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Rules

A1 RULES AND REGULATIONS

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MATCH PLAY

1) A player must be a minimum of 19 years of age prior to the first match of the season.

2) In order to play team tennis, a player must have her name listed on one Palm Tennis team roster.

3) If a player signs a roster and wishes to remove her name from that roster to play on another team it will be allowed ONLY if : a) they have not yet played a match for that team AND b) the captain of the original team agrees to release them.

4) At the beginning of the season all the captains will decide who will be considered a line 1 designee. The aforementioned may only play in line 1. Penalties will be imposed if a line 1 designee plays in any other lines.

5) Once your team has registered you as a line 1 designee, you will be considered that for the remainder of the season.

6) If you are adding a line 1 designee to your team you have to give 1 weeks notice to the league. 5pm the night before the match is required for any other additions to your team.

7) No new players will be permitted onto a roster for the final four matches of the season.

PARTICIPATING CLUBS

A club must have 6 courts available at 10 a.m. for each home match. If a club has two teams in one division, they must be able to provide 12 courts at 10 a.m. for each home match.

Participation in any Palm Tennis activities is governed by our Liability Waiver

TEAMS

Each team shall have a roster of at least 12 members who meet the eligibility requirements.

CAPTAINS

1) Each team shall have a Captain who is a member of the team roster.

2) The Captain shall be the spokeswoman for her team.

3) The Captain must attend all League meetings or send a sub.

4) The Captain must be computer literate and be responsible for all email communications.

CAPTAINS' ROSTER RESPONSIBILITIES:

a) A preliminary roster of at least 12 names with signatures, addresses, zip codes, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and a designated Captain to Palm Tennis.

c) Number of courts available and surface.

d) Annual fee of $25.00 per roster member.

CAPTAIN'S TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES:

1) Have “A Friend at Court” or “The Code” at all matches.

2) As home Captain, phone or email visiting Captain 2-3 days prior to match.

3) Be responsible for team positions for each match.

4) Prepare line-up sheet to exchange with opposing Captain. Substitutes must be designated on the scorecard.

5) Exchange line-up sheets identifying all players at 10:00 a.m. If all members are not present, follow guidelines under FORFEITS section. A 10 minute grace period MAY be given at the Captain’s discretion, but then they will not be given a warm-up. After the 10 minutes it will be considered a default. Also, in extraordinary circumstances the Captains can use their discretion in allowing a late arrival.

6) Request that all beepers and telephones be turned off.

7) As home Captain, enter the scores for the match on the website by 7:00 pm of the day of the match. If the Captain is unable to meet this requirement, another team member may input the scores.

8) It is the responsibility of the away team Captain to verify (confirm) the scores submitted by the home team Captain. If the scores are not confirmed within 48 hours, the scores will stand as posted on the website.

9) Rain:

a) If a match gets rained out and the lineups have not yet been called the two captains have 24 hours to exchange their lineup with the other captain. It then becomes the responsibility of the four players in each line to come up with a date that they can agree on. They have 72 hours to do so. The 72 hours start after the 24 hours, so the players have till 10:00am Monday morning to agree on the date for the match to be played. Each team submits 2 dates that they can play (Saturdays and Sundays may be used as match days only if agreed upon by all four players.) If they cannot come to an agreement then a coin will be flipped to decide the winner of the match. The coin flip with be conducted by an A1 Liaison or Orly.

b) The rematches may be played on the same day or scheduled on individual days.

c) Both home and away Captain must know of the rain make-up date within 72 hours.

d) Teams have 21 days to reschedule a rained out match. Once a date and time has been agreed to, it must be honored. If a team is unable to play on the arranged rematch date and time, they must default the match. If it rains again on the day of the rematch, an additional 21 days are granted.

LINE-UPS

1) Each team will field 6 doubles teams placed by ability.

2) Line 1 designees must play in line one.

PENALTY: If a line 1 designee is played in any position but line 1, all the points your team earned that day will be removed and given to the opponents.

3) A player entering her first match may start at any position.

4) Thereafter, a single player may move no more than 2 positions and a partnership no more than 1 position in either direction between regularly scheduled matches. Partnerships last until one of the pair plays with someone else.

