WOKING & DISTRICT TENNIS LEAGUE RULES
(Updated 21 February 2017 - Rule 1(h) amended)
1. Administration
(a) Each Club is required to appoint a representative who shall be the point of contact with the League Secretary.
(b) The League Secretary shall notify the Club Representatives of the dates of the Annual General Meeting, the Summer Fixture Meeting and the Winter Fixture Meeting.
(c) It is desirable for all Clubs to have an attendee at the Annual General Meeting.
(d) It is essential for all Clubs to have an attendee at the Summer and Winter Fixture Meetings. A Club, which does not have an attendee at a fixture meeting, may forfeit the right to participate in the league concerned.
(e) Team entries must be advised to the League Secretary by MID JANUARY for SUMMER or MID AUGUST for WINTER.
(f) The Annual General meeting shall determine the subscription for each team playing in the League. Subscriptions for SUMMER Leagues shall be payable by 31st MARCH. Subscriptions for WINTER Leagues shall be payable by 31st OCTOBER. There will be a 50% surcharge if the subscription is not paid by the appropriate date.
(g) Each Club must submit its Fixture List to the League Secretary within 4 weeks of the Fixture Meeting – no changes will be permitted after this date.
(h) Team Captains are to ensure that matches are played as arranged on the Fixture List and failure to present a team will mean forfeiting the match. A team which concedes more than one match in any season shall be penalised as follows:-
(i) The Summer League is primarily a mid-week League. As a rule, matches shall be played on weekday evenings. However, matches can be played at weekends, provided it is mutually agreed between the clubs. The Winter League is primarily a weekend League. As a rule, matches shall be played at weekends. However, matches can be played on weekdays, provided it is mutually agreed between the clubs.
2. League Composition
(a) The League Composition for SUMMER shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting. The League Composition for WINTER shall be presented at the Winter Fixture Meeting. The maximum strength of each division will be 11 teams for the SUMMER LADIES and MENS and 7 teams for the WINTER. Teams shall play each other once with HOME or AWAY decided by the League Officers. SUMMER MIXED divisions will be 6 teams playing HOME and AWAY. These may be varied for lower divisions depending on entries. The League will operate on a promotion and relegation basis. Promotion and relegation will be 2 up 2 down, in exceptional circumstances the League Officers reserve the right to amend any one of these two figures. The bottom team of the lowest division in each section must apply for re-election.
(b) Final League positions not determined by points shall be decided by set average.
3. System of Play
(a) Evening matches shall start not later than 6.30pm, unless agreed otherwise and by mutual consent at the fixture meeting. If a pair are not ready to play through lateness 15 minutes after the agreed start time of the match, they shall forfeit the set, and after a further 30 minutes a second set.
Since the principal objective in our matches is to play competitive tennis, this rule stands as a provision against uncertain light or inclement weather. The captain whose team is complete and ready to play at the scheduled time may, at his/her discretion, waive this rule. In considering the application of this rule, once the decision to proceed has been taken, no appeal will be allowed at a later stage of the match.
(b) Matches are of 8 sets by teams of two pairs, each pair playing 2 sets against each opposing pair. The Tie-Break will operate at 6 games all.
(a) Each Club is required to appoint a representative who shall be the point of contact with the League Secretary.
(b) The League Secretary shall notify the Club Representatives of the dates of the Annual General Meeting, the Summer Fixture Meeting and the Winter Fixture Meeting.
(c) It is desirable for all Clubs to have an attendee at the Annual General Meeting.
(d) It is essential for all Clubs to have an attendee at the Summer and Winter Fixture Meetings. A Club, which does not have an attendee at a fixture meeting, may forfeit the right to participate in the league concerned.
(e) Team entries must be advised to the League Secretary by MID JANUARY for SUMMER or MID AUGUST for WINTER.
(f) The Annual General meeting shall determine the subscription for each team playing in the League. Subscriptions for SUMMER Leagues shall be payable by 31st MARCH. Subscriptions for WINTER Leagues shall be payable by 31st OCTOBER. There will be a 50% surcharge if the subscription is not paid by the appropriate date.
(g) Each Club must submit its Fixture List to the League Secretary within 4 weeks of the Fixture Meeting – no changes will be permitted after this date.
(h) Team Captains are to ensure that matches are played as arranged on the Fixture List and failure to present a team will mean forfeiting the match. A team which concedes more than one match in any season shall be penalised as follows:-
- On the first occasion the points for the match shall be forfeited.
- On the second occasion the points for the match shall be forfeited and a further 2 points shall be deducted from the offending team’s total.
- On the third occasion the team shall be withdrawn from the League and its results deleted.
