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2017 – GSTL RULES COMBO DOUBLES

18 & Over, 40 & Over, 55 & Over, 65 & Over

GSTL Combo Coordinator-Amy Jordan

843-455-4338

Local League Coordinator-Susie Honeycutt – 843-293-5158 NOTE: Items in RED are important, and frequently misinterpreted rules

Items HIGHLIGHTED are changes or modifications to previous rules

INTRODUCTION

USTA South Carolina Combo Doubles League Program is team competition in

18Overmenwomenatthe2.5levelcombinedlevelsof5.5,6.5,7.5,8.5,9.510.5

40 & Over men and women with combined levels of 5.5, 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5 55 & Over men and women with combined levels of 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5.

The Local winning teams above may advance to State competition.

65OverSouthCarolinaONLYAgeGroupwillbeofferedatthecombinedlevelsof6.5,7.5 and 8.5 with no advancement past the SC State Championship..

All State rules as outlined apply to all Age Groups unless otherwise noted. A player may compete in each Age Group in accordance with the appropriate rules

USTA South Carolina has appointed the SC Combo Doubles State League Coordinator to organize and coordinate all USTA Southern Combo Doubles league activities in the South Carolina State Combo League and in conjunction with STA SC Combo Doubles League Committee shall have the authority to interpret the South Carolina State Combo Doubles League Tennis Regulations.

Local Leagues may write regulations to govern local play but they may not be in conflict with USTA Southern Combo Doubles Regulations or USTA South Carolina Combo Doubles Regulations

CAPTAINS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING ALL THE USTA, SOUTHERN, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND GSTL RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND FOR ENCOURAGING TEAM MEMBERS TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS. CAPTAINS SHOULD ENSURE THAT EACH TEAM MEMBER HAS A HARD COPY OR INTERNET ACCESS TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS.

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Table of Content

A.FormatofPlayPage3

B.EligibilityPage3

C.ComputerratingPage4

D.Self-RatingPage5

E.RegistrationandFeesPage6

F.LocalPlayPage6

G.ScorecardsandLineupsPage9

H.ForfeitsPage10

I.RetirementsPage12

J.ReportingscoresPage 13

K.CourtproceduresPage13

L.Progression tostatechampionshipsPage15

M.GrievanceComplaintsPage18

N.GrievancecommitteePage19

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A.Format ofPlay:

  1. The format of play will be three individual men’s or women’sdoubles matches per teammatch
  1. A team shall consist of a minimum of 6 players able to combine to form3 eligibleteams.
  1. The combined ratings of a partnership cannot exceed the level of play and the highest rated player cannot exceed as listed on chartbelow:

NTRP Cap for Combined Levels:

NTRP
Level / Max NTRP
Rating / NTRP
Level / Max NTRP
Rating
5.5 / 3.0 / 8.5 / 5.0
6.5 / 3.5 / 9.5 / 5.5
7.5 / 4.0 / 10.5 / 6.0

Each individual doubles team’s combined NTRP ratings may not exceed the level entered.

  1. Individual matches – best two of three sets with a ten-point match Coman tiebreakinlieuofthethirdset. ComanprocedureforSetTiebreak(firstto7by a margin of 2), and Match Tiebreak (first to 10 by a margin of 2) in lieu of the thirdset.

B.Eligibility:

  1. Players must have a current USTA membership through November2017.
  1. Players renewing memberships must do so before being placed onthe roster.
  1. Adult League 18 & Over: Player must reach at least 18 years of ageduring 2017.
  1. Adult League 40 & Over: Player must reach at least 40 years of ageduring 2017.
  1. Adult League 55 & Over: Player must reach at least 55 years of ageduring 2017.

