2009 Junior Tournament Rules and Regulations

2009 Junior Tournament Rules and Regulations

I. Eligibility Requirements

A. USTA Membership

In order to credit player match results for Standings/Rankings purposes, players must possess a current USTA membership before registering for any tournament. Where TDM does not confirm that a player possesses a current, valid membership, Tournament Directors shall demand that a valid USTA membership card be presented at tournament check-in. USTA membership can be purchased by credit card on-line or by calling 1-800-990-USTA (8782). Information about membership benefits is available from the Mid-Atlantic Section office.

B. Age Eligibility

The USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section uses the same age-eligibility rule as USTA National. Junior players are able to play in an age division until the month of birth in the year in which they “age out” of their current age division. This means that players who are 10, 12, 14, 16, or 18 years old may continue to play in their age division until the last day of the month preceding the month in which they turn 11, 13, 15, 17, or 19, respectively. NOTE: The start date of a tournament determines the player’s eligibility for that tournament.

C. Birth Certificate

The Section reserves the right to require players to submit a copy of their birth certificate or other proof of age that is acceptable to the Section.

D. Residency Requirements

Only players holding a current USTA membership card assigned to one of the Districts within Mid-Atlantic Section and who have established legal residency within USTA/MAS may play in a USTA/MAS Championship (Level 1) or Challenger (Level 2) event. A player’s legal residence shall be the domicile of that player’s parents, or in the absence of a parent the player’s legal guardian. Domicile is defined as the bona fide, true and permanent home of the player’s parents or guardian.

II. USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section Junior Tournaments

A. USTA/MAS Championship (Level 1) and Challenger (Level 2)

Tournaments

Selection of players and alternates into the Championship and Challenger events will be determined strictly by a player’s position on the most current USTA/MAS Standings List. These events count toward a player’s National Ranking and are open to all juniors in the Mid-Atlantic Section meeting the Residency Requirements set forth in Section I-D above. Please check the website regularly for the most current schedule information.

1. Championship Events

Championship singles events will consist of four (4) tournaments in each age division and each tournament will be limited to 32 players with a “back draw” or full feed in consolation (FIC).

Championships will receive both level four (4) National points and level one (1) Section points. In addition, Championship number one (1), for all age divisions, will count for level three (3) National ranking points. Championship number three (3) will also offer a doubles draw in addition to the singles draw and feed in consolation. In addition, there will be six Championship Doubles Only events in 2009 for age groups 12-18 (see Section D below for further explanation).

2. Challenger Events

Challenger events will consist of eight tournaments in each age division and each Challenger event will be limited in entry by the following schedule:

Challengers 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 & 8: Indoors, open to 64 players using single elimination

format, and no consolation or doubles.

Challengers 5 & 6: Outdoors, open to 48 players using single elimination format, and offering doubles.

Alll Challenger tournaments will count for level five National points and level two Section points.

B. Scoring and Scheduling in Championship and Challenger Events

Championship and Challenger matches shall be the best of three (3) tiebreak sets. Special exceptions may be granted by the Junior Competition Committee (JCC) prior to the beginning of the tournament. When designated in advance on the Tournament Homepage, matches may consist of two sets with a match tiebreak in lieu of the third set, through the quarterfinals in the main draw.

C. Seeding in Championship and Challenger Events

The USTA/MAS office will provide the seedings for all Championship and Challenger tournaments. Seeding position is determined strictly by the most current Standings Lists. Combined Standings will be calculated and published on a weekly basis to reflect the most recent tournament results available. Standings are based on a rolling 12-month calendar of tournament results and once published, will supercede the previous List. It is important to note that “available results” are tournament results that are published online and thus available to the USTA-MAS Standings program. Accurate weekly Standing lists are dependant on many conditions, including timely completion of tournament events (e.g., no weather delays) and how quickly the Tournament Director publishes results. The Districts of the Mid-Atlantic Section (VA, MD, WV and DC) make every effort to see that the results are published promptly but cannot guarantee that all results are available in time to meet Standings List publication deadlines every week.

D. Online Entry Acceptance and Notification

Main draw players and alternates may view lists published on the TennisLink Tournament Home Page for a specific event in which they’ve registered, no later than six days after on-line registration has closed. Draws will be published on the Wednesday prior to every Friday/Saturday start date for Championships and Challengers. We urge all players to register online and refer to the tournament home page for pertinent information regarding registration, draws, scoring, hotels, directions and weather updates.

E. Tournament Withdrawal

A player desiring to withdraw from a tournament after the entry deadline has passed must notify the Tournament Director (TD) in writing. Fax or e-mail is acceptable. Sending a copy of the communication to the MAS office is appreciated, but does not alleviate the player of the responsibility to notify the TD directly.

