Tennis4All Summer Tennis Ladders

2008 Summer Tennis Ladders

The Tennis4All Summer Challenge Ladders will run from May 3 to September 7, 2008. Cost is $12 to participate. Players must be members in good standing of Tennis4All.

Tennis4All Challenge Ladder and Women's Only Challenge Ladder This year, we will host both the open Tennis4All Challenge Ladder (open to anyone) and a Women's Only challenge ladder for women. Steve Backhaus will run the Tennis4All Challenge Ladder, and Clare O'Brien will run the women's only ladder. Women may sign up for both ladders.

Initial Standings Initial standings will be determined by the challenge ladder director and posted on the Web site on or before May 3, 2008. The initial ranking of players on the ladder is based on (i) results of this year's winter singles league, (ii) results of past Tennis4All matches, and (iii) self-rankings. Once the ladder begins, new players may be added in the 11, 21, 31, etc. positions, whichever is the most appropriate point of entry for the new player's level of play.

Challenge Rules

Participants may challenge any player positioned 4 places higher or 2 places lower on the ladder.
Matches will be played outdoors, or if both players agree, indoors.
If playing indoors, players will split the cost of indoor court time and any guest fees equally. Players should try to select a club where there are no guest fees for either player and where total costs are minimized. (FYI, Tennis4All has a contract agreement with Winchester where members can play without paying guest fees. Players should mention Tennis4All when booking and paying for the court at Winchester.) If playing at a club other than Winchester and one player is a member of the club and the other is not and must pay a guest fee, the two players should split the guest fee.
The challenger is responsible for providing an unopened can of yellow tennis balls.
Matches will be scheduled for 90 minutes. Players may warm-up for up to 15 minutes.
If a player is more than 10 minutes late, the late player shall forfeit 1 game for every 5 minutes he or she is late after the first 10 minutes.
If a player must cancel, the player should try to cancel at least 24 hours in advance and MUST give the other player at least 4 hours notice. If canceling the day of the match, the canceling player should call the other player, not just email, and get confirmation that they message was received. If the other player cancels within 4 hours, the other player shall be awarded a default win. If any court costs have been incurred due to the cancellation and the other player cannot use the court, the canceling player must pay the full cost of the court time.
Players may warm-up for up to 15 minutes. There is no time limit to the matches. If players are unable to finish the match due to weather conditions, light, or court availability, players should reschedule the match. However, if playing indoors, players may agree in advance that the winner shall be the person who has the most total games at the end of the available court time (90 minutes or more).
Players may not have more than two matches scheduled at a time. If a player challenges a second player and wins, and the second player moves on the ladder between the time of the challenge and the match, the first (winning) player will assume the new position of the second player.
Participants who are challenged have two weeks to accept the challenge and schedule a match unless injured or on vacation (and the challenge ladder director has been notified ahead of time of the injury or vacation). The challenger is awarded a default win if the challenged player cannot play ladder match within the 2-week period.
If a player issues a challenge to someone who already has two matches scheduled, challenger may request to be next in line for a challenge.
Two players may not challenge each other (in either direction) more than once every two weeks, or until one of the two players has played someone else, whichever comes first.
Players may not re-challenge a player until after they have challenged someone else or at least two weeks have passed, whichever comes first.
Matches played for any other purpose (e.g., singles league) cannot be counted toward the challenge ladder.

Scoring Rules

Play will use ad scoring ("deuce").
Winner will be decided by winning two out of three regular-scoring sets with tiebreaker at 6-6.
If time runs out indoors and players have agreed in advance, the winner shall be the player with the most total number of games (90 minutes or longer). If the final buzzer rings during a game that will determine the outcome of the match, players should finish the game.
If tied in number of games, both players will earn one point and retain their original ladder positions.
The winner must notify the ladder director of match results within 24 hours by email with the following information: (i) date of the match, (ii) who issued the challenge, and (iii) match score.

Players shall be awarded the following points:

1 point for accepting a challenge

2 points for issuing a challenge

3 points for winning the match

1 point each for a tie

Prizes At the end of the season, the following prizes will be awarded for both the men's and women's ladders:

Prizes for holding the Top 3 ladder positions on both ladders
Prizes for the Top 3 point earners on both ladders

Exemption Rules

Players may request a maximum three week leave of absence from the ladder for the purposes of injury, work, or vacation without losing their ladder position. Players must email the ladder director (stevebackhaus@hotmail.com) to request this.
If a player requests leaves of absence totaling more than three weeks, the player may stay on the ladder, but will be required to reenter the ladder at the 11th, 21st, or 31st position, similar to new players.
Players who have taken more than three weeks leave of absence are not eligible for prizes based on ladder position at the end of the season. Players can still win prizes based on points earned.
Players on leave will be noted in the ladder and will not be counted for purposes of challenging 4 spots up or 2 spots down.

Sign up Ladder results and standings are updated regularly on the Tennis4All website.
Players may register for the challenge ladder online or by mail. To join the Challenge Ladder online, click here.
To join the open challenge ladder by mail, please send your name, email address, phone number, USTA ranking (1.0 - 7.0), and check for $12 payable to Tennis4All to:

Steve Backhaus
67 Lincoln Ave
Quincy MA 02170

To join the women's only challenge ladder by mail, please send your name, email address, phone number, USTA ranking (1.0 - 7.0), and check for $12 payable to Tennis4All to:

Clare O'Brien
54 Craigie Street
Somerville MA 02143

Any questions? Please contact Steve or Clare.