PENALTY: 2 points deducted from overall standing.

5) A Captain can protest the opponent's line-up before that match starts. The opposing Captain can change the line-up if necessary to satisfy the protest. If the change is not satisfactory, a protest can be noted on the card and Palm Tennis notified after the match.

COACHES

1) Any team may employ a coach, who is responsible to that team.

2) Coaches, club pros and team members may coach during a rain delay and/or during the break between the 2nd and 3rd sets.

MATCHES

1) Played on Thursday's at 10am.

2) Played by USTA rules and The Code.

3) Roster MUST be exchanged at 10 a.m. with all players present. When the line-up sheets are filled out, they are considered official, even if they have not been read. Captains will write and exchange rosters starting at 9:50 in order to read them at 10:00 a.m. A 10 minute grace period MAY be given at the Captain’s discretion, but then they will not be given a warm-up. After the 10 mins it will be considered a default. Also, in extraordinary circumstances the Captain’s can use their discretion in allowing a late arrival.

4) 10 minute warm-up after rosters are exchanged. There are NO extended warm-ups.

5) Played with new yellow balls appropriate for surface and furnished by home team.

6) Best 2 out of 3 sets; 12 pt. tie breaker at 6 all. Coman tie breaker will be played.

7) 10 minute break between 2nd and 3rd set, if desired by either team.

8) Coaching allowed only during break after 2nd set, and/or a rain delay.

9) Home tennis professional will decide home court playability.

10) There will be no videotaping, photography or recording of any sort during a match unless all players involved agree to it.

SCORING

1) One point will be awarded for each match played and won.

2) Score stands as played once match is completed.

3) Winning team shall be decided by number of matches won.

DEFAULTS

1) Matches will start at 10 am with the exchange of rosters and all 12 players must be present. A 10 minute grace period MAY be given at the Captain’s discretion, but then they will not be given a warm-up. After the 10 mins it will be considered a default. Also, in extraordinary circumstances the Captains can use their discretion in allowing a late arrival.

2) All defaults will start from position 6 and up. ie; If the player in position 4 is unable to play, you will default position 6 and move all the other players up. The Captain’s as a courtesy are required to call the opposing team if at all possible in advance of a default.

3) After a default the movement rules will refer back to the match before the default occurred for the team that incurred the default.

4) If both teams will be defaulting a position they will lose the opportunity to win 6 points. They would only be eligible to potentially win the number of lines played.

5) Scorecard must include the names of the defaulted players and movement rules will apply.

6) If a team has excessive defaults, the team may be suspended for the next season., and removed for the current one. Excessive defaults are when a team defaults all positions for a given match or averaging more than one default per match.

RETIREMENT

A retired match is one that is started out but not completed. Warm-up with the opponents, after the roster has been exchanged, begins the match. No penalty is given for a retired match. It is considered a flagrant disregard of Association rules to alter your line-up in order to take a favorable retirement.

PENALTY POINTS

1) A team not complying with the League rules may have points deducted from its point standing by the League.

2) Any problem affecting more than the individual team in question shall be presented to the League.

3) Flagrant disregard of League rules can result in a team receiving a warning letter or being assessed penalty points and may result in the team being dropped from the League, as voted on by the Captains.

PROCEDURE FOR FILING A FORMAL PROTEST OF RULE VIOLATIONS

1) Match must be completed before filing a formal protest.

2) Protest MUST be written on card and signed by both captains before leaving the courts.

3) The Captain should contact the League by telephone or email with her complaint immediately following the match. Each Captain must send a written description of events to the League.

4) If the violation is confirmed and covered in the rules, the correct penalty will be assessed.

5) If the violation is not covered in the rules, a Captain's meeting will be called where the written statements from the Captains of both teams will be reviewed (The captain's of the teams being reviewed will not be present) and a penalty will be assessed if necessary.

6) The Captain's meeting decision will be final

REMATCHES

1) Be set only in case of rain or unplayable courts. Home tennis professional will decide home court playability. If weather is questionable, the League suggests waiting one hour from scheduled match time.

b) The rematches may be played on the same day or scheduled on individual days.

c) Both home and away Captain must know of the rain make-up date within 72 hours.

