2012
USTA League Tennis Rules For All Divisions*
1. Virginia Tennis will abide by and enforce
the Rules listed in the 2012 USTA League Tennis Regulations, and
2012 Mid-Atlantic Section Rules for all USTA League play.
2. The filing, investigation, and adjudication of
grievances and appeals arising out of the Local League are to be addressed at
the Local League Level by procedures outlined in the 2012 USTA League
Tennis Regulations (USTA Reg. through 3.05).
a. A copy of all Local League grievances and
responses are to be forwarded to the USTA Virginia League Administrator as soon
as received by the Local League Coordinator.
b. A copy of all Local Grievance and Appeals
Committee decisions and responses are to be forwarded by the Local League
Coordinator to the USTA Virginia League
Administrator as soon as published.
3. Violations
of any National, Section or District rule may result in sanctions up to and
including suspension or other sanctions for the following league year(s).
4 League
fees include:
a. $18 Virginia Tennis fee
for leagues advancing to a District Tournament to be collected when a player
registers on-line using Tennis Link.
b.
$4.75 Mid-Atlantic Fee to be collected when a player registers on-line using
TennisLink.
c. Tennis Link fee to be set by National
d.
The team District Tournament fee is $125.00
e.
Additional league fees to be determined by each local league.
Team Rosters
5. The Virginia District delegates to each of its Local League areas, the authority vested in it by USTA Reg 1.04D(5)Team and MAS Sectional Rule 10 to limit the number of players that appear on a roster. The District limits roster size to no more than 22. Local Leagues may limit roster size further if they so choose.
6. The final deadline for all teams entered into
TennisLink is:
Adult Mixed – May 1, 2012
Adult - June
1, 2012
Senior– July
16, 2012
Super Duper, Senior Mixed – July 28, 2012
Super Senior, Super Senior Mixed – Aug 12, 2012
Combo
– Sept 03, 2012
Singles – Sept 19, 2012
4 Tier Tennis
– Nov 15, 2012
Combo Mixed– December 01, 2012
Local League Requirements
7. The USTA/Virginia Tennis office must
approve the structure and format of any league, which desires to split into
flights.
8. All
local league matches must be played within the geographic boundaries of that
local league, except upon a granted waiver from the Virginia Tennis Leagues
Review Committee in cases where teams from other geographic regions are
necessary for the league to exist.
9. It is recommended that local leagues
establish match play as best of two sets and a set tiebreak at six games-all in
each set. In the event of split sets, a
match tiebreak in lieu of a third set shall be played immediately following the
two-minute end-of-set rest period (USTA Reg
2.01C(3) and MAS rule 14 ). The
10.
League Scheduling
Local area coordinators must forward to the
USTA Virginia Tennis League Administrator, a final schedule for each league
level with matches in order of play, and local rules at least two
weeks prior to league play or match codes may not be distributed. If there is a change in the local schedule,
the Area League Coordinator must notify the USTA/Virginia Tennis League
Administrator immediately.
11. The Virginia District and TennisLink will
be using:
a. Adult Mixed/Senior Mixed/ combination ratings
of 2.5, 6.0,
7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0. Each individual
mixed doubles team’s combined year-end rating may not exceed the level
entered. For example, local leagues may
consist of a 3.5 and a 4.5 or two 4.0 partners in the 8.0 levels. Partners cannot have a rating differential of
more than 1 point. The 2.5 level will comprise of 2.5 players only, with no
combined ratings allowed.
b.
Combo/Combo Mixed combination ratings
of 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, and 10.5.
Each individual Combo doubles team’s combined year-end rating may not
exceed the level entered. For example,
local leagues may consist of a 3.5 and a 5.0 or a 4.0 and a 4.5 in the 8.5
levels. Partners cannot have a rating
differential of more than 1.5 points.
c) Super Senior and Super Duper
combination ratings of 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 & 9.0.
Each individual doubles team’s combined year-end rating may not exceed
the level entered. For example, local
leagues may consist of a 3.5 and a 4.5 or two 4.0 partners at the 8.0
level. Partners cannot have a rating
differential of more than 1 point.
12. League
play must be concluded by:
Adult Mixed - May 26,
2012
Adult Week One, June 28, 2012 (3.0, 4.0, 5.0)
Adult Week Two July 5, 2012 (2.5,
3.5, 4.5)
Senior - Aug 15, 2012
Super Duper, Senior Mixed,– Aug 28, 2012
Super Senior, Super Senior Mixed – Sept 11, 2012
Combo – September 9, 2012
Singles –
Oct 14, 2012
4 Tier Tennis - Dec 29, 2012
Combo Mixed – December 22, 2012
Local leagues are determined to be concluded when
the final match (each individual match included) of each local league
playoff match, (if applicable) is completed.
