10-point tiebreak vs. playing a 3rd Set

[Ripper014]

Originally Posted by kennydoe

Would anybody consider this?

You'll probably have to deal with the person ahead taking shoe-tying breaks and long changeovers, but I'd still rather count games.

Not really... what I have always liked about tennis is that you are not on the clock... you do not lose because you are out of time. That you you can always come back as long as you don't lose the last point. To be able to come back from the brink of defeat... unlike any other sport where you can just run out the time your opponent has... with tennis you have to push to the last point. I like that.

[HitItHarder]

Here in SC our local USTA league has us vote (each NTRP level) at the beginning of each season as to whether we play a third set or use the 10-point tie break. Overwhelmingly, the Adult leagues (all NTRP levels and both men and women) choose to play the third set. However, it is not unusual to see our Senior and Super Senior leagues opt for the 10-point tie break.

It is interesting because once you get to Districts, you have to use the 10-point tie break instead of the third set. I actually think this gives an advantage to those teams that use 10-point tie breakers during their league play because I believe there is a different mentality you have to have in a tie breaker set. You drop a couple points and you can be done quickly.

[kennydoe]

Here in NY, time is very much an issue...ALL leagues are played indoors, and most clubs don't have an awful lot of time available.

On top of that, I can tell you as a captain, that it can be like pulling teeth to get players to the court for ONE match, much less rescheduling to play a 3rd set...

To me, playing it all at one time is a measure of a players/teams fitness as well...and very much a part of the game. if I work to get myself into shape to go three rounds and my opponents don't, why should they get the benefit of getting a fresh start?

There has to be a better way....

[Ripper014]

Originally Posted by kennydoe

Here in NY, time is very much an issue...ALL leagues are played indoors, and most clubs don't have an awful lot of time available.

On top of that, I can tell you as a captain, that it can be like pulling teeth to get players to the court for ONE match, much less rescheduling to play a 3rd set...

To me, playing it all at one time is a measure of a players/teams fitness as well...and very much a part of the game. if I work to get myself into shape to go three rounds and my opponents don't, why should they get the benefit of getting a fresh start?

There has to be a better way....

Totally agree... I have not played league in probably 20 years... but back then it was never an issue we always played out all three sets with tie-breakers at 6-6.

Once in a mixed doubles tourament we were required to play no-ad scoring but otherwise everything else was the same. Tie-breakers at 6-6 and playing all 3 sets... but this was because the tournament committee wanted better control of match times. Did I like it "NO", was it better than deciding the match on a third set 10 point tie-breaker... it was preferable to me. It is not like every game in a set goes to deuce.

[TnTBigman]

This rule sucks. I'm in FL. Something about complaints from tennis facilities saying the matches go on too long and past their normal closing time. If you win the 2nd set, then the momentum is with you. However, if you take time build a momentum, you're screwed. That's why you must win it in 2 .

[JT_2eighty]

I don't play usta leagues, but in the GCITA (greater cinci indoor...), it's about allotted time. If you can squeeze three sets into the time period, you play them out. If you are out of time and on serve, you play a tiebreak for that set, whether it's the first, second or third. It's all 9-pt tiebreaks, first to 5.

When indoors you have to set some kind of time limit, in the end it sucks, but none of us are getting paid for this, so it is what it is. I've won and lost many matches by one point. In the end it has made me a stronger player mentally in those clutch situations.

The catch is, if you are up a break in a set, say 3-1, and time is up, you win that set... so sometimes you get losers who start to prolong time between points when they are up a break and time is running out, so you don't get a chance to break back. I'd rather play a super tb instead of lose a set 0-2 (which has happened too often as well).