2021 ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY USTA LEAGUE PROCEDURES
(Changes for 2021 are in red)
1. Where do I find the rules? All the rules and associated information can be found on the USTA website (www.usta.com) and the AACTA website (www.aacta.com).
2. Timed-Match Scoring Procedures: The following procedures apply when court time is limited to 90-minutes. If a match has a set time limit longer than 90 minutes, all rules below apply (a-h), EXCEPT (b). Ads will be played out in matches scheduled longer than 90 minutes.
(a) See Line-up Exchange (#6) in Mid-Atlantic Section Rules for Local Leagues.
(b) No-ad scoring will be used. When a score of deuce is reached, the receiving team selects which partner will receive. In Mixed Doubles, the gender of the server determines who receives the serve at deuce. Gender serves to the same gender. (e.g. if a woman is serving at deuce, she serves to the court defended by the opposing woman). The twenty-second rule between points must be followed.
(c) 5-minute warmup.
(d) End changes only occur after the completion of each set. Thus, an end change occurs only after a set is completed or to begin the 10-point tiebreak after split sets.
(e) Bathroom breaks are not allowed in the final twenty minutes.
(f) A time piece (cell phone, wall clock, alarm) shall be agreed upon for use by the captains and one person from the home team should be designated to call time at the end of timed match play.
(g) If time runs out before a match has been completed, the following scenarios determine the winner of the match.
i) If the second set has not been completed, the total number of completed games won will determine the winner of the match.
ii) If the second set tiebreaker has started, the team leading in the tiebreaker wins the tiebreaker and the tiebreaker is then considered a completed game. If the second set tiebreaker is tied, the next point in the tiebreaker (in the normal rotation of serving) is played to determine the winner of the tiebreaker and the set is then considered a completed game. The total number of games is then counted to determine the winner of the match.
iii) If the third set tiebreaker has not started and the total number of games won is tied, a one-point sudden death point is played to determine the winner of the match
iv) If a third set tiebreak has started, the team leading in the tiebreaker wins the tiebreaker and the match.
v) If the third set tiebreaker is tied, the next point in the tiebreaker (in the normal rotation of serving) is played to determine the winner of the match.
vi) One-Point ‘Sudden Death’ Procedures:
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- Home team spins.
- The winner selects one of three options:
- Serve or receive (then the other team chooses gender in mixed OR ad or deuce side).
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- Gender in Mixed Doubles or Side of Court (ad or deuce for non-Mixed Doubles situations) and then the other team chooses whether to serve or receive.
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- Defer the decision to the other team in which case the other team selects #1 or #2 above and the team who deferred the decision makes the remaining selection.
The teams stay on the same end regardless. The winner of that point wins the match.
(h) Matches must be played as scheduled since indoor courts have been prepaid. If a match is not played at the scheduled time and has not been rescheduled by the Local League Coordinator, LLC, it is the sole responsibility of both teams to make court reservations and cover all costs. No refunds for scheduled courts will be issued.
3. Payment of Indoor Court Fees: Players may be charged court fees for indoor matches on a league-by-league basis. If required, information will be provided in the fact sheet. Non-payment of court fees will result in a suspension of AACTA membership and participation in any Anne Arundel County league until court fees are paid.
4. Local League Playoff Information: If there are two flights (flights A and B), the first round of playoffs will be: the first place team from flight A will play second place from flight B, and the first place team from flight B will play the second place team from flight A. The winners of each first round playoff will play a deciding match, which will determine the first and second place teams in that NTRP level league. Similarly, the losers of the first round of playoffs will play each other to determine the third and fourth teams in that NTRP level league. Normal match rules for that NTRP level league will apply.
5. Match Schedules:
(a) Matches (indoor and outdoor) must be played at the time, date, and location published in Tennis Link.
(b) Matches may not be “flexed,” unless the match is scheduled on Easter weekend, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day Weekend, the closest weekend to 4th of July, or Labor Day Weekend OR the match is the same weekend as a USTA event (regionals, sectionals, AACTA tournament or other USTA tournament, etc.). If you have 1 player on a roster of a team participating in a USTA event, you may not reschedule any courts; with 2-3 players, you may reschedule one court; with 4-5 players, you may reschedule two courts; and with 6 or more, the entire match should be rescheduled by the LLC.
If you need to flex a match based on this rule, you must notify the opposing captain no later than 24 hours prior to match time via email or phone. Notifications within 24 hours prior to match time will not be accepted.