In any case, the local league (all levels) is
defined as “concluded” by the date specified as end of season in TennisLink.
District Championship Regulations
13. a. Area League Coordinators must
certify which teams are advancing to the Virginia District Championships (using the Certification Form) to the
USTA/Virginia Leagues Administrator, upon teams qualifying to advance and no later than 48 hours after
conclusion of league play. Teams
advancing to VA District Championships must be ‘legal’, having fulfilled all
National, MAS, VA District eligibility requiremens and must bring enough
players to fill every court.
b. Should a
certified team decide not to attend the District Championship, the team must
notify their Area League Coordinator and the USTA
c. All matches must be recorded in TennisLink
to play at the District tournament. The
District Tournaments will be:
Adult Mixed – June 8 – 10 , 2012
Adult - July July 6 – 8 , 2012
(levels 3.0, 4.0 & 5.0)
Adult
– July July 13 - 15,
2012 (levels 2.5, 3.5,
& 4.5)
Senior – Aug 24 – 26 , 2012
Combo - Sept 21 -23 , 2012
Singles Oct 26 - 28, 2012
4 Tier Tennis- Sectional Only
Combo Mixed – Jan 4 – 6, 2013
d. There
is no District Championship for Super/Duper’s, Super Seniors, Senior Mixed,
Super Senior Mixed or 4 Tier Tennis, who will advance directly to Sectionals. (Removed from #20)
e. Where the District
Leagues Administrator has determined that a full draw is appropriate but not
available using the District entry procedures described above, a wildcard entry
may be extended based on random draw until the draw is filled. The methodology for drawing wild card teams
is as follows: Divide the number of teams at each level in each local league by
3 to determine number of “chips” added to drawing. Examples are a 3 team level equals 1 chip, a
12 team level equals 4 chips, a 16 team level equals 5 chips, etc. There is no “rounding”. Any level less than 3
teams is ineligible for wildcard consideration.
The wild card invitation must be filled within 48 hrs or be offered to
the local in the “host” city at discretion of the District Leagues
Administrator and Leagues Committee Chair
14. Representation at 2012 Virginia Adult
League District Championship will be as follows:
a. At the 2.5W, 2.5 M, 4.5W,
4.5M, 5.0W and 5.0M levels, any league with
2-8
teams will send 1 team;
9 or more teams will send 2 teams.
b. At the 3.0W, 3.0 M, 3.5W,
3.5M, 4.0W and 4.0M levels, any league with
2-12
teams will send 1 team;
13-23 teams will send 2 teams;
24+
teams will send 3 teams.
The Championship Tournament Committee reserves
the right to change the tournament format due to court availability.
15. Representation at the 2012 Virginia Adult
Mixed, Combo, Combo Mixed, Senior and Singles League Championships will be as
follows:
a.
2-7 teams during the local league season will send 1 team;
b.
8-16 teams during the local league
season will send 2 teams; and
c.
17 or more teams during the local league season will send 3 teams.
16.
In the event that a person is a captain of or player on more than one team at
the same level in the same division advancing to the same Championship event,
that captain or player shall transmit written notice in advance to the District
or Section office (as appropriate) declaring which ONE team (s)he will
represent at that event. Such
declarations are binding only for the duration of the event where the conflict
arises, and must be received at the appropriate District or Section office
prior to the start of the tournament.
All Declarations received will be considered confidential to other
teams. In the event no Declaration is
received and a person captains 2 teams, or a player competes for 2 teams at the
same level, in the same Division, then all matches played/or captained for the
2nd team will be disqualified.
17.
Players/teams leaving a District Championship tournament before completing
their entire schedule of assigned matches and without the Tournament Director’s
approval shall be reported to the Chairman of the District League Grievance
Committee for investigation and appropriate disciplinary action. Violations may result in sanctions up to and
including suspension or other sanctions for the following league year.
*Leagues include: Adult, Adult Mixed, Senior, Super Senior, Super Duper,
Senior Mixed, Super Senior Mixed, Combo, Combo Mixed, 4
Tier Tennis, Singles
Adopted by the Virginia Tennis Leagues Committee 11/16/2011
Approved by
.