Last night I sent emails to all of my friends who were bumped up. This morning I received a reply from one of my friends stating that she was very disappointed that she was moved up (3.5 to 4.0). She was hoping she could stay 3.5 so she could help her team get to sectionals and maybe nationals. Ummmm.......So it has me wondering, how many of you are happy that you were move up?
Are you happy that you were bumped up?
- Thread starter ksteph
- Start date
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Most people I have talked with are either happy about it or are resigned. I think it was smart of USTA to give everyone a heads up about the "restructuring." People don't feel that their bump was a fluke and feel there are still plenty of people at their new level they can beat.
I never thought I'd be delighted *not* to be bumped, but I am so pleased I won't have to lose to some people next year. And some ladies who spanked me moved to 4.5, so I won't have to play them ever again on this planet.
However . . .
I told my pro about the bumps among his students, and he said, "That's it then. You're going to make 4.0 next year."
: gulp :
I never thought I'd be delighted *not* to be bumped, but I am so pleased I won't have to lose to some people next year. And some ladies who spanked me moved to 4.5, so I won't have to play them ever again on this planet.
However . . .
I told my pro about the bumps among his students, and he said, "That's it then. You're going to make 4.0 next year."
: gulp :
duketennisgal
Rookie
I was pretty indifferent, I know that I was bumped to the level I should be at and the only level that I've ever played. I appealed down last year for medical reasons, but ended up only playing one regular league match and two mixed matches, winning all three.
I hadn't planned on playing anything but 4.5 league and 9.0 mixed so getting bumped back up to 4.5 didn't really matter.
I hadn't planned on playing anything but 4.5 league and 9.0 mixed so getting bumped back up to 4.5 didn't really matter.
I don't get it... sounds like to me it is all about a number... It seems almost everyone is being bumped up, so those of you playing will still see the same opponents... all that has changed is that you will have a rating of 0.5 higher... the level of play has not changed from the previous year.
Much ado about nothing.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Oh, it's much ado about something.
Fun = being the strongest at your rating level. Lots of playing time, a chance at post-season play, lots of winning, better partners.
Less fun = being at the bottom of your rating level. Losing a lot, being benched a lot, no chance to get on a top team, no chance to play post-season if your team advances.
Because I didn't move up, I have gone from being a middle 3.5 to a top 3.5. I know this because I can now gaze down at the universe of 3.5 players. This includes players like me, all the way down to 3.0s who were bumped last night. As I look at those players who remain at 3.5 with me, few strike me as unbeatable. I did not feel that way about many of the women who moved up to 4.0.
I've never had the good fortune to be a dominant player at my level. I was bumped from 3.0 after one horrific season and one middling season. 2010 is my big chance!
tarheelbornjohn
Semi-Pro
Well, over half of the team I captain has been bumped and with ones that have been bumped over the past three years we can get back together. Bring up the ones that did not get bumped and we are one big happy family again.
So what you are telling me is that the USTA has leveled the playing field... that all 3.5's in your division are equals. I don't see that as a bad thing... in fact that is the way it should be.
There is no perfect solution but balanced competition from top to bottom is ideal.
OrangePower
Legend
Yeah I'm in a similar situation. So I'm really pleased with the way things have turned out. I was expecting to be bumped up at any rate based on my results last season, but I initially thought I might be the only one from my team and that I would need to find a new team at the higher level. But as it turns out, enough of my teammates also got bumped so that we can pretty much continue with the same team at the higher level. We won't be in the playoff mix but who cares, we will have a great time!
Perry the Platypus
Rookie
In general the bumping up process is a good thing, and it certainly appeared to happen with a vengeance this year. I can think of two situations where it can stink though.
My wife got bumped to 4.5 - there are only 2 4.5 teams in the area so her match opportunities just decreased significantly. She also cannot play tournaments because the women's 4.5 tourneys never make.
I saw several people get bumped up primarily due to their seniors records. this is going to relegate many of these folks to seniors only because they will not be competitive at their new level in non-seniors (not true of all, but definitely of some).
