set. The on-coming teams should allow the few minutes overrun that may be
required to complete the tiebreaker. If the tiebreaker can't be played, a coin toss by the
home team with the visiting team calling it will determine the winner.
ii. If sets are split, play a 10 point tiebreaker for the third set to determine the winner. The
on-coming teams should allow the few minutes overrun that may be required to
complete the tiebreaker. If the tiebreaker can't be played, a coin toss will determine the
winner.
c. During a Timed Match, players are not allowed to take bathroom breaks during the last 15
minutes of the match.
d. If a player chooses to use the bathroom during the last 15 minutes of play during a timed match,
the match will be considered to be RETIRED, resulting in a win to the opposing team.
e. The home club’s clock will be used to call time in Timed Matches. If a club clock is not available,
the home team captain may use his/her cell phone time.
13. Bathroom Breaks:
a. Bathroom breaks are allowed, but must not exceed 5 minutes.
b. If a player chooses to use the bathroom during the last 15 minutes of play during a timed match,
the match will be considered to be RETIRED, resulting in a win to the opposing team.
14. Regional Championships:
a. Near the end of the season, if your team has a good chance of qualifying for the Regional
tournament, begin checking with your players to be sure that you have enough players that can
attend. It is a Regional Tournament rule that all teams must be able to field a team for all courts
at Regional Tournaments.
b. Level winners will be contacted by the LLC after all matches are completed and entered in
Tennislink.
c. Not applicable to 18-39 Tri-Level Mixed League. There is no post season tournament for this
league.
POINT OF CONTACT:
Sandra Mason
League Coordinator
Let’s Play Nice!
Adult 65 & Over Men, Mixed 55 & Over, 18-39 Tri-Level, Singles & ALL Tri-Level Teams
[email protected] (please use email for league communication)
(804) 461-0451
rvatennisplayers.com