Golden Gate Men and Women Singles Ladder Rules
A challenge ladder is a mechanism for ranking tennis players according to their skill levels. As members play each other, their relative positions are adjusted to reflect the results of their play. The purpose of a challenge ladder is to allow all tennis players in the Golden Gate Tennis Club (GGTC) to meet and play other tennis enthusiasts at their own skill level.
Operation of the ladder
The GGTC Tennis Ladder runs from February 1 each year and ends October 15th.
The following section describes the rules that apply to challenge ladder play. The primary purpose behind the rules is to allow the ladder to operate properly, contributing to the enjoyment of all players on the ladder.
Challenge Ladder Rules
1. The web program TennisEngine will be used to establish the ladder ranking based on the results of the challenge matches. At the beginning of the challenge season, all entered players are randomly listed. The members of the ladder will be grouped by USTA ratings. If you do not have USTA rating, please review the selfrating information on the TennisEngine website and if necessary talk with ladder coordinator to help you appropriately self rate. After the first challenge against a rated player your position will be adjusted by the ladder itself.
2. A player may challenge any other player with similar USTA rating or 0.5 ranking level above. For example, a 3.0 player can challenge any player with USTA rating of 3.0 or 3.5, but may not challenge a player with USTA rating of 4.0 or higher. Similarly, a 3.5 rated player may not challenge a 4.5 level player.
3. Members are not required to accept more than one challenge per week. Also, players are not required to accept a challenge from another player they have defeated within the past two weeks.
4. The challenged player may select the time and location of the match; however, the time and location should be mutually agreeable to both players. Court fees are to be shared.
5. A match should be completed within fourteen days of the challenge. A challenge withdrawn or canceled within 36 hours of the previously agreed to time of match is counted as a default loss for the party cancelling the match.
6. The challenger provides a new can of tennis balls for the match.
7. The standard rules of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) apply to ladder matches. Scoring is based on winning two of three sets, with a tie-break at the end of any set that reaches a score of six games each. In the tie-break, the first to win seven points wins the set, but must win by at least two points. The challenged player can choose to play a full third set or a super tie-break. In the super tie-break, the first to win ten points wins the set, but must win by at least two points.
8. The winner of the match is responsible:
A. for reporting the results within 24 hours, by emailing the ladder coordinator, and providing the following information:
B. for signing into http://tennisengine.com and recording match results.
9. The ladder information is accessible any time by players entered into the ladder challenge by accessing the TennisEngine website.
10. As is prudent in any recreational activity, and especially when involved with others, members should exercise due care in their involvement in a challenge ladder. The operators of the ladder cannot be responsible for injury to members or others, damage to property, or other liability arising out of membership in and use of the challenge ladder. By participating in a challenge ladder, each member accepts and agrees to abide by its rules.
11. Players interested in participation is the ladder please send their names, contact e-mail addresses, and USTA ratings to Ladder Coordinator. The ladder coordinator will enter your infomation onto http://tennisengine.com.; TennisEngine will then send you link to our tennis ladder and a password to help you get started.
2015 Women's Ladder Coordinator: Kay Christensen: kayachristensen@aol.com
2015 Men's Ladder Coordinator: Tuck Wong: sftcw6@gmail.com
Questions about the club? Send us an e-mail. .
Mailing info: P.O. Box 591237, San Francisco CA 94117.