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  1. Adult League 65 & Over: Player must reach at least 65 years of age during 2017. Note: This 65 & Over League is a South Carolina League only, with no advancement past the South Carolina StateChampionship
  1. A player may play on more than one NTRP level in Adult 18& Over, 40& Over, 55 & Over, and 65 & Over Age Group in the same Local League during the sameseason.
  1. NO SCHEDULING ACCOMMODATION WILL BE MADE FOR PLAYERS ON MULTIPLETEAMS.
  1. A player may not be dynamically disqualified based on match results from Southern Combo Doubles and match results are not calculatedin year-end NTRP computerratings.
  1. Each team must maintain its roster with at least 60 percent ofits

players with South Carolina Residence through the South Carolina State Championships (the players primary residence is to be defined in USTA records as South Carolina).

  1. Pre-approval is granted to any GSTL player wishing to play out ofstate.
  1. For a two team flight in any Age Group, each roster must have a minimum ofthreecombinedpairingsthatareequalto(notlessthan)thelevelofplay.

C.Computerrating:

  1. A player with a valid computer rating as a result of playing in the Adult 18& Over, Adult 40 & Over, Adult 55 & Over, Adult 65 & Over or Mixed USTA League Tennis Program must play at that rating level orhigher.
  1. Players may appeal their 2016 year-end ratings at any time during the2017 leagueyear. USTA allows one appealperyear. District/Area,Sectionaland National benchmark players cannot appeal their 2017-year end ratings for 12 months except for medicalreasons.

NTRP Grievances will be sent to the Local League Coordinator and then to the State Combo Doubles Coordinator to be forwarded to the Section Grievance Committee.

Medical Appeals must be submitted in writing, Mary Goins, P.O. Box 386, Easley, SC 29641, emailed to r faxed to 864-859-4502. Medical Appeal forms can be found on the USTA South Carolina Tennis webpage at sctennis.com. or Grand Strand Tennis.net.

NTRP appeals to computer ratings must be done online.

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  1. If a player’s rating is appealed downduring the Combo season, the player must adjust the rating on the roster for the duration of the season and should notify the LLC to make update on TennisLink roster. Previous matches by player would stand. If a player’s rating is appealed downafter the Combo season,theplayermaynotadjusttheratingontherosterandmustcontinueto useratingontherosterfortheremainingchampionshipyear.Ifaplayer’srating isappealed up during the Combo season, he/she must use that rating for the duration of the Comboseason.
  1. Combo season starts before the year-end computer ratings are published, butsectionalsareaftertheratingsarepublished. A player may playtheentire season at the level he/she played at the beginning of the season except as notedinSouthernCOMBORULE#6forplayersthataremovedup2levels.Ifa player’s rating is lowered during the Combo season, the player must use the adjusted rating forthatseason. Iftheratingisloweredafterseason,theymust play as listed onroster.

D.Self-Rating:

  1. Unratedplayersmustself-rateinaccordancewiththeNationalTennisRating Program (NTRP) Guidelines and complete the self-rating process on TennisLink when registering forateam. Failure to self-rate oromission of information regarding a player’s tennis history will subject the player, the captainand/orotherswhocondonedtheinaccurateself-ratingtopenaltiesand disqualifications.
  1. Players who submit an appeal to their self-rating through the Tennis Link system before their local league deadline for registering players will be permitted to register up to seven days after the notification of finalself-rating.
  1. Aplayerwhodoesnothaveacomputerrating,butdoeshaveaself-ratingon fileinTennisLink,mustplayatthatlevelandcannotself-ratelowerforCOMBO Doubles.
  1. NTRPGrievancesfiledwithin21daysofthestartdateoftheplayer’sand/or captain’s State Championships will be administered after the event unless the section authorizes the administration of the grievance prior tothattime. Ifthe grievance is not administered until after the event, points won by players will stand. Disqualified players and/or captains that are suspended willnotbe eligible to advance to the next level ofchampionshipplay. USTASouth Carolina mandates that the party (ies) that file(s) the NTRP grievance complaint must provide the documentation to support their complaint at the time of theirfiling.

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  1. Players with expired ratings will not be allowed to self-rate at a lower level than their last publishedNTRPrating. However,theywillhavetheopportunityto an immediate, on-line, self-rateappeal.
  1. Self-ratings are valid for 2 years from the date issued or until replaced bya dynamic or computerrating.