The lineup exchange must occur on or before the original match day/time. If a mutually agreeable match time/location cannot be determined between the players, the Local League Coordinator (LLC) will set a drop dead day (exactly 14 days later) at 7pm at a location to be determined by the Coordinator for that match to be played – UNLESS this date corresponds to the weekends listed above, in which case the LLC will permit an extension of 3 additional days. No extensions are given beyond the final date of play for the season.
(c) LLCs will create the schedules for all flights for a given league. Coordinators will make every attempt to avoid: (1) multiple matches being playing by one team in a short period of time; and (2) times where conflicts could occur. When the schedules are posted in Tennis Link, captains will have 7 days to request a match be rescheduled. After that time, the schedule will be finalized.
(d) Teams should arrive at the courts at least 15 minutes prior to the start time and lineups must be exchanged simultaneously prior to the start of the match. Suggested time for the lineup exchange is 5 minutes before match time. Captains that do not submit the lineup before match time are subject to the lateness penalties:
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- 5 mins. or less late, loss of toss and 1 game;
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- 5:01 – 10:00 mins. late, loss of toss and 2 games;
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- 10:01 – 15:00 mins. late, loss of toss and 3 games;
- More than 15:00 mins. Late; default. If a player arrives late for a match, local league penalties for lateness apply. However, the player is still entitled to a 5 minute warm-up
(e) If conditions prevent a match from starting, meaning the first serve has not yet been attempted; the match will not be played and will be rescheduled by the coordinator. New lineups will be exchanged at the new time of the match.
(f) Weather: If, within the zip code where the match is being played, the temperature is 40 degrees or below OR the wind chill factor is 32 degrees or below OR the heat index is 104 degrees or higher OR if sustained winds are 25mph or higher, either Captain may request to reschedule the match, and the LLC will make the final determination. Captains must wait until 2 hours prior to scheduled match time before making a request to cancel due to weather conditions. In the event of a major weather event, the league coordinator may make the decision to cancel before the 2-hour mark.
- Once a match has started, those players must finish the match. It must be continued by the same players.
- An unfinished match must be completed within 14 days of the originally scheduled match unless further postponements are required. If the match cannot be completed within 14 days, the LLC must be notified of a new date and time so that the change can be recorded in Tennis Link.
- If the continuation of the match is postponed again due to unplayable conditions, the make-up match must be scheduled to continue within 14 days. However, all matches must be completed by the date of the end of the season.
(j) If teams agree to play the make-up match indoors, indoor timed match procedures noted under Timed-Match Indoor Procedures (#2 above) will apply.
(k) If an individual match has been flexed, and all players have agreed (in writing or email) to a set time/date, the match will be played as scheduled and no substitutions may be made.
(l) If it rains or it gets too dark during a match, any player on the court can make the call to postpone the match. In the event of darkness, it is requested that all players on the court make every attempt to finish the match that same day if courts are available with lights nearby.
(m) Thunder/Lightning: Our county recreation and parks policy is “As a safety precaution, all activities must cease upon the first sound of thunder or sign of lightning. Activities may be resumed only after a 30 minute delay beyond the last sign of lightning or sound of thunder.”
(n) If you know in advance you are unable to field a court, you must tell the opposing team captain by email or phone.
6. Spectators: No on-court spectators. If outside, spectators are required to stay outside the fencing. If inside, they must stay off the courts and view from above (at Navy and courts 1-3 at Sport Fit) or on seating provided next to courts (at Chartwell). Courts 4-6 at Sport Fit can only be viewed from outside the glass doors. No banging on the windows or doors.
7. Roster Limits: All Divisions will have a roster limit of no more than 20 players, excluding all levels of Tri-Level, which will be limited to 22 players. Players may be added to the roster at any time up until the second to last regularly scheduled local league match.
8. Specific Club Information/Requirements: Alcohol is not permitted at the high schools or the Navy Brigade.
9. How to Delete a Player: Players who have not participated in a match may be deleted from a roster on TennisLink at any time upon a request using the online Player Deletion Form. Players who have played a match are not eligible for player deletion or player refunds. The link to the Player Deletion Forms is available on the AACTA website (www.aacta.com) under the Captains Corner tab. In no event may a player change rosters within a level league after he/she has played in his/her first league match in that level league.
10. Player Refunds: Player deletion forms must be filed prior to the end of the regularly scheduled season (does not include playoffs and /or Championships) using the last scheduled match in TennisLink as the end of season date. Players that have played a match are not eligible for player deletion or player refunds. The LLC will authorize reimbursement of all fees for which the player is entitled to refund. The Active fee/TennisLink fee and $6 of the Section fee will not be reimbursed. The full Mid-Atlantic Section fee is reimbursable only in the case of a league that collapses before the first match is played. Refunds will be processed at the completion of the season.
These Procedures are as enforceable as rules.
