This week the USTA Florida Section announced two Florida league divisions and NTRP tournaments will generate year-end ratings and a number of new USTA Florida and USTA national rules will be introduced. The new regulations will impact 2020 USTA Adult League play, and are already in effect for early-start leagues.
League changes involve rules regarding age group format changes, sectionals eligibility, medical timeouts and more.
The following USTA Florida programs will generate year-end ratings for the 2019 championship year (to be released around the beginning of Dec. 2019):
- Adult 65 & Over
- Tri-level
- Adult NTRP Tournaments
“The USTA Florida League committee voted to include NTRP tournaments in year-end ratings,” said Christine Ducey, USTA Florida Director of Adult Tennis. “The change allows players who participate exclusively in tournaments the ability to generate a year-end rating, so they may be eligible for the USTA NTRP National Championships, if otherwise qualified. Up until this point, those select players have not been able to qualify.”
In addition, NTRP tournament play will be included in and contribute to year-end ratings for USTA Adult League play.
According to the USTA, these changes will impact a relatively small number of players who participate in both NTRP tournaments and leagues.
“We’ve made a commitment to review this process,” said Ducey. “We plan to closely monitor the year-end rating results for this select group to ensure accuracy through this process change.”
2020 USTA Florida Section regulation change summary:
1.06 Medical Timeout in an Un-officiated League Match. A player is permitted to declare a one-time three (3) minute medical timeout in any individual match. Medical conditions include injury, illness, blister or heat-related conditions such as cramping, vomiting and dizziness. No timeout is allowed for general fatigue. A bleeding timeout consists of UP TO fifteen (15) minutes to stop visible bleeding, clean-up of the court and dispose of contaminated items. Once the allotted time is reached, play must resume immediately, or the injured/ill player must retire.
2.01A For the 55 & Over age group of the Adult Division, either a combined NTRP rating format (6.0, 7.0, 8.0 or 9.0) or a straight NTRP rating format (3.0, 3.5, 4.0 or 4.5) may be used for local league play. All championship levels of play are offered at the combined levels of play.
3.03A(2)a Grievances at championships. All general grievances filed must be accompanied by a $50 check or money order. The filing fee will be returned if the grievance is upheld or at the discretion of the USTA Florida League Grievance Committee. There is no charge for filing an eligibility, administrative or NTRP grievance.
3.038(1)a Local League Grievances. All general grievances filed must be accompanied by a $50 check or money order. The filing fee will be returned if the grievance is upheld or at the discretion of the USTA Florida League Grievance Committee. There is no charge for filing an eligibility, administrative or NTRP grievance.
2.03A(3)b USTA Florida shall require, for eligibility to progress to sectional-level competition, self-rated and valid computer-rated appealed players to play four (4) matches on the same team at the same NTRP level in the same age group during its local league and/or playoff and is otherwise eligible. Defaults received by the player during local league and/or playoff competition shall not count for advancing to the USTA Florida Sectional Championship.
Note: Section Regulation 2.03A(3)b will NOT apply to Combo, Tri-level, Adult 65 & Over, Mixed 55 & Over programs, or other programs that are not currently national programs.
New for 2020, USTA Florida will be publishing rules for download as a combined document which includes the national regulations and the USTA Florida Section addendums. For local league rules, USTA Florida will provide a version of the national and section rules for download that will include the local league rules at the beginning. These will be made available for download on the appropriate USTA Florida League county pages at www.ustaflorida.com.
2020 USTA League national major regulation change summary:
1. 1.04A Changing Adult 40 & Over format for national championships to 1 singles, 3 doubles. Conforming changes to the following regulations: 1.04D(4); 2.01A(1)b, c, e, f; 2.03A(5); 2.03D; 2.03E; 2.03H(2)e; 2.03K; 3.03B(3)a.
2. 1.04E(3) Players must be 18 years of age prior to participating in the USTA League program.
3. 1.04F Clarifying language regarding players re-entering leagues with expired NTRP ratings.
4. 2.01A Below-level players are not allowed to play #1 positions when participating in plus (+)-level matches.
5. 2.03A(4) Eligibility to advance to national championships for self-rated and computer-rated appealed players requires playing at least four (4) matches on the same team at the same level in the same age group. No defaults received count.
6. 2.03E Sectional associations may use alternate scoring methods to determine championship winners.
7. 2.03H Sectional associations may determine the order of tie-break procedures for their championships; tie-break procedures for national championships are clarified.
8. 2.03K The Championship Committee has the authority to file a grievance when match default(s) given by a team has a material impact on the championship’s standings.
Have questions? Please contact your local play coordinator or Desirae McLaughlin at McLaughlin@ustaflorida.com.