E.Registration andFees:

All Local Combo Leagues (18 & Over, 40 & Over, 55 & Over and 65 & Over) must end team registration on or before July7,2017. Teamsmay continue to add players per local leagueregulations.

  1. TennisLink is the official system for teamregistration.
  1. RostersmustbeenteredinTennisLinkbeforeLeagueplaybegins.Players may not move to a different team once match play has begun for that level, unless approved by the State Combo DoublesLeagueCoordinator. Players maynotbeaddedtotheteamrosterduringlocalleagueflightplayoffsoratany championship.
  1. DeadlinetoregisterateamforComboDoublesisJuly7,2017.Teamsmay notbeaddedafterdeadline.Thelastdaytoaddadditionalplayerstoarosteris September 9, 2017. This is 3 days after online registering opens for teams advancing to StateChampionship.

4.. Fees will be collected (via credit card) when the captain/player registerson TennisLink. The cost to play in the GSTL Combo Doubles Leagueis$20.00. This includes the $3.00 TennisLink user fee and the $6.00 SC League head tax.

5. Once a player is placed on a roster through TennisLink, the TennisLink fee and the SC Head Tax will not be refunded.

F.LocalPlay:

  1. Eachteamwillplayaroundrobincompetitionwithatleastoneotherteamin the same level.Each team in a round robin must play every other team in the roundrobinatleastonceandanequalnumberoftimes.Teamsareexpectedto providefullline-upsforallteammatches.Forfeitshavebecomearealproblem, and excessive forfeits will not betolerated.
  1. It may be necessary to divide a level into two or more sub-levels if thereare too many teams for a single roundrobingroup. In that case, there will bea

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local league play-off to determine the GSTL champion and the team(s) to advance to the State Championships.

  1. Each team must play at least three matches in local league to qualifyfor championshipplay.

5.Home team is responsible for providing courts, paying court fees(if applicable), and providing newballs.

6.Captains may not reschedule, without permission, any match except in the event of inclement weather (RAIN, SNOW, and HURRICANE and temperatures below 32 degrees or above 90 degrees in the summer, NOT Heat Index or Wind Chill). YOU MAY NOT RESCHEDULE JUST BECAUSE MANYOF YOURTEAMAREUNAVAILABLEduetoanyevent,holidayorreasonotherthan a Local tournament or State Championship, unless requested 2 weeks prior to match date, the opposing captain agrees, and you are granted permission by ComboLLC!!!!! Any courts played without meeting above criteria willbedeemed forfeit. If you know of a major conflict that will make your team unable tofielda court, contact the LLC immediately upon publication of the official schedule in Tennislink, and accommodation maybemade. SuchaccommodationsWILL NOTbemadeoncetheseasonisinprogress. Any match rescheduled undertheabovecircumstancesbecomesanofficiallyrescheduledmatchwhenapprovedby both captains and reported to Combo LLC, and any changes after that are notallowed. The match is now treated exactly the same as aregularscheduledmatch. If the player you planned on playing becomes unavailable,youmust substitute a new player, and MAY NOT ask for another reschedule, except for weather. ALL RULES OF MATCH PLAY now apply to the new matchtime/date.

In the event of inclement weather, the captains should call the host club and ask about playability of courts, and only a captain may tell their players that a match has been cancelled. If the Visiting Captain cannot reach the Home Captain, the visiting captain should ALSO CALL THE HOST CLUB.

  1. MATCHES and or COURTS RESCHEDULED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULEDMATCH.
  1. If you wish to reschedule a match due to heat or cold rule, ALL COURTS MUSTberescheduled. If it is too hot for one court, it is too hotforall. If one court cannot/will not play in the heat/cold and the other courts wish to play, that player may be substituted PRIOR to lineupsbeingexchanged. Ifplayercannot continue due to heat/cold AFTER lineups are exchanged, that player mayforfeit, but cannot bereplaced.


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minute warm-up is appropriate after such a delay. If there is additional lightening,match may then be rescheduled for completion at another time.

