Set: 18-10-2012
| Birmingham Singles Winter League & Cup Rules |
| 1 |
| At the beginning of each league season, players will be sent a list of the players in their division. Players will then be expected to organise the matches on a date suitable to both players before the league deadline date. Contact details of players can also be found on the 'contacts list' section of the MyDivision.com website. Only players that have paid their entry fees and entered on time will eligible to play in the league. |
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| 2 |
| All matches will be the best of 3 tie break sets (first to 7 points, by 2 clear points), although players may replace the final set with a championship tie-break (first to 10 points, by 2 clear points) if both players agree, in which case this set will be scored as 7-6. |
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| 3 |
| (a)In each division half of the matches will be played as the home player and the other half as the away player. It is both players responsibility to arrange the match and the home player has the right to choose the venue for the match. The home player must provide new match balls, whilst the away player must pay any appropriate visitor fees. Any floodlight costs should be split between the two players. In the unlikely event that a journey to the venue is more than 60 minutes, the away player can request to play at a venue at equal distance between both players` locations, and court booking costs will be shared. (b) The match can be played at the away player’s venue if both players agree, in which case costs will be reversed so that the new host and visitor pay as specified in (a). |
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| 4 |
| Players are responsible for arranging their own matches. However, if a player does not respond to three contact attempts (email/phone/text) within reasonable time in between each contact by his/her opponent, the opponent has the right to claim a walkover. Proof of contacts made (e.g. e-mails & text copies) are needed when claiming a walkover, and should be sent to the organiser(s) immediately and before the league deadline. These claims will then be passed onto the League Referee for adjudication. |
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| 5 |
| With the exception of bad weather, a player must give more than 24 hours notice when cancelling a match; otherwise his/her opponent has the right to claim a walkover. |
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| 6 |
| If a player arrives more than 30 minutes late for a match, his/her opponent has the right to claim the first set of the match, and if more than 45 minutes late a walkover. |
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| 7 |
| The Competition Organisers will appoint a qualified referee. The referee will receive and consider any complaints arising during the duration of both the League and the Knockout events. Once considered the Referee's decision on all these matters will be final. A player may only appeal to LTA if they are of the opinion that the referee has made an incorrect decision involving the ITF Rules of Tennis. Players can contact the League Referee by telephone or e-mail for advice and clarification about the rules and procedures in a particular situation. |
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| 8 |
| In order to obtain 1 bonus point a player must play at least 50% of their matches (e.g. 4 out of 8) by the specified mid-season league deadline. In order to further encourage players to play all their matches, each player will be rewarded 1 point for every match that they play (excludes walkovers against). The points rewarded per match will be as follows:
Win in straight sets - 4 points
Win in 3 sets - 4 points
Win by walkover - 4 points
Lose in straight sets- 1 point
Lose in 3 sets - 2 points
Lose by walkover - 0 points |
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| 9 |
| If a player is ill/injured before (s)he plays any league matches and wishes to pull out of the league, (s)he must let the organiser know within 4 weeks of the league start date. The player will then be removed from the league for that particular season but will be eligible to return to the same division when they return from illness/injury. If a player does not inform the organiser of their illness/injury within one month of the start date, (s)he will not be able to re-enter the next season. |
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| 10 |
| A player must play at least one match by the mid point date of the league, otherwise the league organiser(s) has the right to disqualify that player from the league and (s)he will be replaced by a reserve list player and disqualified from the following season's league. |
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| 11 |
| If a player does not play any league matches and has not officially withdrawn from the league (as per rule 9), (s)he will be excluded from the following season's league. |
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| 12 |
| Players are expected to comply with general LTA competition regulations and the League Referee`s role is to ensure these are adhered to in the league. In cases of inappropriate behaviour, the organiser(s) has the right to deduct points or in exceptional circumstances permanently exclude the offending player(s) from the league based on the League Referee`s appraisal of the situation. |
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| 13 |
| At the end of the league, the player with the most points will win each division with the top 2 in divisions lower than Division 1 winning promotion to the higher league. The bottom 2 (unless specified at the beginning of the season) in each division will be relegated to the lower division. In 9-player divisions, the 7th place player may be required to play in a play-off match prior to the next season to determine whether they retain their current league status. Leagues may have to be adjusted the following season with players not re-entering and the playing strength of new players taken into account.
In the event that players are level on points at the end of the season, players will be separated by the following criteria (in order of priority):
- Points
- Matches won
- Matches played
- Sets difference
- Winner of match between the two players
- Games difference |
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| 14 |
| The winners of each division will receive a trophy as a prize. |
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| 15 |
| Rules 1-6 also apply to the knockout cup. The `home` player will be determined by the draw for each match. It is both players responsibility to arrange their match before the stated deadline for each round. If no player makes any attempt to arrange the match and do not notify the organiser(s) of any problems, then both players will be eliminated from the competition and the player awaiting the winner will have a bye into the next round. |
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| 16 |
| There will be a Consolation Knockout for losers from the earlier rounds of the Knockout. The same knockout rules apply to this competition. |
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| 17 |
| The final of both knockout competitions will be played at a neutral venue on a specified date and both players will be expected to arrive at the specified match time and penalties will be incurred for late arrival (as per Rule 6). There will be a winner’s and runner’s-up cup for the finalists. |
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