Greenbelt Tennis Association Ladder Rules
(GTA web site HOME is here)
The ladder runs from April 1 until September 30. The ladder is Free for everybody. You don't need to be a Greenbelt resident or GTA member to play. But if there is a dispute the match should be played the closest to Greenbelt then the challenged players choice.
OBTAINING A POSITION:
Initial position will begin with last year's
final standings. New players will be allowed one free challenge to
determine their initial position. If they win, they take the person's
position and everyone else is moved down one. If they lose, they go to
the bottom of the ranked players section of the ladder. A ranked player
is a player who has played at least one match on the ladder either this
year or last year.
NEW PLAYER'S INITIAL CHALLENGE:
A new player may challenge anyone
currently on the ladder as their initial challenge. A ranked member is
only obligated to accept one challenge from a non-ranked member. As a
new member, you must play your initial challenge within 4 weeks after you join.
FREE CHALLENGE:
A free challenge is defined as a ranked member
challenging someone more than 7 steps above them. From April 1 through
May 31, any player may challenge any other player regardless of
standings. Players may only make ONE free challenge and are obligated
to be only one other person's free challenge.
MAKING A MATCH:
Players can normally challenge "up" 7 steps on the
ladder. To initiate a match, look at the most recent ladder
ranking list from the GTA newsletter or web site and find someone who is ranked 1-7 positions higher than
you. If you've moved up since the last list was published, pencil
yourself in where you should be. You are eligible to challenge up 7
from that point. Call the individual you want to challenge and arrange
a mutual time & place to play within seven days.
If a challenged player receives multiple challenges, he/she is only
obligated to keep up to two challenges active at a time. If you already
have two matches pending, let the challenger know this. Also let them
know when you expect to play your matches (if you know) so that they may
challenge again at that time. After each match, the challenger should
immediately contact the next person on his/her list to arrange a time to
play. The challenge's next available time slots should be offered to
the next person on the list. If the challenger can't play for several
days, it is O.K. to play another challenge match out of order, provided
the first match is not postponed for more than the 7 day limit.
REPORTING THE SCORES:
If the challenger wins the match, he/she takes
the place of the challenged on the ladder and the challenged and all
others move down one position. If the challenged wins, both players
retain their positions. Winners must contact the ladder coordinator
Rich Majewski (301)595-5744 or rmajewsk@verizon.net with the date of the
match, the winner, loser and scores within 48 hours after a match is
played, even if no change in position occurs. (The loser might want to
call in the match also to keep from dropping for four weeks of
inactivity in case the winner forgets.) Matches and the latest
standings will be posted on the GTA Web site: http://www.greenbelt.com/tennis and in the GTA newsletter.
DEFAULTS:
A match is defaulted if the challenged cannot play within 7
days of an initial challenge or within 7 days of contacting the next
player on his list (exception: if the person challenged is leaving on
vacation or will be out of town for business). A default also occurs if
either player is more than 15 minutes late. If the challenged defaults,
he will move below the challenger on the ladder, thus moving the
challenger up one position. If the challenger defaults, he/she will be
penalized the number of steps they were challenging up! The challenger
should be penalized just like the challenged is!
RAIN DELAYS:
Matches should be rescheduled as soon as possible within 7
days.
DROPPING:
Any player that does not play a match during a particular month (Apr/May,Jun,Jul,Aug,Sep) will be dropped to the bottom of the ladder. Apr/May count as one month.
MATCH RULES:
1) Once a match has been set, the challenged must play even if he moves
up beyond 8 positions of the challenger.
2) If the challenger moves ahead of the challenged, the match will
still be played, with the challenger automatically becoming the
challenged! (If you really belong ahead of that person, you should
win!!)
3) Matches will be the best of three tiebreaker sets (12 point) and
will be played by USTA rules.
4) Each player must bring new USTA Approved tennis balls with the winner taking home the
un-used can.
END OF SEASON TOURNAMENT:
There MIGHT be a single elimination playoff
tournament at the end of the season tournament to determine the final ranking.