WEATHER is the only reason for postponement of a match. In the event of uncertain weather conditions the Home Captain shall decide if it is possible to play the match. The Home Captain shall inform the Away Captain accordingly. In the event of inclement weather the match can only start or continue if both Captains agree. The Home Captain should contact the Away Captain within 2 days of a match being postponed. A new date must be agreed and the League Secretary must be notified of the new date within 7 days. The Away Captain should inform the League Secretary, if he/she has not been contacted by the Home captain after 2 days. The League Secretary should also be informed if the captains are unable to agree a new date. The League Officers may then decide whether the match is void or forfeited by one team.
ALL SUMMER League matches, including re-arranged matches, must be completed by 31st AUGUST. Matches not played by this date will be void.
SUMMER matches between teams from the same Club shall be played by 15th JUNE.
ALL WINTER matches must be completed by 31st MARCH. Matches not played by this date will be void.
WINTER matches between teams from the same Club shall be played by 31st DECEMBER.
All League matches shall be played on HARD or SYNTHETIC courts. GRASS may be used by prior mutual consent.
(i) The Summer League is primarily a mid-week League. As a rule, matches shall be played on weekday evenings. However, matches can be played at weekends, provided it is mutually agreed between the clubs. The Winter League is primarily a weekend League. As a rule, matches shall be played at weekends. However, matches can be played on weekdays, provided it is mutually agreed between the clubs.
2. League Composition
(a) The League Composition for SUMMER shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting. The League Composition for WINTER shall be presented at the Winter Fixture Meeting. The maximum strength of each division will be 11 teams for the SUMMER LADIES and MENS and 7 teams for the WINTER. Teams shall play each other once with HOME or AWAY decided by the League Officers. SUMMER MIXED divisions will be 6 teams playing HOME and AWAY. These may be varied for lower divisions depending on entries. The League will operate on a promotion and relegation basis. Promotion and relegation will be 2 up 2 down, in exceptional circumstances the League Officers reserve the right to amend any one of these two figures. The bottom team of the lowest division in each section must apply for re-election.
(b) Final League positions not determined by points shall be decided by set average.
3. System of Play
(a) Evening matches shall start not later than 6.30pm, unless agreed otherwise and by mutual consent at the fixture meeting. If a pair are not ready to play through lateness 15 minutes after the agreed start time of the match, they shall forfeit the set, and after a further 30 minutes a second set.
Since the principal objective in our matches is to play competitive tennis, this rule stands as a provision against uncertain light or inclement weather. The captain whose team is complete and ready to play at the scheduled time may, at his/her discretion, waive this rule. In considering the application of this rule, once the decision to proceed has been taken, no appeal will be allowed at a later stage of the match.
(b) Matches are of 8 sets by teams of two pairs, each pair playing 2 sets against each opposing pair. The Tie-Break will operate at 6 games all.
- Scoring shall be as follows:
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- If a match is curtailed by weather or bad light and less than 5 sets have been completed, the match must be replayed.
- If 5 or more sets have been completed, the leading team will score 3 points (4 if 6 or more sets have been won), the losing team 1 point if 2 or more sets have been won. 3-3 score – 2 points each.
(c) New pressurised balls to current L.T.A. standard, white or yellow, 4 per court, must be provided by the home team.
(d) If during a match, a player has to retire through illness or injury, that player’s place may be filled by a reserve (subject to eligibility) after any unfinished set has been conceded. If no reserve is available, the match must continue without the depleted pair and that pair’s sets score to the other team.
(e) Clubs must endeavour to field 2 pairs for all matches. However, it is recognised that occasionally a club is able to field only one pair. In this event, the club concerned should inform the opposing club that it will have only one pair. The match must be played and the club fielding one pair will forfeit 4 sets at the start of play.
4. Results
All match results, together with names and initials of players participating are to be sent to the League Secretary by the home team on the official score cards provided, to arrive within seven days following the date of the match. Both captains are to sign the card to certify that the details are correct. A fine of £2 may be imposed in cases of default.
5. Eligibility of Players
(a) Players must be bona fide members of the Clubs they represent.
(b) Players may only represent one Club in any section of the League, i.e. MENS, LADIES, MIXED during any season. Summer and Winter are separate seasons.
(c) Players wishing to represent different Clubs in different sections in the same season must notify the League Secretary before commencement of the season’s fixtures of either Club.
(d) Registered Players:
- Clubs with more than one team in any section must register a team of players for each team except the lowest.
- A player may not play for a team below that for which he/she is registered.
- A player playing for a team for which he/she is not registered will become registered on the third occasion e.g. three `A` appearances - `A` Team, two `A` and one `B` appearances - `B` Team.
- A registered player who has not played in 3 matches may in certain circumstances be de-registered if approved by the League Officers.
6. Miscellaneous
Any difficulty in complying with the Rules or any dispute is to be referred to the League Secretary and the matter will be dealt with promptly by the League Officers whose decision will be final.