3 Singles Matches and 1 Doubles Match per day is too much to ask from Juniors.

[Litespeeds]

I think USTA should re-evaluate the maximum number of matches a junior can play per day. Do you really think most juniors are able to play a possible of 6 singles matches with best 2 out of 3 with 3rd set tie break and 2 doubles matches all in one weekend?

USTA needs to limit the draw to only 16 players per each age group for singles and doubles so there will be a maximum of 2 singles matches per day with 1 or 2 doubles matches within the same day.

When our kids are exhausted from playing so many matches, they put themselves at risk for damaging injuries that could keep them off the courts for weeks or months.

A good example was at a one weekend tournament in hot weather a week ago where my son had to play 2 rounds of singles on Saturday and 3 rounds on Sunday. Sundays matches were scheduled at 8am, 11am and 2pm. How in the world can we expect out juniors to wake up at 6:30 to get to the courts by 7:15 to warm up and then play each match and have around 1 hour between each match before they have to play again. This doesn't give them enough time to rest, hydrate and eat. Ultimately my son suffered severed cramping and had to retire with injury in the finals when he was leading 6-4, 5-4, 30-30. What a way to lose a tournament.

Took over 15 minutes before he was able to get helped up and walked off the court with help. That was a very scary incident. I just don't want this to happen to other kids and parents. We were hydrating with coconut water, water and Powerade. Now we have switched the Powerade to Vitalyte and or Nuun. Hopefully he will never cramp out in another match.

I would love to see any adult play 5 singles matches in 2 days in weather reaching the mid 90's with just 1 hour break between each match. We must change the rules and limit our juniors to only 2 singles and 2 doubles match per day max.

What do you guys think?

 

[Alohajrtennis]

I think USTA should re-evaluate the maximum number of matches a junior can play per day. Do you really think most juniors are able to play a possible of 6 singles matches with best 2 out of 3 with 3rd set tie break and 2 doubles matches all in one weekend?

USTA needs to limit the draw to only 16 players per each age group for singles and doubles so there will be a maximum of 2 singles matches per day with 1 or 2 doubles matches within the same day.

When our kids are exhausted from playing so many matches, they put themselves at risk for damaging injuries that could keep them off the courts for weeks or months.

A good example was at a one weekend tournament in hot weather a week ago where my son had to play 2 rounds of singles on Saturday and 3 rounds on Sunday. Sundays matches were scheduled at 8am, 11am and 2pm. How in the world can we expect out juniors to wake up at 6:30 to get to the courts by 7:15 to warm up and then play each match and have around 1 hour between each match before they have to play again. This doesn't give them enough time to rest, hydrate and eat. Ultimately my son suffered severed cramping and had to retire with injury in the finals when he was leading 6-4, 5-4, 30-30. What a way to lose a tournament.

Took over 15 minutes before he was able to get helped up and walked off the court with help. That was a very scary incident. I just don't want this to happen to other kids and parents. We were hydrating with coconut water, water and Powerade. Now we have switched the Powerade to Vitalyte and or Nuun. Hopefully he will never cramp out in another match.

I would love to see any adult play 5 singles matches in 2 days in weather reaching the mid 90's with just 1 hour break between each match. We must change the rules and limit our juniors to only 2 singles and 2 doubles match per day max.

What do you guys think?

1. In our section, if there is a round of 32, it usually starts on Friday at 4:00.

2. Doubles is optional, generally. Need to weigh the pros and cons.

 

[Kenny022593]

That sounds like the exact thoughts that I have about the subject. I am a very unsuccessful junior player too!

There is always enough time to eat though. You can calorie cycle, etc etc.

 

[woodrow1029]

Did your son take a medical timeout when he was cramping, just out of curiosity?

 

[jcc309]

In our section we play the finals on a Monday usually if it is a full 32 draw. And in the summer you have to get a 2 hour break in between matches, not a 1 hour break. I don't know where you play but that sounds harsh.

