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Club Ladder Rules

The Summer 2022 Singles Ladder will run until the end of August

Standard rules of tennis will apply.

Full tennis rules can be found here – https://www.itftennis.com/en/about-us/governance/rules-and-regulations/


Please Remember

This is not Wimbledon – You are not Sharapova or Kyrgios

Treat your Opponent with Respect


The object of the ladder is to get as high a ranking as possible by the end of the season, the top 4 male players and the top 4 female players will play semi-finals and finals in the club tournament on the 4th & 5th of September.

If a player is not able to call a shot out with 100% certainty, then it is deemed to be in and must be played, ‘lets’ can be played when mutually agreed.

ALL matches will be over two sets of standard tennis, first to 6 (with 2 clear games), tie break at 6 all, and a third set of a Championship Tie-Break.

Championship Tie-Break is first to 10 points by 2 clear points or by something like 13-15 if you go over.

Players can, by mutual agreement play, a third full set to decide the winner but this must be agreed before the match has started.


Do Not Forget…

Foot Faulting is Cheating

Keep both feet BEHIND the baseline when serving until you strike the ball

Do not be offended if you get called up for a foot fault – it is CHEATING.


Challenges & Rankings

Challenges & Rankings

  • Players move up the ladder by challenging higher ranked players and winning the match, in this case they move immediately above them in the rankings, if they lose then both players simply stay where they are.
  • Players are required to play a minimum of one match every two weeks (holidays etc may be the exception to this rule), there is no maximum other than what players schedules allow.
  • Players can have up to two pending outgoing challenges before they can make any more, this includes outgoing challenges that have been accepted but not played.
  • Players can have up to two incoming challenges before they cannot accept a new challenge, this includes incoming challenges that have been accepted but not yet played.
  • Players must accept a challenge unless the above rule applies.
  • Players must respond to a challenge within 48hrs by phone or text to discuss and set an agreeable time for the match to take place, discussions can be ongoing thereafter.
  • Failure to respond may result in a Walkover Win for the challenger, holidays etc are an exception to this rule.
  • Challengers to supply NEW tennis balls for each match.
  • In the case where a challenger loses a match they must challenge two other players before challenging the same player for a rematch, unless in the top four then it changes to one other challenge before a rematch, in the event that places have not changed.
  • Players ranked 20th – 10th can challenge players a max of 4 places above
  • Players ranked 9th – 1st can challenge players a max of 3 places above
  • If a player has not played a single match within a four week period this may result in them dropping one place. Holidays etc are an exception to this rule.

Walkovers

A player may claim a walkover win if they are unable to arrange a match at any time with another player, due to the opponent being unable to play. To be able to claim a walkover, the challenger must have offered at least three dates to play on, and the opponent must have refused these dates, and not offered any alternative dates – if both teams have suggested a date, then no walkover can be claimed.

If a match has been arranged and one player fails to turn up on the arranged date, the other player should claim a default win of 6-0, 6-0, 10-0.

When submitting results, please list any walkovers separately from results of matches played.

If match dates have been arranged and agreed and then subsequently cancelled twice by the same player then the opposition player may claim a walkover win of 6-0, 6-0, 10-0.

Wildcard Challenges

Wild Card challenges cannot be used against a player in the top 10.

Players will have one Wild Card challenges each, which allows a player to challenge a player much higher ranked than the normal rules allow.

Any new players joining the ladder will be placed at the bottom, but they will also have one Wild Card challenges.

Posting Challenges & Match Results

Challenges are to be posted on the Summer Ladder 2022 WhatsApp group. Results are to be posted on the Summer Ladder 2022 WhatsApp group and a club committee member will update the ladder as soon as possible.


– Challengers –

Do Not Forget To Book Your Court On The Booking System & Bring New Tennis Balls – for clarity – new tennis balls aren’t tennis balls that were opened the day before, the week before, they must be opened in front of your opponent. Players arriving without new tennis balls will forfeit the first two games of the 1st set, the first set will start at 0-2


Players are requested to play in a sporting and fair manner at all times.

Remember Tennis Reveals Character, Please Play Accordingly

The Committee reserve the right to add/alter the Club Ladder Rules as the competition progresses.