F. Making the Draw in Championship/Challenger Events

The making of the draw for all USTA/MAS Championships and Challengers is the responsibility of the Tournament Referee, assisted by at least one but preferably two members of the Tournament Committee.

III. USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section Standings

and Final Ranking Requirements

A. Residency Requirements

To be considered for a USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section ranking, a player must be a USTA member in good standing at the close of the ranking year (December 31). The player must also maintain a residence or reside within the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section for at least six (6) consecutive months within the ranking year. No player qualifying and receiving a ranking in another USTA section will be ranked in the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section.

B. Required Numbers of Tournaments and Wins

1. Year-End Ranking

Only tournaments and matches played during the calendar year, in any given age division, will count toward a player’s year-end ranking. In addition:

a. Singles

Players may enter as many USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section tournaments as they choose, and for which they qualify, but USTA/MAS Combined Final Rankings will be based on 100% of their best point totals in a maximum of five (5) singles tournaments and 15% of their best totals in a maximum of five (5) doubles tournaments in an age division. Each player must have a minimum of two (2) match wins and must accrue 200 points to receive a Final Ranking. (Please refer to points charts for Levels 1 through 5, below.)

b. Doubles

Individual doubles rankings will be published beginning with the ranking year 2009. Requirements for a doubles ranking will be established and published early in 2009.

2. Weekly Standings

A USTA/MAS Combined Standings List, published weekly, will consist of 100% of a player’s best five (5) singles point totals and 15% of a player’s best five (5) doubles totals recorded in the Standings program over the preceding twelve (12) month period. All age-eligible players who have played at least one tournament in an age division and have at least one match win in the division, will receive a Standing.

3. Point Calculations

In order to receive points for a tournament, the following rules apply:

a. Byes do not qualify as wins.

b. Withdrawals and Walkovers qualify as wins for the advancing player and earn Points-Per- Round, but do not earn Bonus Points.

c. Retirements qualify as wins for the advancing player and earn Points-Per-Round, and if eligible, bonus points:

d. A player who advances because of a default that takes place before the commencement of the first point in the match or because the opponent is disqualified, shall receive Points-Per-Round for advancing, but shall not receive Bonus Points.

e. A player who is defaulted from a tournament for code violations under the Point Penalty System or misconduct forfeits any points accumulated during the tournament.

C. Levels of Events and Corresponding Point Tables

All junior tournaments are defined by a specific level of event, with corresponding point tables, as

designated below:

Level 1 -- USTA/MAS Championships

Level 2 -- USTA/MAS Challengers

Level 3 -- Certain District Events and designated State Championships

Level 4 -- Other State Championships and stronger Satellite events

Level 5 -- All other events that contribute to a MAS Standing. Level 5 events are divided into subcategories, with separate point structures, as follows:

1. L5 32 tournaments; i.e. L5 events with conventional two of three set scoring and draw sizes of 32 or greater (17 or more players).

2. L5 events with conventional scoring and draw sizes of 16 or less, and one-day Smash tournaments with matches of two sets and a 10-point tie-breaker in lieu of 3^rd set.

3. Super-set one-day tournaments in which matches consist of one 6-game set with a 7-point tie-breaker at 6-all. (See further Section E.2 below).

On the Mid-Atlantic website, each event’s Level is designated next to the tournament name, i.e., L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5. Note that

Futures, Novice and unranked events (sometimes designated L6) do not contribute to USTA/MAS Standings.

Table #1: Main Draw with a Full Feed-in Consolation through the Quarterfinals. These events include USTA MAS Sectional Championships (L1) as well as certain L3, L4, and L5 events with FIC.

Table #2: Main Draw with a Full Feed-In Consolation through the Semifinals.

Table #3: Single Elimination (includes all USTA MAS Challengers);

Or Main Draw events with a First Round Loser Consolation (FRLC)

or a First Match Loser Consolation (FMLC).

Bonus Points Table: Applies in Section events to significant wins over top-100 players.

Bonus points are calculated based on the defeated player’s standing as of the last published weekly list of the month in which the match occurred, and are recorded on the winning player’s record on the first published standings of the ensuing month.

D. Doubles Only Championship Tournaments

The Section holds a number of Doubles Only Championship tournaments (five for each age group in 2009) which earn Level 1 points. Fifteen percent of the points earned from the best five of a player’s doubles results (including doubles tournaments associated with Championship No. 3, Challengers No. 5 and 6, and District events as well as Doubles Only Championships) count toward a player’s combined singles Standing or Ranking. In addition, a doubles ranking, based on individual results, will be published beginning in 2009. The format for Doubles only Championships is 8-game, must win by two, pro sets, with a 7-point tie-breaker at 8-all, and a Full-Feed-In Consolation (FIC). The normal player limit is 16 teams (32 Players), though more teams may be admitted with the approval of the Section office. Seeding and selection of players for Doubles Only Championships will be done by the Section office, based upon the most recent standings of the players involved. Each doubles team will have a combined standing arrived at by adding the standings of the partners. The team with the lowest combined standing will be seeded no. 1, next lowest No. 2, etc. The same criteria will be used in selecting out players when the number of applicants exceeds the player limit.