RESCHEDULING MATCHES WHEN A WRITTEN ROSTER HAS BEEN EXCHANGED

1) All games and points played before interruption stand, and play resumes from that point, with the same line-up.

2) While the team is present at the courts, the players should arrange their rematch dates and times or exchange phone numbers and set up rematch dates within 72 hours. Captains must be notified of all arrangements.

3) If the teams cannot agree to a rematch date a coin toss will decide the winner of the match. If one team leads the match with one completed set, then they will get the opportunity of a second coin toss should they lose the first toss. The second coin toss will decide the winner.

4) Both home and away Captain must email orly@palmtennis.com with the position, date and time to be played within 72 hours. You will have 3 weeks to make up the matches.

5) If a team is unable to play on the arranged rematch date and time, they must retire the match.

6) The line-up for the following week must be based on the rained out match (even though that match might not have been completed).

RESCHEDULING MATCHES WHEN NO WRITTEN ROSTER HAS BEEN EXCHANGED

1) All communication is handled by the Captains or Co-Captains.

2) If the match is rained out prior to the teams arriving at the courts:

a) If a match gets rained out and the lineups have not yet been called the two captains have 24 hours to exchange their lineup with the other captain. It then becomes the responsibility of the four players in each line to come up with a date that they can agree on. They have 72 hours to do so. Each team submits 2 dates that they can play (Saturdays and Sundays may be used as match days only if agreed upon by all four players.) If they cannot come to an agreement then a coin will be flipped to decide the winner of the match. The coin flip with be conducted by an A1 Liaison or Orly.

b) The rematches may be played on the same day or scheduled on individual days.

c) Both home and away Captain must know of the rain make-up date within 72 hours.

e) The line-up for the following week must be based on the rained out match (even though that match might not have been completed).

3) If upon arrival at the courts, rain appears imminent, do not exchange rosters until you are ready to begin play. Should it start raining prior to the start of play, and it is decided that the match should be rescheduled, follow the procedure outlined in step 2, a-f.

4) If upon arrival at the courts only a few courts will be available, exchange the names as the teams go on the courts, not the whole roster. The visiting Captain may determine which positions play first.

5) If a match gets rained out and the lineups have not yet been called the two captains have 24 hours to exchange their lineup with the other captain. It then becomes the responsibility of the four players in each line to come up with a date that they can agree on. They have 72 hours to do so. Each team submits 2 dates that they can play. If they cannot come to an agreement then a coin will be flipped to decide the winner of the match. The coin flip with be conducted by an A1 Liaison or Orly.

Player movement rules WILL apply to the rainout (from the week before) and will continue to the next week after the rainout as if the match had been held on the regularly scheduled day.

NEW TEAMS

Applications for new teams must be sent to the League. The application must indicate the club's ability to provide 6 courts for the home matches.

PRELIMINARY ROSTERS-A Roster for an Existing Team

1) A minimum of 12 names must be listed – additional names may be added at this time or throughout the season.

2) There are an unlimited number of names on a roster.

SUBSEQUENT ROSTERS

1) There are an unlimited number of names on a roster.

2) If a player signs a roster and wishes to remove her name from that roster to play on another team it will be allowed ONLY if: a) they have not yet played a match for that team AND b) the captain of the original team agrees to release them.

PROPER ATTITUDE

Before you play, greet your opponents in a friendly manner and introduce yourself. During the match, conduct yourself in an ethical manner. Do not stall, sulk, use profanity, complain or practice gamesmanship. Chronic poor sportsmanship by a team member may result in points being deducted from a team's overall score.

PROPER TENNIS APPAREL AND SHOES SHOULD BE WORN.

CHOICE OF ENDS AND SERVICE

Spin your racquet or toss a coin to decide the choice of serve or side. The player winning the toss may choose or require her opponent to choose:

a) The right to be server or receiver; the other player then chooses side.

b) The side; in which case the other player shall have the right to serve or receive.

The toss should be made before the warm-up so that the players can warm-up on the same side from which they play their first game.