 

[10ismom]

Litespeeds,
I do think you should file a grievance to your section, using the experience your son just went through.
I could understand that tournament directors want more entries and they want to finish all matches over the weekend especially if during a school year.

Three singles plus double in 1 day is tough. A single match can last over 2 hrs. I doubt any parents want their children to play in the hot sun 7 or more hrs a day.
I saw it happened though. Juniors and parents want to get the matches over with. Happened a lot also with rain delays.

I guess if we never say anything to the section, our kids' competitive experience are not gonna get any better.

 

[woodrow1029]

I don't understand why it took 15 minutes for him to get helped up? Was this after he retired? Were you there with him?

Also, how hot was it? If it was hot enough, the referee should be offering 2 hour rest periods between matches.

The main reason a lot of tournaments are going to match tiebreak for the third set now is so that they can finish tournaments on time. Any tournament using best of three full sets, there is a required 2 hour rest period between matches. This makes it tougher to schedule. With a match tiebreak, it's only an hour between unless the referee/tournament director feel it is too hot and they then can offer additional rest.

 

[LMK5]

They broke the rules

I think USTA should re-evaluate the maximum number of matches a junior can play per day. Do you really think most juniors are able to play a possible of 6 singles matches with best 2 out of 3 with 3rd set tie break and 2 doubles matches all in one weekend?

USTA needs to limit the draw to only 16 players per each age group for singles and doubles so there will be a maximum of 2 singles matches per day with 1 or 2 doubles matches within the same day.

When our kids are exhausted from playing so many matches, they put themselves at risk for damaging injuries that could keep them off the courts for weeks or months.

A good example was at a one weekend tournament in hot weather a week ago where my son had to play 2 rounds of singles on Saturday and 3 rounds on Sunday. Sundays matches were scheduled at 8am, 11am and 2pm. How in the world can we expect out juniors to wake up at 6:30 to get to the courts by 7:15 to warm up and then play each match and have around 1 hour between each match before they have to play again. This doesn't give them enough time to rest, hydrate and eat. Ultimately my son suffered severed cramping and had to retire with injury in the finals when he was leading 6-4, 5-4, 30-30. What a way to lose a tournament.

Took over 15 minutes before he was able to get helped up and walked off the court with help. That was a very scary incident. I just don't want this to happen to other kids and parents. We were hydrating with coconut water, water and Powerade. Now we have switched the Powerade to Vitalyte and or Nuun. Hopefully he will never cramp out in another match.

I would love to see any adult play 5 singles matches in 2 days in weather reaching the mid 90's with just 1 hour break between each match. We must change the rules and limit our juniors to only 2 singles and 2 doubles match per day max.

What do you guys think?

How old is your son and what section is he playing in? It is very likely that he is supposed to be limited to 2 singles matches per day.

As you may have noticed, the health and well-being of the tournament participants is not very high on the directors' list. It will be only after something tragic happens.

 

[woodrow1029]

How old is your son and what section is he playing in? It is very likely that he is supposed to be limited to 2 singles matches per day.

Only if he is in the 12s. Because in this tournament, all matches were 2 sets and a match tiebreak for the third, the 14s, 16s and 18s all (by the rules) can play 3 singles and 1 doubles per day, 2 singles and 2 doubles, or 1 singles and 3 doubles per day.

In the 12s only, it is 2 + 1, 3 singles or 3 doubles.

Of course if there is a section that further limits matches per day in their rules, those would apply.

 

[andfor]

Each Section has these rules. http://www.southern.usta.com/Juniors/tournaments_rankings/regulationsrequirements/

 

[woodrow1029]

Each Section has these rules. http://www.southern.usta.com/Juniors/tournaments_rankings/regulationsrequirements/

That one gives (from what I can see) the same limits as the USTA rulebook. Plus, Southern hasn't updated the minimum rest break to the new recovery rule. They should be doing that soon as it just was passed fairly recently.

