Tennis Ladder rules

Here are the rule for the Tenterleas Tennis Club tennis ladder:

The ultimate goal of ladder play is to be the player in the top position on the ladder.  Also, other goals are to provide an opportunity for players to have fun, meet some new players, and get a chance to work on improving their tennis game. All players will have volunteered to participate in the programme, therefore, please display good sportsmanship by adhering to the guidelines set to govern fair play. 

The season will run from June 1st to September 30th 2009.

Starting placements on the ladder will be randomly drawn (date to be arranged).  New members wishing to join the ladder will be placed at the bottom.

Each player must provide a telephone number (preferably mobile) and if possible an email address where he/she can easily be reached for setting up matches.

The players are responsible for contacting, challenging and setting up the matches.

Matches consist of only one set. 

Match results can be submitted to the webmaster, preferably immediately but not later than 7 days after  the match was played.  It is the responsibility of the winner to submit the scores and the result.  

If a player fails to show or cancels without giving 24 hrs notice, he/she will forfeit the match. A grace period of 15 minutes will be allowed for late arrival.

A player may only challenge a player up to 3 places above him/her.  For example, if you are #7, you may challenge players #6, #5, and #4. However, you may not challenge #3, #2, #1 or any player below your position.

If a challenger wins his/her match, the challenger takes his/her opponent's position on the ladder while the opponent drops down to the challenger’s position.

The players should make all possible attempts to schedule the match at a convenient time.

The challengee must respond to a challenge within 7 days after being challenged (providing the challenger has actually spoken to the challengee and not left a message) and set up a reasonable day and time within fourteen days of the challenge or give a default.

A player may make only one challenge at a time. A second challenge may be made only after the first is played. However, if someone challenges you, you must accept the challenge even if you have already challenged someone else and not yet played the match.

If a player makes a challenge and loses the match, the player must wait seven days before re-challenging the same player, they are however free to challenge an alternative player.

A player may not accept more than one challenge at a time. The first match must be played before the second challenge can be accepted. The challengee should tell the challenger(s) that he/she has already accepted a challenge, and as a courtesy, give the challenger(s) the name of the first challenger and the date set for the match.  (Remember, a player may make a challenge even though they have already accepted a challenge).

If you challenge someone in person, by email or via phone (not by just leaving messages but by actually talking to them) and they do not consent to schedule a match with you, then you are to report that to the Ladder Referee. The match will then be re-scheduled by the Ladder Referee. (In other words, please don’t avoid playing a match when challenged.)

Last Updated: 1 March 2009