My wife got bumped to 4.5 - there are only 2 4.5 teams in the area so her match opportunities just decreased significantly. She also cannot play tournaments because the women's 4.5 tourneys never make.
I saw several people get bumped up primarily due to their seniors records. this is going to relegate many of these folks to seniors only because they will not be competitive at their new level in non-seniors (not true of all, but definitely of some).
CrocodileRock
Rookie
I'm not happy, but not despondent either. Just a little disappointed. For one thing, I don't think I belong in 4.5s, judging on the other players I see there. For another, I was planning on playing seniors next year, but there are no senior 4.5 leagues in my area. Finally, I will cut down on tournaments next year, because as expensive as they are, it's not worth it to get wiped out over and over.
I knew I was going to get bumped after going 20-3 this year, but I figured it would only be half a point. However I got bumped a whole point. I could not believe it and never thought it would happen. I do not believe I am anywhere close to a 3.5 player, but than I look at the players that got bumped up in my league and realized that they deserve to be more angry than I am because its almost crazy seeing some of the players that got bumped. I just think way to many players got bumped that had no business getting bumped up and this spring season is going to be a lot of undefeated teams and a lot of defeated teams and the playing field will be even farther from being level.
RelivingMyTennisYouth
New User
After getting back into tennis (after a 33 year lay off), I was glad to be bumped up from 3.0 to 3.5. I put a lot of effort into this year with over 90 league and tournament matches. Not to mention countless for funs and a dozen or so lessons. I am not 100% sure I would have made it with a 33% win record, but I look forward to the challange anyway.
I probably will subject myself to getting killed playing in as many 4.0 leagues and tournies that I can. That is the only way to get better. I just don't get the king of the hill (Doninate the same level for years) mentality. Seem like tennis bullies who are actually afraid when they aren't walking on their on block.
I probably will subject myself to getting killed playing in as many 4.0 leagues and tournies that I can. That is the only way to get better. I just don't get the king of the hill (Doninate the same level for years) mentality. Seem like tennis bullies who are actually afraid when they aren't walking on their on block.
Not Happy
Put me in the "not happy" category.
In my area, we had no 2.5 division. Consequently, new players/players returning to the game start out playing at the 3.0 level. Then we had a large field of 3.5 players and a smaller field of 4.0 and no 4.5 divisions or above.
What this "upgrade" has done is shift everyone upwards with the bulk of players crowding the 4.0 level…so what's the point? With most of the 3.0 players being rated 3.5, is the USTA telling me that a player that poofs his serves and pooches his fore/backhands (what the majority of our former 3.0s did) belongs at the 3.5 level?
I realize that the ratings system is relative but it seems that all this change has done is artificially inflate the upper levels while decimating the lower ones.
Put me in the "not happy" category.
In my area, we had no 2.5 division. Consequently, new players/players returning to the game start out playing at the 3.0 level. Then we had a large field of 3.5 players and a smaller field of 4.0 and no 4.5 divisions or above.
What this "upgrade" has done is shift everyone upwards with the bulk of players crowding the 4.0 level…so what's the point? With most of the 3.0 players being rated 3.5, is the USTA telling me that a player that poofs his serves and pooches his fore/backhands (what the majority of our former 3.0s did) belongs at the 3.5 level?
I realize that the ratings system is relative but it seems that all this change has done is artificially inflate the upper levels while decimating the lower ones.
Xisbum
Semi-Pro
At first, extremely unhappy based on an 0-3 record in 4.0 super seniors, 0-6 in sets. Was just playing 4.0 to help a friend fill out his roster.
Now, meh. Whatever. Was losing interest in USTA Leagues anyway, so now I don't care what they (USTA) do. Doesn't mean anything to me except I'll save USTA dues every year. :neutral:
Now, meh. Whatever. Was losing interest in USTA Leagues anyway, so now I don't care what they (USTA) do. Doesn't mean anything to me except I'll save USTA dues every year. :neutral:
85k to 50k...pardon my poor math skills but doesn't that equate to a 60% drop?
Plus, I'm talking about my local league. We have no 2.5 divisions. Regardless of the national effect, my area has virtually no 3.0 men to form a league and the majority of our players in the 4.0 division.