 

[Litespeeds]

My son just turned 15 at the end of last month. He is playing boys 16. This tournament I signed him up only for singles because I knew he would not be able to play all the singles and doubles if he made it to the finals. He was the #1 seed for that tournament which was a NorCal Sectional Qualifier.

I entered him because I wanted him to play under pressure and build some confidence before Sectionals. He started getting cramps at 6-4, 3-2 and had to take a medical time out. He recovered and was playing with some pain. I was really worried and almost stopped the match and had him retire with injury because I know you can really hurt yourself when playing hurt and didn't want him to risk the chance of tearing a muscle and be out a few months. At the same time I knew he would have been pissed at me if I had stopped the match so I was hoping he would be smart enough to make that call. I admired his heart and competitiveness but at the same time I was mad at him for his stupidity.

When he cramped on both legs, he laid on his back on the hot court and couldn't get up. We shaded him, iced his quads and elevated his head. The cramp was so bad that he didn't want us to even move him. It took about 15 minutes before he was ready to try and get off the court. Yes it was that bad and I am so relieved that he recovered from it.

The only other time he ever cramped was when he played a round of doubles at 8am, then singles at 11, singles at 2 and the finals singles at 5pm. Again he was leading by winning the first set. 2nd set was really close and he started to cramp on the tie break and then on the 3rd set tie break, he cramped out and lost 10-4 in the finals.

Seems like he cramps when he plays at least 2 or 3 matches on Saturday and then 3 singles matches on Sunday. Always happens in the finals.

This one weekend tournament had a draw of 64 and all matches were scheduled to be played 2 days. What's even worse was they scheduled the singles play at 8am, 11am and 2pm. Definitely not enough time to rest and recover between matches for the top 4 players in that tournament. I felt bad for all of them as you can see their fatigue.

I can't say my son is not conditioned as well as the others but I did feel he had tougher matches to get to the finals. Anyways I just don't want to see our kids get injured by being over played in one weekend tournaments.

 

[woodrow1029]

My son just turned 15 at the end of last month. He is playing boys 16. This tournament I signed him up only for singles because I knew he would not be able to play all the singles and doubles if he made it to the finals. He was the #1 seed for that tournament which was a NorCal Sectional Qualifier.

I entered him because I wanted him to play under pressure and build some confidence before Sectionals. He started getting cramps at 6-4, 3-2 and had to take a medical time out. He recovered and was playing with some pain. I was really worried and almost stopped the match and had him retire with injury because I know you can really hurt yourself when playing hurt and didn't want him to risk the chance of tearing a muscle and be out a few months. At the same time I knew he would have been pissed at me if I had stopped the match so I was hoping he would be smart enough to make that call. I admired his heart and competitiveness but at the same time I was mad at him for his stupidity.

When he cramped on both legs, he laid on his back on the hot court and couldn't get up. We shaded him, iced his quads and elevated his head. The cramp was so bad that he didn't want us to even move him. It took about 15 minutes before he was ready to try and get off the court. Yes it was that bad and I am so relieved that he recovered from it.

The only other time he ever cramped was when he played a round of doubles at 8am, then singles at 11, singles at 2 and the finals singles at 5pm. Again he was leading by winning the first set. 2nd set was really close and he started to cramp on the tie break and then on the 3rd set tie break, he cramped out and lost 10-4 in the finals.

Seems like he cramps when he plays at least 2 or 3 matches on Saturday and then 3 singles matches on Sunday. Always happens in the finals.

This one weekend tournament had a draw of 64 and all matches were scheduled to be played 2 days. What's even worse was they scheduled the singles play at 8am, 11am and 2pm. Definitely not enough time to rest and recover between matches for the top 4 players in that tournament. I felt bad for all of them as you can see their fatigue.

I can't say my son is not conditioned as well as the others but I did feel he had tougher matches to get to the finals. Anyways I just don't want to see our kids get injured by being over played in one weekend tournaments.

I agree it is way too much for juniors to play that much, especially with short turn around times. Hopefully this issue will be addressed with the NorCal office, and this won't be the trend moving forward.