2009 Southern Combo Doubles presented by Mini Regulations finalized as 02-12-09

Southern Combo Doubles presented by Mini is the fastest growing adult league program in the South!  Local men’s and women’s team play is available in Adult combined levels 5.0, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5, The maximum level of play allowed at the combined 5.0 level would be 2.5. Senior combined levels 5.5, 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5, and Super Senior combined levels 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5.  In 2009, each State will host a State Championship with winning teams advancing to the Sectional Championship on January 22-26, 2010 at Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, AL.

Play is governed by the RULES OF TENNIS, "The Code" as contained in the 2009 Friend at Court, The USTA Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations, and the following Combo Doubles Southern Section Regulations.  General regulations for the program are listed below.  Each State of the USTA Southern Section (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) may supplement these regulations as is required for play within their State.  Local and/or State regulations shall not be in conflict with the Combo Doubles Southern Section Regulations.  No Combo Doubles Southern Section Regulation or Procedure may be waived by a State Association or by any local, state or sectional league coordinator or Grievance or Grievance Appeal Committee.  Any violation of these regulations shall be subject to such sanctions as may be imposed by League Grievance or Grievance Appeal Committee procedures outlined in the USTA League Regulations. USTA Southern is the final authority on such actions unless otherwise specified in Bylaws of the USTA or USTA Southern .The Sectional League Coordinator, in conjunction with the USTA Southern Section Adult League Committee Chairman and Vice-Chairman, shall have the authority to interpret the Combo Doubles Southern Section Regulations.        

1.       All participants must be current members of the USTA and register through Tennis Link. A minimum of six players must be registered by the initial roster deadline.
2.       All participants must reach 19 years of age for adult divisions, 50 for senior divisions, and 60 for super senior divisions during the calendar year in which they play their first local league match.
3.       The format of play will be three individual men's or women's doubles matches per team match.  Each individual doubles team's combined NTRP ratings may not exceed the level entered.  The maximum level of play allowed at the combined 5.0 level would be 2.5.
4.       The National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) is the official system for rating levels of competition in Combo Doubles.  Players who do not have a computer rating on file in TennisLink shall self-rate in accordance with the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) Guidelines and complete the self-rating process on TennisLink when registering for a team.  Failure to do so or omission of information regarding a player’s tennis history will subject the player, the captain and/or others who condoned inaccurate self-rating to sanctions and disqualification.  Players who submit an appeal to their self-rating through the Tennis Link system before their local league deadline for registering players will be permitted to register up to seven days after the notification of final self-rating.
5.       A player may not be dynamically disqualified based on match results from Combo Doubles and match results are not calculated in year-end NTRP computer ratings. Players may play with the rating submitted on the roster through the Sectional Championships unless the player’s year end rating is two levels above the rating on the roster.  Once rosters have been submitted for the Sectional Championships, the section will determine and notify the state if any players that were moved two levels at year end are not eligible to play at the middle level. 
6.       Players must play in at least one local or state championship match in order to advance to the Combo Doubles Sectional Championships (defaults received do count towards advancement in this program).  If there is local play the required match must be played locally. If there is no local or state competition offered, a team may advance directly to the Combo Doubles Southern Sectional Championships. Where there in no local senior Combo league, a state may allow a senior team to play in an adult division. The matches should be entered in TennisLink to determine the standings. The senior team will be eligible to advance directly to the next level in Senior Division and the first place adult team would advance from the Adult Division. The deadline for players to register on teams that are advancing directly to the 2009 Sectional Championships is 12/15/09.  Players who qualify for Sectional Championships may advance on (one) adult, (one) senior team, and one (super senior) team but may not advance on (two) adult, (two) senior or (two) super senior teams.  The one match requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Tournament Committee in the Super Senior Division only.
7.       Players may advance to more than one State’s Championships provided they have qualified to advance in each state.  If eligible players do not participate at the State Championships, they may participate in the Sectional Championships. A state has the authority to regulate advancement on more than one adult and/or senior team to the State Championships.
8.       If the winning team at any level of State Championship competition is unable to compete further towards the Sectional Championships, then the State League Coordinator may select the second place team for such further competition.  The Section may issue wildcards as necessary to fill the draw. If less than four teams are entered in a NTRP level draw within 21 days of event, the draw for the NTRP level will be cancelled unless otherwise authorized by the Tournament Committee.
9.       Sectional Championships format shall be round robin in all levels of competition. A full draw is comprised of two flights with five teams each: the nine state champion teams and a wildcard team.  Each team shall play every other team in its flight and the team with the most team points shall be champion in its flight.  Levels with two flight winners will offer a single elimination finals match to determine the champion. If a state has two teams in the same level, the referee will place those teams in separate flights provided there are two flights in that level.
10.   Sectional Championships Scoring: All matches will be the best of two sets and the set tiebreak shall be used at 6-all in each set.  In lieu of a third set, a match tiebreak shall be played. In the event of a tie, whether in round robin or single elimination competition, the tie shall be broken by the first of the following procedures that does so:

Individual Matches.  Winner of the most individual matches in the entire competition.
Sets.  Loser of the fewest number of sets.
Games.  Loser of the fewest number of games.
Head-to-Head.  Winner of head-to-head match.
A method to be determined by the championships committee: procedure to be announced prior to commencement of championship competition.

11.   Defaults.  A minimum of 6 team members who were on the final roster of their local league team at the conclusion of local league play must be available and eligible to compete at the State and Sectional Championships.  The Tournament Committee can reduce that number to not less than four. A team may default a maximum of one position in a match without defaulting the entire match.  Said position shall be the No. 3 doubles. 
Scoring of Individual Defaults: Defaults will be scored as a 6-0, 6-0 win for the player (doubles team) receiving the default and a 6-0, 6-0 loss for the player (doubles team) that defaulted the match.  In the event of a default by both opposing players (teams), both sides will be given a 6-0, 6-0 loss and neither receives credit for a win. NOTE:  If a double default results in a tie, the tie-break procedure shall be the same as listed above in order to determine a winner of that team match.
Scoring of Team Defaults.  If a team defaults an entire team match for any reason during round robin play, then all matches of that team played or to be played, shall be null and void.  If all teams in contention for the Championships have already played the defaulting team, the matches stand as played.  The section may impose further sanctions or penalties on said team.
Retirement.  A retirement occurs when an individual match has started and a player (doubles team) is unable to continue due to injury, loss of condition or emergency.
Scoring of Retirements.  In case of a retirement, the non-retiring player (doubles team) shall be credited with such number of additional games as would have been won if the match was completed and the non-retiring player (doubles team) won every subsequent game.

12.   Self-Rate Grievance Complaint.  The USTA Southern Section will administer Self-Rate Grievance Complaints.  These complaints should be first delivered to the Local League Coordinator who will forward to the State League Coordinator who will forward to the Section League Coordinator who will forward to the Southern Self-Rate Grievance Committee Chairman. This committee will have jurisdiction over grievances filed against any player and/or captain who commits or condones entering at an NTRP level lower than their actual skill level.   Self-Rate Grievances filed within two weeks of the start date of the player’s and/or captain’s State or Sectional Championships will be administered after the event unless the  section authorizes the administration of the grievance prior to that time.  If the grievance is not administered until after the event, points won by players will stand. Disqualified players and/or captains that are suspended will not be eligible to advance to the next level of championship play.

2009 & 2010 USTA Southern Section Adult League Committees

Adult League Committee
Bonnie Vandegrift, Chairman
Donna Bailey, Vice Chairman                       
Ron Charron
Jerry Groce
Cookie Guarini
Dodie Hanchett
Kathy Hinrichs
Helen Martin
Bee Stewart
Sharon Rahman- ED
Bud Spencer- OL
 Sectional Championships Subcommittee
Dodie Hanchett, Chairman
Judith Anderson
Jeff Burns
William Bussey
Terri Wiley
NTRP Oversight Subcommittee
Phil Meador, Chairman
Debbie Swindoll
Ernie Harris
Flex Subcommittee
Kathy Hinrichs
Helen Martin
Leslie Sheilds
Sherri Crosby