General Rules
The goal of ladder play is to be the player in the top position on the ladder. Other goals are to provide an opportunity for players to have fun, meet some new players, and get a chance to work on improving their tennis game. All players have volunteered to participate in the program, therefore, please display good sportsmanship by adhering to the guidelines set to govern fair play.
Eligibility: Players must be a current registered NYJTL participant.
The season will be July-October 2006.
Beginning placements on the ladder are based on the spring's skill test results.
New participants who did not take the skills test start at the bottom of the ladder.
If you are absent from tennis for more than a week without first notifying Coach Jeff, you will in all likelihood drop in ranking on the ladder.
The players are responsible for contacting, challenging and setting up the matches.
The players should try to challenge other players by Friday of the prior week for matches the following week.
Matches will be played on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Matches may be played on Mondays and Tuesdays if courts are available.
Official USTA rules will govern match play. Matches will be single set (no ad scoring) with tiebreaker in effect at 6 all.
Both players must report score and sign ladder notebook after each match. This verifies that both players agree to the outcome of the match.
If a player fails to show, s/he will forfeit the match. A grace period of 15 minutes will be allowed.
Please allow enough time for one set with a ten minute warm-up.
A player may challenge up to three (3) players above his/her name. For example, if you are #7, you may challenge players #6, #5 and #4. However, you may not challenge #3, #2, #1 or any player below your position.
If a challenger wins her/his match, the challenger takes his/her opponent's position on the ladder while the opponent drops down one position. Subsequently the rest of the ladder will drop down one position.
Turnovers: If a player will be unavailable for play during a period of time, they must report this to Coach Jeff who will turn his/her name over during the period they are unavailable. This means that their names will not be given out to challengers and he/she will not be required to accept challenges during that period. A player may be turned over for a maximum of 7 days during the season without losing ladder position for not accepting matches. The 7 days may be used at one time or divided up as the player desires.
If a player fails to notify Coach Jeff that they want to be turned over and he/she is challenged, the player must accept the challenge in accordance with the rules or s/he defaults that match.
If a player will be unavailable for more than 14 days during the season, s/he should notify Coach Jeff. The player's name will be put on an inactive list and will not appear on the ladder or be given out to challengers. When the player is ready to play again, s/he must challenge back for her/his old position or any place below. If the player does not win, s/he will be placed on the bottom of the ladder.
Challenging Players & Accepting Challenges
The players should make all possible attempts to schedule the match within a week's time.
The challengee must respond to a challenge within 24 hours after being challenged and set up a reasonable day and time within one week of the challenge or give a default.
A player may make only one challenge at a time. A second challenge may be made only after the first is played. However, if someone challenges you, you must accept the challenge even if you have already challenged someone else but not yet played the match.
If a player makes a challenge and loses the match, the player must make and play an intervening challenge match or wait seven days before re-challenging the same player.
A player may not accept more than one challenge at a time. The first match must be played before the second challenge can be accepted. The challengee should tell the challenger(s) that s/he has already accepted a challenge, and as a courtesy, give the challenger(s) the name of the first challenger and the date set for the match. (Remember, a player may make a challenge even though they have already accepted a challenge).
Please don't avoid playing a match when challenged.
If prior to match time players agree that weather conditions are such that the match is not playable, the match is null and void. The challengee must give two additional days and times within the next seven days for a match or give a default.
Matches interrupted because of weather, darkness or court time limitations should be continued from the point of interruption within the next seven days. If the challengee cannot offer two additional days and times, they must give a default.
Defaults Occur when:
A challenged player cannot or will not offer two reasonable days and times within the next seven days for a match.
A player cannot continue a match because of illness, injury or other personal reason.
A challenged player cancels a match or drops off the ladder before the match is played.
A player is more than 15 minutes late for a match.