NESTON TENNIS LADDER
General Rules

The ultimate goal of ladder play is to be the player in the top position on the ladder.  Also, other goals are to provide an opportunity for players to have fun, meet some new players, and get a chance to work on improving their tennis game. All players will have volunteered to participate in the programme, therefore, please display good sportsmanship by adhering to the guidelines set to govern fair play.

Players must abide by all LTA and Neston Tennis rules.

Entrants must be a current, fully-paid member of Neston Tennis Club.

Starting placements on the ladder will initially be ranked by the organising administrators. New players can join the ladder at any moment. When you join the ladder, you may challenge any player within the bottom 50% of the ladder as your first challenge. However, choose carefully whomever you challenge as this is a unique opportunity. If you lose the first match you will then unfortunately start at the bottom of the ladder. Once you have registered you will be notified by email the highest ranked player you can challenge.

Each player must provide a telephone number (preferably mobile) and if possible an email address where he/she can easily be reached for setting up matches - the ability to text arrangements would be beneficial to the smooth running of the scheme.

The players are responsible for contacting, challenging and setting up the matches.

Matches are to be the best of three sets, (with tie-break played at 6-6 first to 7, win by two clear points).  Players can decide to play a championship tie-break (first to 10) in place of the third set, however this must be agreed before play commences.

The challenger must provide the tennis balls for the match.

Match results can be submitted by email to melsophie1@hotmail.co.uk or text to Mel on 0774-7353-750, preferably immediately but not later than 48hrs after the match was played.  It is the responsibility of the winner to submit the scores and the result.  If preferred, a paper copy of the results can be left at 105 Parkgate Road, just up the road from the club.

If a player fails to show or cancels without giving 24 hrs notice, he/she will forfeit the match. A grace period of 20 minutes will be allowed for late arrival.

A player may only challenge a player up to 3 places above him/her.  For example, if you are #7, you may challenge players #6, #5, and #4. However, you may not challenge #3, #2, #1.

If a challenger wins his/her match, the challenger takes his/her opponent's position on the ladder while the opponent drops down.

The Ladder Referee is a volunteer appointed by the tennis Committee. The Referee maintains the ladder standings, interprets and enforces the rules, settles disputes, and periodically distributes membership listings (should there be any alterations).

The players should make all possible attempts to schedule the match at a convenient time.

The challengees must respond to a challenge within 48 hours after being challenged (providing the challenger has actually spoken to the challengee and not left a message) and set up a reasonable day and time within fourteen days of the challenge or give a default.

A player may make only one challenge at a time. A second challenge may be made only after the first is played. However, if someone challenges you, you must accept the challenge even if you have already challenged someone else and not yet played the match.

If a player makes a challenge and loses the match, the player must wait seven days before re-challenging the same player, they are however free to challenge an alternative player.

A player may not accept more than one challenge at a time. The first match must be played before the second challenge can be accepted. The challengee should tell the challenger(s) that he/she has already accepted a challenge, and as a courtesy, give the challenger(s) the name of the first challenger and the date set for the match.  (Remember, a player may make a challenge even though they have already accepted a challenge).

If you challenge someone in person, by email or via phone (not by just leaving messages but by actually talking to them) and they do not consent to schedule a match with you, then you are to report that to the Ladder Referee. The match will then be re-scheduled by the Ladder Referee. (In other words, please don’t avoid playing a match when challenged.)

Defaults occur when

1)      A challenged player cannot or will not accept 2 reasonable days and times within the next 7 days for a match. Holidays and sickness excluded.

2)      A challenged player cancels the match or drops off the ladder before the match is played.

3)      A player is more than 20 mins late for match.