E. One-Day Tournaments

Players may compete in as many one-day tournaments as they like. However, except for L1 and L2 Doubles Only tournaments, only their best three one-day tournament results will contribute toward their Mid-Atlantic Ranking or Standing. Following are the varieties of one-day tournaments authorized by the Section:

1. Smash Tournaments: The authorized formats are two sets with a 10-point tie-breaker in lieu of 3^rd set, or an 8-game pro set. Scoring may be regular or no-add. Draw limits are up to eight players or teams. Smash tournaments earn Level 5 points.

2. SuperSet Tournaments: The format is one set with a 7-point tie-breaker at 6-all. Scoring may be regular or no-add. The draw limit is up to 32 players or teams SuperSet tournaments earn somewhat less than Level 5 points, as indicated in Table 3 above.

3. QuickStart Tournaments; QuickStart tournaments are designed for ages 8 and 10-and-under players primarily as an introduction to regular tennis. Matches are played on a 60 foot, as opposed to the regular 90 foot court, with a special low compression ball. Matches are two Short Sets (first to four games) with a 7-point tie-breaker in lieu of 3^rd set. Age 10-and-under players using the QuickStart format earn Level 5 MAS points.

F. Junior Team Tennis

Junior Team Tennis (JTT) events are organized and run separately from the regular Junior tournament structure which deals exclusively with individual and doubles tournament play (see the section on JTT on the Mid-Atlantic website). However, players in JTT Sectional Championship events will earn points toward their Mid-Atlantic Standings/Rankings beginning in 2009. The JTT Championships are organized into Advanced and Intermediate Divisions. The point schedule for points earned is as follows:

Advanced: 15 points per round to a maximum of 90 points

Intermediate: 10 points earned to a maximum of 60 points

IV. Scheduling Junior Match Play

USTA Tournament Regulations establish formal guidelines for scheduling junior tournament match play. While USTA/MAS requires Tournament Directors to adhere to these Guidelines in planning their events, circumstances can and do arise that require Referees to exercise their authority to revise the schedule in a manner consistent with the

Guidelines.. Generally, the USTA scheduling guidelines provide:

A. For Ages 10, 12 & 14 Boys and Girls

1. No match shall start nor a suspended match be resumed after 8 pm.

2. No player shall play more than two singles matches or one singles and two doubles matches in any one day in one age division where standard scoring, two out of three sets, and 12-point tiebreaker apply.

3. Other match formats are excluded from this rule.

4. Players shall be given a minimum of 12 hours rest between the completion of play of their last match of any day and the start of play of their first match of the following day.

5. These limitations shall not apply for players entering more than one age group in the same tournament.

B. For Ages 16 and 18 Boys and Girls

1. No match shall start nor a suspended match be resumed after 10 pm.

2. No player shall play more than three matches per day, no more than two of which shall be singles where standard scoring, two out of three sets, and 12-point tiebreaker apply.

3. Other match formats are excluded from this rule.

4. These limitations shall not apply for players entering more than one age group in the same tournament.

V. USTA National Junior Events

A. Endorsement and Selection to National Events

MAS endorsement to National Championships and National Team Events will be determined by

player position on the most current USTA-MAS Standings list. A detailed explanation of USTA National Rules and Regulations regarding selection of players is available on the USTA website at http://www.usta.com. Similarly, various Sections and private organizations coordinate “Invitational” events and offer Sections the opportunity to enter players or a team. Where USTA/MAS agrees to participate in such events, players are selected based on their position on the current Standings List after considering any specific selection criteria stipulated by the event organizers and the need for time-certain commitments. For example, if an invitational event is available for boys and girls with national Standings greater than 100, then the first boy (or girl) offered a place on the USTA/MAS team is the player whose current Standing is #101. That child is contacted regarding the opportunity and given a set period of time in which to commit to participate. If the child accepts, his/her place on the team is guaranteed. If the child declines or fails to commit by the stated deadline, then the next player in the Standings (#102) is contacted. This procedure is repeated until all positions have been filled.

Note: The Junior Competition Committee (JCC) has final approval on all players selected to National events. The JCC may decline to endorse a player’s participation in a National event where that player (or related party) has exhibited unacceptable personal behavior, poor sportsmanship, withdrawal after selection of players has been determined, or any acts determined detrimental to the game.

B. USTA National Junior Schedule and Ranking Requirements

Requirements for a National Junior Ranking are contained in the 2009 USTA National Junior

Tournament Schedule or can be located on the website at http://www.usta.com.

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