FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General Tennis Rules you should know.
Also Refer to your League Regulations, Friend at Court or USTA Rules of Tennis:
Can I get a refund for my local league fee?
Refunds for league players are submitted in one batch once all teams have had their first match of the season and players can no longer request refunds. The refund will arrive in the form of a check from GRETA for the league fee less the $3.00 non-refundable tennislink fee. Players are no longer eligible to receive refunds after their team has played a match for that season.
How do I find contact information for other captains?
Contact information for captains can be found by logging in to your Tennislink account, click on your team name and click on the Captains Report Tab. All captains in your league will be listed with email and phone contact information.
Can I move a match location?
- Matches can be relocated to another location or indoors if BOTH captains agree to do so.
- Captains are reponsible for scheduling the new location and notifying the originally scheduled site of the change. Notification should be provided to the original site 24 hours in advance.
- Captains should notify the League Coordinator via email of the change.
Can I still add players to my team?
Players can be added to teams throughout the season. They must play in required minimum of local matches to qualify to play in a state championship should the team advance.
Court fees?
The court sites set and manage their individual court fees. USTA only schedules matches on the courts they make available to USTA leagues. Court fees are payable to the site (in one amount by the captain) at the time of the match.
When are State Championships for the various leagues?
Information on state championships, including dates and locations, can be found on the individual league pages or on the USTA North Carolina website.
Can I choose a home site for my team?
As most USTA matches in the Piedmont leagues are played at public courts, Piedmont is not a home/away league. Being home team in Piedmont only means your team brings balls. However, if teams are members of clubs and request matches at their club or other sites, it is honored depending on availability.
Who is responsible for entering scores?
Either captain can enter the scores for a match once it is completed.
How do I correct a score entry?
Email susan@gretanc.com and include the se 3 things (1) match number, (2) information to be corrected and (3) include the other captain on the email to confirm both are in agreement with the correction.
If I have to forfeit a court, where must I forfeit?
If you know in advance of the match that you will be short players, you must forfeit from the bottom up (#3 doubles or #2 singles). If you do not know in advance and your players are not present when line-ups are exchanged, you need to decide whether you will change your line-up to reflect them in the #3 doubles or #2 singles position.
What is the default time if someone is late to a match?
15 minutes after the scheduled time of the match if a court is available.
What do I do if my opponent wants to keep rescheduling the rainout match?
Once the rained out match has been rescheduled, the day and time stand. The teams are expected to play that position at that time with any eligible player(s). If a team cannot play the position on the agreed rescheduled date, they forfeit that individual match. Both captains should contact the Local League Coordinator with the agreed upon date and time to prevent problems.
Can we make up matches beyond the deadline day if both teams cannot play within the time period allotted?
No, team captains and players do not have the authority to allow this.
If a court is forfeited to my opponent early, does a rainout allow me to play the court in a rescheduled match?
Yes. Forfeits given prior to the actual line up being exchanged are considered a courtesy and are not binding.
If a team has exchanged the line-up and started warming up, and "Mother Nature" decides that the match cannot be played and will have to be rescheduled, do you have to keep the same line-up or can you change your line-up?
- Substitutions from the team roster may be made in any individual matches that have not begun.
- If no point is played on any of the matches, forfeits are null and void.
- If one point on any court was played, points awarded for any defaults given at the time the line-up was exchanged are considered completed matches.
What happens when the league coordinator discovers that a makeup match has not been scheduled and/or played by the make up deadline?
It is recorded as a double default.
How are Local Playoff dates chosen?
Local playoffs must be completed before local winners are required to be reported and are scheduled when there are outdoor and indoor courts (as backup in case of rain) are available.
Why do some flights have weekend matches?
USTA State rules require teams play full round robins (play every other team in their flight) so it depends on how many teams register in your division. If the number of the required matches exceeds the number of weeks in the local league season before local winners are required to be reported, some weekend matches in addition to the regular day of play may be required.
Why are some levels divided into flights, and how?
Levels that have more than 12 teams will automatically be divided into flights in order to complete all required matches within the required local season. Flights are divided by random draw, making sure the top two teams from the previous season are in separate flights.
Why do some flights have an uneven number of teams?
This is to allow teams to have as many matches as possible, while still completing all required matches within the required local season. For example, a level with 13 teams will be divided into flights of 4 and 9, allowing the flight of 4 teams to play a triple round robin for 9 matches, and the flight of 9 to play a single round robin of 8 matches.
Is a player allowed to be coached if the coaching is given by signals in a discreet way?
No. Coaching is not allowed at any time. A player may not use electronic devices such as cell phones or digital messaging systems at any time during a match.
Can anyone on the court call a let for a ball on the court?
Yes, on both sides of your court. You may not call lets on adjoining courts even if your ball rolls onto another court. Exception: You may not call a let if the ball falls out of your own or your partner’s pocket.
What if an injury occurs during a match?
A medical timeout shall begin when a player states the need for one. A maximum of three minutes is allowed for a medical timeout. His/her opponent(s) may begin timing the three minutes after which play must resume immediately or the match must be retired. A player may not take more than one medical timeout for the same condition.
How much time is allowed between points?
When practical, this time should not exceed 20 seconds. This limit does not apply if a player has to chase a stray ball.
What happens when the server is interrupted during delivery of the second service?
The server is entitled to two serves.
The server shall not serve until the receiver is ready. True or False?
True. The receiver is not ready until the receiver is in the ready position and has a second or two to make eye contact with the server.
How much time is allowed between games?
When the players change ends at the end of a game, a maximum of ninety (90) seconds are allowed. However, after the first game of each set and during a tie-break game, play shall be continuous and the players shall change ends without a rest.
How much time is allowed between sets?
At the end of each set there shall be a set break of a maximum of one hundred and twenty (120) seconds.
Is the server required to call the score at the beginning of each game and the point scores as the games are played?
Yes.
What happens when there is a dispute in the score in a game?
When there is a dispute in the score, the players involved in the match are to discuss each point in the game that has been played and play from a score mutually agreeable to all players.
A player serves out of turn and this is not discovered until his service game is finished. How should this be handled?
If a player serves out of turn during a standard game, the player who was originally due to serve shall serve as soon as the error is discovered. However, if a game is completed before the error is discovered the order of service shall remain as altered.
NOTE: The general guiding philosophy regarding any mistakes made by players in failing to change ends, serving from wrong ends, serving to the wrong court, receiving from the wrong court, etc., is this: Any such error shall be rectified as soon as discovered but not while the ball is in play, and any points completed under the erroneous condition shall be counted. There are two exceptions to the “rectify immediately” requirement. One is in the case of a doubles match where the players of one team happened to reverse their left court/right court receiving lineup in the middle of a set, and the switch is discovered in the middle of a game. In this case, the players finish that game in the “new” positions but resume their original lineup in all receiving games thereafter in that set. The third occurs in a Tiebreak, either singles or doubles, in various situations.