WYOMING USTA LEAGUE TENNIS
DISTRICT OPERATING PROCEDURES – 2008
USTA League Tennis in the Wyoming District follows national and sectional regulations.
A LEAGUE SHALL CONSIST OF A MINUMUM OF TWO (2) TEAMS PER LEVEL OF PLAY
Accommodation League Rule:
If an area (local or state) does not have enough players for two teams at a certain level, the District
League Coordinator may ask for approval from the Sectional League Coordinator to allow the league to
be run as an accommodation league if there are 16 or fewer players rated at that level for six person teams
and 20 or fewer players rated at that level for eight person teams. All matches played as part of an
accommodation league format must follow all national, sectional, and district regulations. All players are
subject to the same NTRP guidelines and disqualification procedures in effect for the regularly scheduled
League championships.
A local league shall play at least one series of round robin competition wherein every team plays every
other team, and must play a minimum of three matches.
• If players entering the USTA League Tennis Program do not have a computer NTRP rating
generated within the last three years (two years for age 60 ), such player shall self-rate in
accordance with the National Tennis Ratings Program (NTRP) guidelines and declare their selfrating
on TennisLink regardless of the NTRP level they are entering.
• In 2007, the USTA introduced the Coman Tie-break procedure at its National events. The
Intermountain Tennis Association introduced the procedure at the USTA Senior Championships
in 2006. In 2007, Wyoming has adopted this procedure for all league matches and District
Championships.
Here is how the Coman Tie-break procedure works:
The Coman Tie-break procedure can be used as a set tie-break (first to 7 by 2) or a match tiebreak
(first to 10 by 2). Players will exchange ends of the court after the first point and every 4
points thereafter. This tie-break procedure allows doubles teams to continue serving from the
same side of the court as they have been doing throughout the set or match.
• No individual may be added to the TennisLink team roster after the close of registration, as set by
the District League Coordinator. ONLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS LISTED ON THE ROSTER
MAY PLAY FOR A TEAM.
• Each Team Captain will receive District Procedures, USTA League Tennis Regulations and other
special information from the District League Coordinator. Schedules will be published on
TennisLink.
• Team Captain Responsibilities:
*Distribute to team players any correspondence received from District League coordinator to all
team players. Encourage members to be aware of the 2008 USTA League Regulations and the
District League Operating Procedures.
*Be knowledgeable of the regulations and operating procedures.
• Captains are encouraged to field their teams in order of strength.
• Each team must have a Captain or acting Captain present at every match. Captains must check in
and turn in line-ups 15 minutes prior to the posted match time. Captains must verify and sign
scorecards upon completion of each match. A forfeit may be called 15 minutes after the
established start time. Warm up is limited to 10 minutes.
• Regular matches will be scheduled and played according to the District League Coordinator. The
only exceptions will be matches postponed because of rain (not wind). The District
Championships Committee may make alternative plans to complete the Tournament on schedule
in the event that weather or other conditions interfere. Such plans may include pro sets and no-ad
scoring. Rained Out Matches: All players must be present at match time, even if a rain out is
obvious. Completed individual matches will stand as played. If suspended, match play must
continue with the same players and resume at the exact point where it was discontinued (game,
set, point). If play is suspended, players must report scores to the DLC immediately.
• In order to be eligible for the Sectional Championships, all players must have played a minimum
of two matches on the same team during the local season. A maximum of one default received by
the player during the local league competition shall count for advancing. A player is eligible to
advance to national championship if that player has played on that same team in at least three
matches through sectional championships with no defaults.
• Each team that wins at the District level shall be entitled to advance to the Sectional competition.
The Intermountain Tennis Association requires that each team attending the Sectional
championship must have at least eight (8) players who were on the final roster of the team during
the regular league season. The 2.5 level teams must attend with five (5) of the rostered players.
Attending the Championships with less than the required number of players must have the
approval, by majority vote, of the Sectional Championships Committee.
• . In the event of a tie when round robin competition has been completed the tie shall be broken
by procedures stated in the USTA League Tennis Regulations on page 14, section 3.03I.
• A format of two singles and three doubles will be used for eight player teams; one singles and
two doubles for five person teams, and three doubles for six person teams. The team winning the
majority of the individual matches will be awarded one team point.
• All matches will be the best of two sets, with regular scoring and a set (formerly 12-point) Coman
Tie-break at 6-all in each set. In the event of split sets, a match Coman Tie-break (first team to
reach ten [10] points by two (2) shall be played in lieu of a third set, with no rest period or
coaching allowed. The point penalty system will be enforced by the umpires.
• A defaulted match for any reason is scored as a win for the opposing team by scores of 6-0, 6-0.
All match scores will be entered into the computer; therefore the scorecard should indicate that
the match is indeed a DEFAULT as opposed to a 6-0, 6-0 win.
• All matches will be played under the USTA Rules and “Code of Conduct”. When players are
calling their own lines, the code, among other things, gives players responsibility to call lines
correctly on their side of the court, and the right to be free from interruptions and distractions
such as spectators on the court, coaching, etc. Roving officials are required at District play-offs.
• NTRP Disqualifications. DNTRP ratings will be calculated after each round of match play at the
District play-offs. Any player that reaches the disqualification level three times shall be
disqualified and may not progress to the next level of competition. In the event of such a
disqualification during round robin play, all matches played by the disqualified player or doubles
team shall be considered 6-0, 6-0 losses for that player or team, and shall be considered wins for
the opponent(s). If the team captain of the disqualified player desires to appeal the
disqualification, the team captain, within 30 minutes of such notification may request a review
before the District NTRP Review Committee through the District League Coordinator. The
Committee will hold a review before the next scheduled match for that team or before the
conclusion of the District championships. The Committee shall follow all guidelines set forth in
the USTA League Regulations 3.04. The decision of the District NTRP Review Committee shall
be by majority vote. The affected players and/or team captains shall be notified in writing
immediately of the decision
• Grievances. See USTA Reg. 2.02. A complaint against a player or team must be filed in writing
by the team captain of the team which has competed in the match in which the alleged violation
occurred or by a member of the District Championships Committee. The grievance must be filed
prior to the team’s next match or within 24 hours after the end of league play, whichever occurs
first. Self-rated players who enter the USTA League Tennis by misrepresenting their actual skill
level are considered to have violated the standards of good conduct, fair play and good
sportsmanship and may be subject to a Self Rate Grievance – see USTA Reg. 2.02. A District
League Coordinator or member of Championships Committee may file a grievance at any time.
• . Grievance appeals. See USTA Reg. 2.03. Grievance appeals must be filed within 24 hours.
• All match play for the 2008 league season must be completed by the following dates:
Spring Mixed- June 10, 2008
Adult - August 3, 2008
Fall Mixed- Oct. 13, 2008
Super Senior- December 20, 2008