Tennis4All Challenge Ladder and Women's Only Challenge Ladder	This year, we will host both the open Tennis4All Challenge Ladder (open to anyone) and a Women's Only challenge ladder for women. Steve Backhaus will run the Tennis4All Challenge Ladder, and Clare O'Brien will run the women's only ladder. Women may sign up for both ladders.
Initial Standings	Initial standings will be determined by the challenge ladder director and posted on the Web site on or before May 3, 2008. The initial ranking of players on the ladder is based on (i) results of this year's winter singles league, (ii) results of past Tennis4All matches, and (iii) self-rankings. Once the ladder begins, new players may be added in the 11, 21, 31, etc. positions, whichever is the most appropriate point of entry for the new player's level of play.
Challenge Rules	Participants may challenge any player positioned 4 places higher or 2 places lower on the ladder. Matches will be played outdoors, or if both players agree, indoors. If playing indoors, players will split the cost of indoor court time and any guest fees equally. Players should try to select a club where there are no guest fees for either player and where total costs are minimized. (FYI, Tennis4All has a contract agreement with Winchester where members can play without paying guest fees. Players should mention Tennis4All when booking and paying for the court at Winchester.) If playing at a club other than Winchester and one player is a member of the club and the other is not and must pay a guest fee, the two players should split the guest fee. The challenger is responsible for providing an unopened can of yellow tennis balls. Matches will be scheduled for 90 minutes. Players may warm-up for up to 15 minutes. If a player is more than 10 minutes late, the late player shall forfeit 1 game for every 5 minutes he or she is late after the first 10 minutes. If a player must cancel, the player should try to cancel at least 24 hours in advance and MUST give the other player at least 4 hours notice. If canceling the day of the match, the canceling player should call the other player, not just email, and get confirmation that they message was received. If the other player cancels within 4 hours, the other player shall be awarded a default win. If any court costs have been incurred due to the cancellation and the other player cannot use the court, the canceling player must pay the full cost of the court time. Players may warm-up for up to 15 minutes. There is no time limit to the matches. If players are unable to finish the match due to weather conditions, light, or court availability, players should reschedule the match. However, if playing indoors, players may agree in advance that the winner shall be the person who has the most total games at the end of the available court time (90 minutes or more). Players may not have more than two matches scheduled at a time. If a player challenges a second player and wins, and the second player moves on the ladder between the time of the challenge and the match, the first (winning) player will assume the new position of the second player. Participants who are challenged have two weeks to accept the challenge and schedule a match unless injured or on vacation (and the challenge ladder director has been notified ahead of time of the injury or vacation). The challenger is awarded a default win if the challenged player cannot play ladder match within the 2-week period. If a player issues a challenge to someone who already has two matches scheduled, challenger may request to be next in line for a challenge. Two players may not challenge each other (in either direction) more than once every two weeks, or until one of the two players has played someone else, whichever comes first. Players may not re-challenge a player until after they have challenged someone else or at least two weeks have passed, whichever comes first. Matches played for any other purpose (e.g., singles league) cannot be counted toward the challenge ladder.
Scoring Rules	Play will use ad scoring ("deuce"). Winner will be decided by winning two out of three regular-scoring sets with tiebreaker at 6-6. If time runs out indoors and players have agreed in advance, the winner shall be the player with the most total number of games (90 minutes or longer). If the final buzzer rings during a game that will determine the outcome of the match, players should finish the game. If tied in number of games, both players will earn one point and retain their original ladder positions. The winner must notify the ladder director of match results within 24 hours by email with the following information: (i) date of the match, (ii) who issued the challenge, and (iii) match score. Players shall be awarded the following points: 1 point for accepting a challenge 2 points for issuing a challenge 3 points for winning the match 1 point each for a tie
Prizes	At the end of the season, the following prizes will be awarded for both the men's and women's ladders: Prizes for holding the Top 3 ladder positions on both ladders Prizes for the Top 3 point earners on both ladders
Exemption Rules	Players may request a maximum three week leave of absence from the ladder for the purposes of injury, work, or vacation without losing their ladder position. Players must email the ladder director (stevebackhaus@hotmail.com) to request this. If a player requests leaves of absence totaling more than three weeks, the player may stay on the ladder, but will be required to reenter the ladder at the 11th, 21st, or 31st position, similar to new players. Players who have taken more than three weeks leave of absence are not eligible for prizes based on ladder position at the end of the season. Players can still win prizes based on points earned. Players on leave will be noted in the ladder and will not be counted for purposes of challenging 4 spots up or 2 spots down.
Sign up	Ladder results and standings are updated regularly on the Tennis4All website. Players may register for the challenge ladder online or by mail. To join the Challenge Ladder online, click here. To join the open challenge ladder by mail, please send your name, email address, phone number, USTA ranking (1.0 - 7.0), and check for $12 payable to Tennis4All to: Steve Backhaus 67 Lincoln Ave Quincy MA 02170 To join the women's only challenge ladder by mail, please send your name, email address, phone number, USTA ranking (1.0 - 7.0), and check for $12 payable to Tennis4All to: Clare O'Brien 54 Craigie Street Somerville MA 02143 Any questions? Please contact Steve or Clare.