  1. Ifyourmatchisrainedoutorincompleteduetoweather,pleasecontactthe LLC IMMEDIATELY by email ( ) with the new match dates. Please copy the opposing captain on the email so we are all in agreement. Failure to inform LLC of rescheduling information will invoke the policy listed below (Local Play, 6,c.)

d.***If the match or position has to be rescheduled or continued (if begun and rained out), due to the weather, and the captains/players involved are unable to agreeonamakeupdateorfailtocontacttheLLCwiththeinformation,thedefault match date will automatically be the Friday eveningfollowing the two week deadline for makeups, at 6:30pm, at the HOME team courts. Home captain is responsible for contacting their Club to reserve courts. If the home team courts are unavailable, the match will move to AWAY team courts. Any team unable to make that date and time will forfeit any un-played positions at that time. The only exceptionbeingifweatherdoesnotpermitplayatthenewtime,thenthematchis scheduled for the next soonest Friday afterthat.

7.In EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES (local tournaments, state or sectional League Championships ONLY) both captains may request Combo League Coordinatorapprovaltochangeascheduledmatchorindividualpositionstoan earlier date. This will be granted ONLY if the team requesting does not have enough players on scheduled match date to field all three positions. ****Not having your strong players available is not a LEGITIMATE reason to have a match rescheduled. Such requests must be submitted via email at least two weeks in advance and the rescheduled match must be made up prior to the regularly scheduledmatch.

If one or two POSITIONS (not entire match) need to be rescheduled, they must be played prior to the regularly scheduled match and captains must agree to this arrangement one week prior to the regularly scheduled match.

Only positions with at least one player that is going to the championships or playing in the local tournament may play in any rescheduled match. Positions with players that will be out of town on match day for other reasons MAY NOT play early without a State/Tournament bound player with them in the position. If this rule is not followed, the team playing an unauthorized player will have the position defaulted.

Captains, please remember to try and cooperate with each other so players cansupport thelocaltournaments. WHAT GOES AROUND COMESAROUND!

COORDINATORS MUST BE NOTIFIED OF ANY CHANGES

STATE, SECTIONAL AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS TAKE PRECEDENCE

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OVER LOCAL LEAGUE MATCHES.

LLC may, at his/her discretion, extend the season end date in case of excessive inclement weather issues. Any extensions must be approved by State League Coordinator and must allow completion of matches in time for rosters and fees for teams advancing to state to arrive by the deadline date.

8.Captainsshouldencourageallplayerstoshowupatleast15minutespriorto the scheduledmatchtime. Captains are encouraged to exchangelineupsnotlater than 10 minutes prior to the scheduled match time UNLESS NOT ALL PLAYERSAREPRESENT. The 15-minute default rule will apply–unlessprior arrangements have been madebetweencaptains. Directsubstitutions may be made for any player injured or becoming illduringwarm-up. Adirect substitution may also be made forano-show. However,theno-show substitution must be made prior to expiration of the 15-minute default period. Captains and players are encouraged to begin the 10-minute warm up atleast 10 minutes prior to the scheduledmatchtime. If court(s) are notavailableat the scheduled time, each position will complete the 10-minute warm-up and commence the match as soon as a court(s) become available. Matches/Positions that do not start within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time or within 15 minutes of the time of court availability will be forfeited to the team whose player(s) is at the court ready tobeginplay. Thehometeam captain and the visiting captain should confer to insure both agrees as to the “official”timeforbeginningthe15-minutedefaultperiod. Anycaptainviolating this policy will be reported to the Local League Coordinator and repeat offenders may have disciplinary sanction placed on the Captain and/or the team.

9.Ifahometeamhasaccesstomorethanonecourtsurface,thehomecaptain must call the opposing team to let them know at least 4 days before the scheduled match that they will be using multiple surfaces for their match. Within2daysofthisnotice,thevisitingteamcaptainmustnotifythehometeam of the visitor’s choice of which positions will play on hard surfaces and clay surfaces.

Surfaces may need to be changed without prior notice if courts are wetor the facility managers/pros say that the courts you were going to usefor your matches are not playable at time of the match.