WARM-UP

Players should provide opponents with ten minutes of warm-up using new balls. Each player should make a special effort to hit shots directly to the opponent. (If partners want to warm each other up while their opponents are warming up, they may do so.) All practice serves must be taken before the match starts and may be taken on the serving side. Do not practice service returns while opponent practices serve.

SERVE

1) The server will stand with both feet behind the baseline and within the imaginary continuation of the center line and the side line.

2) It is the server's responsibility to be sure the receiver is ready for both the first and second serves.

3) The server shall call the score before each point and each game; the server's partner should also call the score, if necessary, due to noise.

4) If a “second” ball is discarded after the serve or a rally has started, a hindrance may be called, and the point should be replayed. The offending player shall be required to make some other satisfactory disposition of the ball.

5) A server gets two serves. If the receiver/ her partner calls the serve out whether it is returned over the net or in the net the server gets a second serve. If it was the second serve then it is a double fault.

FOOT FAULTS

A USTA rules interpretation authorizes the receiver or his partner to call foot faults on the server after the server has been warned once. This call should be made only when the caller is absolutely certain. While in doubles, the partner of the receiver may be in a fair position to call a normal foot fault, the receiver, herself, would be able to make this call only in flagrant cases. If a foot fault occurs again after the first warning, a linesperson may be called. If a linesperson calls 2 foot faults, there is a loss of 1 point if it is a second serve.

SERVICE OUT OF TURN

1) The correct partner serves as soon as the mistake is discovered.

2) The points scored and any fault served before the discovery shall count.

3) If the game is completed, the service remains as altered.

RECEIVING

1) Do not return the ball unless the serve is good, and you intend to play the point.

2) The receiver should make no effort to return the serve if she is not ready; if you make any attempt, you are presumed to have been ready.

3) The receiver should get ready for the second serve as soon as possible.

4) After each point, return all balls on your side of the court to the server.

ERROR IN RECEIVING

If, during a game, the order of receiving has been mistakenly changed, the receivers shall remain as altered until the end of the game. Resume the original order in the next receiving game of that set.

SCORE

1) All points stand as played; if you feel that you are getting bad line calls, you need to request a linesperson. A complaint to the League officer after the match is futile. (See LINE CALLS.)

2) If any score adjustment is made after a mistake has been recognized, the next point is played into the proper court according to the serve.

3) In a score dispute, each side has a vote. Go back to the last agreed upon score in the game and continue, replaying only the disputed points and games.

CONTINUOUS PLAY, REST PERIODS, AND INJURY

1) When changing sides, a maximum of 90 seconds shall elapse between the cessation of the previous game and the start of the next game.

2) After the second set, each team is entitled to a rest, which shall not exceed ten minutes.

3) During a match, each player is entitled to suspend play one time for a period not to exceed 10 minutes. This break may be taken for personal injury, illness, (to include leg cramps), a toilet emergency or damaged equipment.

COACHING

Coaching by pros, spectators, team members, etc., is only allowed after a team has split sets, and/or during a rain delay.

LETS

A let is the replay of a point with the server receiving 2 serves, except when the second serve is a let; when the server is entitled to only 1 serve. Once a ball is in play and a let is called, the point must be replayed.

1) A player cannot claim a let on the basis that she did not see the ball.

2) If a player is hindered in making a stroke by anything not within her control, except a permanent fixture on the court, the point shall be replayed.

3) When you are hindered in attempting to return a shot that could not have been returned even had there been no hindrance, a let is NOT authorized.

4) Lets should not be honored in order to save the caller from a put-away.

5) Loud conversation between partners while the ball is moving TOWARD their opponents' side of the net is taboo; the opponent is entitled to a let and quite possibly the point on the grounds of interference. However, if the opponent goes ahead and plays the ball and misses, the “Two Chance” rule holds. A player is entitled to only one chance. She forfeits her rights to a let when she hits the ball. She took her chance to win or lose and is not entitled to a second one.

DOUBLE HITS AND CARRIES

These are legal, but a double hit must not be intentional.

