GENERAL INFO
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2009 USTA League Senior State Championship
Pelham, AL 35124
May 7 - 10, 2009

State League Coordinator:  Jerrie Ciza:  Email: jerriec@alabamata.com
Referee:  Larry Francis
Tournament Director:  Ann Etheredge
Tournament Committee:  Ruth Anne Bendall, Chairman, Jeff Burns, Jeannie Harrell, Chuck Harrell, Christine Slaughter

Sites:  Pelham Racquet Club: 205-621-3380
100 Racquet Club Parkway, Pelham, AL 35124

Brook Highland Racquet Club: 205-980-1000
3157 Brook Highland Dr. Birmingham, AL 35242

Riverchase Country Club:  205-988-8165
2000 Club Road
Hoover, AL 35244

There will be a mandatory captains meeting on Thursday May 7th for the 3.5 and 4.0 senior women at 12:30 pm at the Pelham Racquet Club. 
The 3.5 senior men's captains meeting will be on May 7th at 4:00 pm at the Pelham Racquet Club.
All other levels will have a mandatory captains meeting on Thursday evening May 7th at 7:00 pm at the Pelham Racquet Club.
Captains should click on and read the court conduct letter and also the captains information and responsibilities.
Lunches will be served to all players with a ticket on Friday and Saturday. (Tickets will be in captain's packets given out at captain's meeting).

Click on schedule in the link above.

Surface:  Play will be on soft courts unless weather forces a change.

Tournament Headquarters:  Pelham Racquet Club individual scores and standings will be posted there each day and on TennisLink.

Lunches will be served to all players with a ticket on Friday and Saturday. (Tickets will be in captain's packets given out at captain's meeting).

Amenities:  Water and ice will be provided at each site.  Each player will receive a tournament t-shirt.

Awards:  Awards will be given to champions.

Format/Rules:  Each city will be able to send a winning team in each level.  Wildcards are selected in each level if needed to complete a draw.  Each level will play a round robin (unless otherwise noted in schedule) with group winners advancing to either a semifinal or a final.

Players must play in at least two matches locally with only one default counting to be eligible.  (If there is no local play a team may advance directly to the senior championship to play their local at state with players playing matches as stated above).

All players must have proof of current USTA membership and be listed on the original roster.

Players will receive a two minute set break at the end of each set with no coaching.  There is no break after the first game on the changeover.  There is a 90 second break during each changeover in the rest of the set.  A match tiebreak (first to ten points with a margin of two) will be played in lieu of a third set with no breaks and no coaching.  Players change sides every six points.  The format and surface can be changed due to inclement weather.  In the event of a tie in the round robin (two or more teams with the same team record) the group winner will be decided by:
1.  Most individual matches won.
2.  Fewest sets lost.
3.  Fewest games lost.
4.  Head to head winner.
5.  Coin Toss.

The USTA Point Penalty System will be in effect with lateness penalties imposed.  A fifteen-minute default time will be strictly enforced. 

A 10-minute warm-up period, including serves, and a 15-minute default period shall be observed throughout the event.

At the conclusion of each individual match, the winner(s) must return to the Tournament Desk to return balls, and report scores.  At the conclusion of the team match, both captains must return to the Tournament Desk to sign the scorecard.

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to alter the format, the scoring method or terminate the team match when one team has won the majority of the points.  However, without directive from the Tournament Committee, teams are expected to play all matches to completion.

In the event of inclement weather, court surfaces may change based on availability.

All USTA Official Rules of Play, USTA League Tennis Regulations, the USTA Code of Conduct, and the USTA Point Penalty System will be enforced.  A 10-minute warm-up period, including serves, and a 15-minute default period shall be observed throughout the event.

Players are expected to wear tennis attire appropriate for this event. 

2009 Alabama League Championships cancellation policy
Should inclement weather or other circumstances prevent the completion of a State Championship; the Tournament Committee will determine whether the matches played at the point of cancellation will be used to determine round robin group winners and a champion in each level.
If the Tournament Committee determines that there was a lack of “equal opportunity” for all teams in the level due to the schedule of play, the Tournament Committee will place all teams in a drawing to determine the champion in each level.  (For instance, in a five team round robin, one team may be in first place at the time of cancellation with two matches played, while other teams in the round robin have fewer matches played.  This example would not provide “equal opportunity” for all teams in the round robin and would not be used to determine the round robin group winner).
If any team(s) in a round robin flight is mathematically out of contention at the time of championship cancellation it will be excluded from the drawing.