USTA Atlanta getting bizarre

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astlaw

New User
This email came from our league coordinator. I don't know how high up in USTA the "advice" is from, but I love that we are being urged to play less tennis in an effort to be able to play more tennis, albeit in a less-tennis-is-better manner. Am I alone in not liking what this says? USTA's figuring of standings is just flawed I guess.


Hello Captains,

I have attached the 2014 Adult League Rules and Regulations that will govern our Summer Season. Take a few moments to go over the Adult League Rules and communicate them to your teammates.

Please refer to Section III - Format of Play and Scoring (Page 3, 2-B). More specifically, you have the "option" of playing a 10 Point Tie-Break in lieu of a 3rd Set using the Coman Tiebreak format. Since this is the Summer Season, this will reduce your court time in the heat. Furthermore, playing a 10 Point Tiebreak in lieu of a 3rd set is the recommended option for qualifying for the city playoffs since it will virtually mean fewer games lost. Since we usually have many potential playoff teams tied at the end of the Regular Season, games lost can be the deciding factor.

Hope all is well with everyone. Good luck in your matches on Sunday!!!
 
R

rich s

Hall of Fame
astlaw said:
..... Furthermore, playing a 10 Point Tiebreak in lieu of a 3rd set is the recommended option for qualifying for the city playoffs since it will virtually mean fewer games lost.....
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this is alarming.....forgo the spirit of the game and competition to qualify for playoffs..... great message to send....

amazing...
 
C

cll30

Rookie
That's just stupid. They obviously need to change how they break a tie in end of season team standings.
 
T

tennis tom

Legend
WoW!, pretty twisted logic and wordsmithing. Author must be a professional drafter of amendments to existing legislation. Let's forget about the tennis altogether and go straight to the bar and watch basketball on TV.
 
Cindysphinx

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
Oh, come on. Make a decision. Either have everyone play TBs, or have everyone play third sets. The league is responsible for deciding the format and declaring what it is.

And what happens when the captains and/or players cannot agree on which format to use?

Sheez.
 
R

rich s

Hall of Fame
Cindysphinx said:
Oh, come on. Make a decision. Either have everyone play TBs, or have everyone play third sets. The league is responsible for deciding the format and declaring what it is.

And what happens when the captains and/or players cannot agree on which format to use?

Sheez.
Click to expand...

All 4 players have to agree play the TB in lieu of a third set.... if any one player objects to a 3d set TB it is a full set.... the capt has no say in the matter...
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
rich s said:
All 4 players have to agree play the TB in lieu of a third set.... if any one player objects to a 3d set TB it is a full set.... the capt has no say in the matter...
Click to expand...

Juss play a Super Tiebreak, an take off yer skirt
 
roman40

roman40

Rookie
rich s said:
All 4 players have to agree play the TB in lieu of a third set.... if any one player objects to a 3d set TB it is a full set.... the capt has no say in the matter...
Click to expand...
Interesting, that's doesn't sound very efficient at all.

In NorCal, home team decides (each lineup makes a choice, doesn't have to be the same for the whole team). Also, the scoring for 3rd set is 1-0, no matter if you play a set or a TB, which means that for playoff qualification, it doesn't matter which one you pick. This is much more straightforward.
 
T

TennisCJC

Legend
I think they should just make it a mandatory 3rd set 10 Super-TB. No one needs to play 3 sets in the Atlanta heat. The ATP doubles matches play a 3rd set Super-TB and if it is good enough for them, it is good enough for any 3.0 to 5.0 USTA league. Atlanta ALTA should do the same. It is ridiculous to have a team match which consist of 5 individual matches last for 6 or more hours.
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
TennisCJC said:
I think they should just make it a mandatory 3rd set 10 Super-TB. No one needs to play 3 sets in the Atlanta heat. The ATP doubles matches play a 3rd set Super-TB and if it is good enough for them, it is good enough for any 3.0 to 5.0 USTA league. Atlanta ALTA should do the same. It is ridiculous to have a team match which consist of 5 individual matches last for 6 or more hours.
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Surprised there is no 90 or 120 minute limit on the length of league matches.
 
R

rich s

Hall of Fame
Ronaldo said:
Surprised there is no 90 or 120 minute limit on the length of league matches.
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most matches are played out of subdivisions and city/county parks, so that isn't an issue .... but i am concerned that the 3rd set TB and timelimits are in our future in ATL...
 