G.Scorecards andLineups:

  1. Line-up/scorecards will be used to exchangeline-upsonly.Eachcaptainwill provide their own line-up scorecard, orportionthereof. EachCaptain should keep a copy of final scores to assist in posting or confirming scoreson TennisLink. Suggestion: have the other captain check the scores onyour

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scorecard and sign it showingtheiragreement.This will avoidwrongscores and wrong names being put inTennislink.

  1. Captains must exchangeline-upssimultaneously.NO CHANGESmaybe made after the line-up has been exchanged, except as allowed in the substitutionrulebelow. NOTE that after lineups have been exchanged,ifa teamreceivesaforfeit,thereceivingteamDOESNOTHAVETHEOPTIONTO CHANGE THEIRLINE-UP!
  1. An individual match is started when the first ball is put inplay.

H.Forfeits:

  1. Forfeits are used for Defaults orforDisqualifications.Thesetwodifferent forms of forfeit are defined asfollows:

A.Forfeit by DEFAULT- when a player fails to appear on time or after thestart of an individual match, if injury to, illness of, or disqualification of a player occurs, the opponents will be awarded a default for that individual match only. Thedefaultprinciplesshallbeapplicable,withtheSectionalmodificationsthat:

  1. In the event of illness, injury, disqualification, or no-show of a player prior to the start of an individual match (once the lineup has been exchanged), a team may substitute a player in the affected position withinthe 15-minute default time, using a player not already listed onthelineup. If no such substitution can be made, the affected position will be forfeited in local leagues.
  1. In the event that a team match must be re-scheduled and starting times are staggered, where opponents are not available and readyto play at the time agreed to by captains and reported to LLC, forfeits will be awarded in the affected positiononly.

B.Forfeit by DISQUALIFICATION- Disqualification occurs when a player is ineligible to participate for any reason [i.e. under age, not a USTAmember, NTRP disqualification,etc.]

3.SCORING OF FORFEITS: Scores for forfeits are not entered in TennisLink—the word Default is selected for “status” of match and the team receivingthedefaultshallbeawardedthewinfortheindividualmatchthatwas forfeited. In the event of forfeit by both teams (double default),neitherteam will receive credit for thewin.

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4.TeamForfeits/Defaults:Ifateamforfeitsanentireteammatch(2positions).

  1. If a team defaults an entire team match for any reason during round robin play (where you only play each team once), then all matches of that team played, or to be played, shall be null and void when determining standings, unless all teams in contention for the championships have already played the defaulting team in good faith, then those matches stand as played. In either case, defaulted matches received will be used for qualifying purposes for players advancing to Championshipplay.
  1. If there is a full team default in a double or triple round robin (where you play each teammorethanonce),onlytheRRtier/segmentsthathavethefullteamdefaultwillbe impacted. Each of the Round Robin segments will be treated as whole and separate within the local league flight. If the first RR was finished and the full team default occurred during the 2nd RR then all matches for the first RR would stand. Also rememberthatifallteamsincontentionhadplayedthedefaultingteam,thosematches would stay in thesystem.
  2. The team that receives an entire team forfeit will not receive credit forthewin. It is in the best interest of both teams to work itoutso thatatleast2positionscanbeplayed.Captains,pleaseremembertotry and cooperate to play scheduled matches, even if you are in the right, and the other team is inthewrong. We all make mistakes, and we allwantto playmatches.
  1. IfitisdeterminedbytheLocalLeagueCoordinator,atanytimeduringthe season, that such a team default will affect the league standings in a material fashion ( i.e., which team goes to local league playoffs or State Championships) then none of the team’s individual matches for the entire season will count in the final standings. Per items a. and b.above.
  1. Number of position defaults a team may have per season(s) is 20% of the number of positions scheduled. (Example: If your level is scheduled for seven matches during the season (21 positions), you may have only 4 positions defaulted during theseason.)

f.A grievance may be filed against any team that defaults anexcessive amount of individual matches or that defaults an entire teammatch.