Singles Online Ladder Rules

[Note: Rules may change at any time]

I - Issuing a challenge. You may issue a challenge to any player within five(5) positions above your current position on that day. If you win the match, you assume the position of the player you challenged, and all intervening players drop down one position. If you lose, you remain in your present position. As the challenger, you must furnish a new, unopened can of USTA approved tennis balls. You may not challenge the same person earlier than two weeks after the first challenge has been played.

II - Accepting a challenge. You must accept and play a challenge within two weeks if you do not have a challenge pending to be played. If you are injured, please read the section on injury inactivity. Do your best to work out a convenient time for both players to play the match. When your challenge (match) is complete, you do not have to accept a challenge from below for one week. You use this time to issue a challenge to a higher ranked ladder participant.

III - Court Availability. Challenge matches have no priority over other play. Bumping procedure remains in effect when courts are busy. (Keep this in mind when scheduling matches) After 1 1/2 hours, your match can be bumped if others are waiting for a court. You will need to wait for a free court or finish you match at a later time.

IV - Playing a challenge. A match is a player winning two sets, with a 12 point tie-breaker (first to 7 points by a margin of 2 points) used at 6 games all in each of the first two sets. The third set is a "super tiebreaker" with the winner scoring 10 points by a margin of two points. If both players agree, a third set can be played in place of a "super tiebreaker". Like the first 2 sets, a 12 point tie-breaker is played at 6-6. Please remember that the match only gets 1 1/2 hour of court time if others are waiting as stated in rule III. The 15 minute default rule is in effect if a player chooses to exercise it. In the event of bad weather or crowded court conditions, the match will be resumed at a time agreeable to both players and completed within the 2 week period. If you are unable to complete the match for any reason other than weather or crowded courts, then you must default the match. The winner of the match is responsible for posting the results online. Please record the score even when there is no position change to reflect ladder activity. If the winner does not have access to the Internet, then the loser can post the results or the winner can call Doug.

V - Injury or Unavailable A way to keep injured/healing or unavailable participants from creating "dead" spots on the ladder is to require them to drop to the bottom of the ladder if they can not play a match for one month or more. Please contact Doug if you are injured or can not play by filling out the singles ladder contact form. Upon returning to ladder play, the player gets two wild card challenges but must use them in the first 2 months.

VI - Miscellaneous Players are not permitted to issue and/or accept more than one challenge at a time. You must complete one challenge before accepting or issuing another. You are responsible for insuring that your ladder position is correct. If you are injured or no longer want to participate, please contact Doug by filling out the singles ladder contact form.

VII - New Ladder Participants A new player to the ladder will be placed at the bottom of the ladder and will have 2 wild cards to challenge any position on the ladder. If the player wins the first wild card, they assume that position. If they lose they stay at the bottom but have another wild card to use. This second wild card needs to be 5 or more positions below the first challenge. If both challenges are lost then the player stays at the bottom of the ladder and can challenge up 5 positions. Wild cards must be used in the first 2 months unless approved by the administrator.

VIII - Matches Try to schedule your matches at times that have low court usage times and matches are subject to being bumped at the normal 90 minute mark if members are waiting.

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