O

Orange

Rookie
A singles ladder in which I play takes the opposite approach: points are given for games won, so we all have an incentive to play a full third set! I had one 3 1/2 hour singles match, going to multiple deuces in many games.

It seems that NorCal's approach of scoring all third sets as 1-0 would allow people to play as much tennis as they wanted without worrying about games lost for playoff purposes.
 
S

spt

Rookie
To add to the weirdness that is Atlanta USTA, after this weekend's rainouts, our league coordinator sends out an email reminding captains about the inclement weather makeup rules and then includes this "With that being said....I'm asking that ALL captains send me your line by line rescheduling not later than Wednesday AM."

Really? We are all grown men who understand the rules. A makeup is enough of a problem and a worry for a captain. Having to bring the coordinator into the mix so he is comfortable that we are all compliant with the rules makes it even more nightmarish. A coordinator is like a referee, no one should really notice him/her. Coordinators are necessary when there is a concern about league rules or possibly even about a conflict over a makeup, but telling him when we are going to makeup matches seems a little too overzealous.
 
T

TennisCJC

Legend
rich s said:
most matches are played out of subdivisions and city/county parks, so that isn't an issue .... but i am concerned that the 3rd set TB and timelimits are in our future in ATL...
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree. I think long matches are an issue for all team events. A line 2 doubles team is scheduled to show up 1 hour after the first 2 matches start, but they can wait 1 to 2 hours to start depending on length of the first matches. A line 3 doubles team is scheduled to show up 2 hours after the first matches start and they could wait a couple of hours too in an extreme case. I remember a few occassions where 4 PM USTA start times did not complete the matches until past 11 PM. Also, many subdivisions have non-league players that are not too pleased with teams hogging the courts. A 3rd set 10 point tie-breaker solves a lot of issues and I'm am for it. It should be mandatory.
 
Wakenslam

Wakenslam

Rookie
Sorry CJC but I disagree. Playing a 10 point TB in lieu of a third set takes the feel out of the match. It also takes fitness out of the equation. Everyone in Atlanta is used to playing full matches. Why would I want to drive 45 minutes across town to play a regular season match that consists of a maximum of two sets and a TB? It makes no sense to me. Court time is not an issue. We have courts everywhere!
 
R

rich s

Hall of Fame
TennisCJC said:
I respectfully disagree. I think long matches are an issue for all team events. A line 2 doubles team is scheduled to show up 1 hour after the first 2 matches start, but they can wait 1 to 2 hours to start depending on length of the first matches. A line 3 doubles team is scheduled to show up 2 hours after the first matches start and they could wait a couple of hours too in an extreme case. I remember a few occassions where 4 PM USTA start times did not complete the matches until past 11 PM. Also, many subdivisions have non-league players that are not too pleased with teams hogging the courts. A 3rd set 10 point tie-breaker solves a lot of issues and I'm am for it. It should be mandatory.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree what any of what you said that I highlighted red.... maybe I didn't articulate my position well....

As I understand it ... in other areas ... let's say in the northeast or mid-west as examples...... a lot (if not most or close to all) play out of clubs instead of subdivisions and parks.....

I can see where these clubs need to have/impose time limits in order to make money and accommodate members.... In Atlanta the vast majority of teams play out of subdivisions and parks where profit and customer accommodation is not a factor.... that was the point I was trying to make ....

I am not a fan of the 3rd set 10pt TB.... it is a complete crap shoot and takes away from the spirit of competition.... tennis is not a timed sport like football, basketball, hockey, soccer and should stay that way....


I think Wake summed it up pretty well..............
 
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G

greg_in_atl

New User
rich s said:
I think Wake summed it up pretty well..............
Click to expand...

I also tend to agree with Wake's statements.

I don't really have a problem if they offer a 10 pt TB to the players involved as an option over a 3rd set, but let the players on the court decide.

Also, it's common in Atlanta for more than two courts to be available for league matches, so if the 1st lines are having long matches, then the other matches just use additional courts provide the captain has arranged for it.
 
T

tennixpl

Rookie
UTSA and all its sub divisions are not just tennis organizations but also political ones. same here in San Antonio Texas
 
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