Ladder Rules

"A must read for everyone to learn how the ladder works and the rules we have in place."

1. Open to Public: The ladder is open to the public. There is no charge to join.
2. Formats: The ladder consists of men's singles and doubles, woman's singles and doubles and mixed doubles.
3. Tournaments: There will be tournaments at the end of the summer season. The tournament structure will be determined at season end.
4. Ranking System: All players/teams are ranked. New players/teams go to the bottom of the ladder. Players/teams work themselves up the ladder by challenging players/teams above them. If you win, you move up one slot above the player/team you beat and all other players/teams move down one slot.
5. Scheduling Challenges: All challenges must be honored even if the match must be set up a few weeks in advance. The defender or defending team being challenged should, in good faith, offer up times and play as soon as they can. A refusal to offer up options will be considered a default. If you cannot schedule a future match, you should offer up a forfeit at that time.
   
   Notify Wout Meeuwissen, Tim Davis, or Frank Meeuwissen (via questions@wtftennis.com) for refusals or any problems. If you are unsuccessful getting a response from a player, please use the existing ways that player indicates you can connect with them prior to reporting as an issue. Email is not always reliable and can get caught in junk mail. Try using the phone or texting before reporting someone as not responding.
   
   Fortunately, the members of the ladder show good sportsmanship, so it’s not anticipated this will be needed. Be cognizant that all of us have busy lives, so let’s be flexible with each other. If you are challenging, please accept a future timeframe when offered by a player/team.
6. Challenge Range (Men's Singles): The top 30 ranked players may only challenge 10 positions up; players ranked 31-60 may challenge 20 positions up; and players ranked 61 and below may challenge 30 positions up. This rule is at the discretion of the higher ranked player to invoke. The higher ranked player has the right to accept any match challenge regardless of the ranking of the lower ranked player.
7. Rematch Rule: A two week period must pass before a defeated player/team may challenge the same player/team again, unless all are in agreement to play.
8. Updates: The WTF Tennis / Delaware Tennis Ladder will be updated automatically via this website. Each week of play begins on Monday and ends on Sunday.
   
   Results must be submitted via the website by 9:00pm Sunday each week. Failure to get your match recorded by this deadline may result in the match not being included in weekly calculations.
   
   The winner is responsible for communicating the results of a match. Winners cannot choose to skip reporting a match just because it did not change their ranking. All matches are needed for various incentives for games played tournament qualifications, etc. during the year.
9. Ranking Order: Rearrangement of the ladder will be applied in date order. For matches occurring on the same date, the order is determined by the order in which scores are reported. This encourages everyone to report your match as soon as you can. If the challenge is successful, the challenging player/team moves up the ladder one slot above the defending player/team. If unsuccessful, the challenging player/team retains their original ranking.
10. Location: The challenging player/team is to make arrangements for an agreed upon court time and location. Matches can take place on any courts anywhere agreeable to the players.
11. No-Shows: If a player/team does not show up within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, a default results in favor of the player/team that does show up. Please make every attempt to get in touch with players if you find you cannot make a match. Do that as soon as you know. Also, let's be flexible with each other and reschedule the match if appropriate.
12. Balls: Both players/teams should bring a new can of balls to the match. One of those cans is opened for the match. After the match is over, the winning player/team takes the unopened can of balls, and the losing player/team takes the used balls.
13. Scoring Format: All matches will be the best two out of three sets, with a seven-point tiebreaker when the score reaches six-all in a set. The first player/team to score seven points, by a margin of two points wins the set.
    
    A ten point tiebreaker will be played instead of a full set if a third set is needed. This is the same as a seven-point tiebreaker; except the game (which will count as the third set) is played until the one player/team gets to ten points, but must win by two points. If both players/teams agree, a full 3rd set can be played.
14. Timed Venues: For matches played in a venue that has a fixed time to play (indoor courts, outdoor pay courts), the following will apply:
    • If either player/team wins 2 sets, they are the winner.
    • Otherwise, count the number of games won for each player/team during the match. The player/team with the most games wins.
    • If both players/teams have the same number of wins, then a sudden death point is played. Whichever person/team wins that point wins the match. A flip of a coin will determine how the point will be played.

    All tiebreaks (singles and doubles) are to use the Coman procedure.

15. Season Merge: Each season’s initial ladder rankings are based on merging the winter and summer ladder rankings. To retain the merged ranking, a player must sign up by the initial deadline. After that, all new entrants will be added to the bottom of the ladder in the order in which they sign up.
16. Sportsmanship: The success of our ladder has come from people playing with good sportsmanship. As a result, the need for rulings and dealing with issues has rarely occurred. The intent of the ladder is to serve the public and for people to enjoy the game. Please respect the other players and have a great time.
17. Court Reservations:
    • Before making a reservation at a participating facility, ensure the other players can commit to the time you seek.
    • If you learn you are not going to play and therefore will not need the court time, please call and cancel your reservation as soon as possible.
    • Matches should be scheduled no more than 7 days in advance.
18. Questions: If you have any further questions about the rules, please contact the admins at questions@wtftennis.com.