LOSS OF POINT

A player loses the point if:

a) A ball in play touches her or anything she wears or carries (except her racquet).

b) A player touches the net or post while the point is in play.

c) A player hits the ball before it reaches the net.

d) A player touches other opponent's court (invasion).

e) Double bounce.

The prerogative of these decisions belongs to the player involved. She should announce her violation immediately.

LINE CALLS

1) The prime objective in making line calls is accuracy; it is each player's responsibility to call all balls on her side, to help her opponent make calls when the opponent requests it, and to call against herself any ball she clearly sees out on her opponent's side of the net. A player is cheating when she does not call an out ball against herself when she clearly sees it out (whether she is requested to do so by her opponent or not).

2) GUIDELINES FOR USING LINESPERSONS:

a) A team member should be the first choice as a linesperson. If a team member is unavailable, any mutually agreed upon person may be used. Players have the right to wait until appropriate and agreed-upon linespersons are available. A Pro can be a linesperson but must be approved by all four players.

b) If only one person is available, she should stand at the net.

c) When two persons are used, one should stand at the service line of the receiving team and the other should stand at the baseline of the serving team, or any place that is safe for the linesperson and not a hindrance to any of the players.

d) Linespersons will not call the lines; only give a decision on disputed line calls.

3) If you catch in the air a ball that is in play, you have lost the point regardless of whether you are in or out of the court.

4) When you are looking across a line, don't call a ball out unless you can clearly see part of the court between where the ball hit and the line.

5) In returning service, the partner of the receiver should call the service line for her, with the receiver calling the center line and the side line. It is difficult for the receiver, who is looking across the service line, to call with accuracy a shot that lands near that line.

6) Once an out, fault, or let call is made, play stops.

7) Any call of out, let or fault must be made instantaneously; otherwise, the ball is presumed good and still in play. This means that the call is made before either an opponent has hit the return or the return has gone out of play. A ball is not out until it is called out.

8) In doubles, when one partner calls a ball out and the other one good, the doubt that has been established means that the ball must be considered to be good. Normally, asking for a replay of a point is a sign of weakness and of failure to exercise line calling responsibilities and should occur only on rare occasions. One of these is as follows: Your opponent's ball appears out and you so call, but return the ball to her court. Inspection reveals that your out call, which stopped play, is in error. Since you actually returned the ball a let is authorized. Had you not returned the ball, the point would have been your opponent's.

THE COMAN TIE BREAKER

The player whose turn it is to serve shall serve the first point from the deuce court.
After the first point, the players shall change ends and the following two points shall be served by the opponent(s) (in doubles, the player of the opposing team due to serve next) starting from the ad court.
After this, each player/team shall serve alternately for two consecutive points (starting from the ad court); changing ends after every four points, until the end of the tiebreak game.
Switch sides after points 1,5,9,13,17, and at the conclusion.

TENNIS COURTESY

1) When you must cross another player's court, cross at the net when their point is completed and move across quickly.

2) Refrain from any loud noise, which not only distracts your opponent, but also those playing next to you.

3) Before asking players in the next court to return a ball, you wait until their point is over. In returning a loose ball to another court, pick up the ball and get it directly to one of the players on the other court on the first bounce.

4) Returning service that is obviously out is a form of rudeness.

5) Returning any out ball including serve without an out call in an attempt to catch the opponent off guard is cheating.

6) Drinking alcoholic beverages and/or smoking and use of profanity during play is considered inappropriate.

7) The home team provides non-alcoholic beverages on the court.

8) As a spectator, if your presence or conduct disturbs any of the four players, you must leave the immediate court area, if requested to do so. Spectators are allowed on any public area.

9) As a courtesy to your opponents, all phones and beepers must be turned off before match begins.

10) Frequently, questions are left to wisdom, judgment, and a sense of fairness.

If a grievance should arise, a meeting of the Captain's will be called to address the grievance. If they decide there needs to be a consequence, their ruling is fina

Palm Tennis Management Group LLC reserves the right to exclude any player from participating in any associated team or league.

Participation in any Palm Tennis activity is governed by our liability waiver.

Orly Mayron
League Coordinator
E-mail: orly@palmtennis.com