OrangePower
Legend
Here are the numbers charted out (national):
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?p=4161919#post4161919
The biggest impact is the reduction to 3.0 while increasing 4.0 by a similar amount.
fe6250
Semi-Pro
Personally - I believe it depends a lot on your situation and it could be good or bad depending on your circumstances.
For me personally, I was finding myself stuck between 3.5 and 4.0 where the best of 3.5 was challenging but most of it was not competitive for me anymore. 4.0 was great, but the best of 4.0 was kicking my rump soundly. This moving of players will put better competition for me personally into play and being a 4.0 in the 'new 4.0' league should be a great improvement in the challenge level of the matches for me.
For me personally, I was finding myself stuck between 3.5 and 4.0 where the best of 3.5 was challenging but most of it was not competitive for me anymore. 4.0 was great, but the best of 4.0 was kicking my rump soundly. This moving of players will put better competition for me personally into play and being a 4.0 in the 'new 4.0' league should be a great improvement in the challenge level of the matches for me.
Yeah, but look at the numbers themselves: the number of 2.5 & 3.0 players is now roughly 60% of its former level. That, to me, is a big hit to the individual pool of players competing at a given level. Is 3.5 the "new" 3.0 now?
Plus as another poster put it, once upon a time a given rating conferred a given ability (shot making, pace, direction control, et al). Does this change now mean that being a 3.5 simply means that you beat 3.0s and lose to 4.0s?
I think that the playing levels at each level were not indicative of the actual playing ability for those levels for some time. It became what you described - Someone is 3.5 because they beat 3.0 level players and lose to 4.0 players.
With that said, I think that some of the people I played this year that got bumped up will find it really difficult at the higher level.
Conversely some people that didn't get bumped up will either go crazy with boredom if they play at their level or completely dominate at that level. Thankfully, they can always play up and those of us that played with them and know their skills will be happy to have them on our teams.
With that said, I think that some of the people I played this year that got bumped up will find it really difficult at the higher level.
Conversely some people that didn't get bumped up will either go crazy with boredom if they play at their level or completely dominate at that level. Thankfully, they can always play up and those of us that played with them and know their skills will be happy to have them on our teams.
I agree. For the health of the sport, you need to make sure that people entering the 2.5/3.0 leagues don't get hammered right away.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
So you were a 2.5 who got bumped to 3.5?
Yeah, I see your point. The gulf between 2.5 and 3.5 is absolutely huge, no question about it.
Still, if you dominated at 2.5, that means you were really probably a mid-3.0. Now you must play 3.5. But lucky for you, the floor of 3.5 has now dropped substantially. I think if you work hard and play your cards right, you could be competitive at 3.5.
I'm fairly happy that they bumped me to a 4.0.. Last year, my matches were either me blowing somebody out or me being in a dog fight (which was fun and I what I wanted). Now, hopefully, all my matches will be competitive. I do expect to get thumped by a couple of guys, but even still, they will have to come to play to get their "W".......
Im happy to sty at 4.0, but at the same time, my entire team got bumped to 4.5 except for me. My team finished 2nd in sectionals and all 13 other guys got bumped. I only played 4 matches last year because of an injury, which is probably what kept me at 4.0. I will now be at the very top of my level, at least locally, but I will have to find new teammates and a new team. So im happy and a bit disappointed.
MrTennis
New User
Bumped up to 4.5
Has your wife thought about playing Mixed / Combo next season? She can play 8.0 with a 3.5 partner, and 9.0 with a 4.5 partner.
Has your wife thought about playing Mixed / Combo next season? She can play 8.0 with a 3.5 partner, and 9.0 with a 4.5 partner.
Blade0324
Hall of Fame
I have mixed feelings about the moves. I am one that got moved from 3.5 to 4.5 so it is going to be really tough for me. I really expected to get moved to 4.0 even without this big move nationally but that seems to have pushed me even higher. I was 9-0 in league play, 4-1 at districts, 2-1 at sectionals. I also won 2 dubs tourneys and made the finals of our state open at my NTRP. I won one singles tourney, finals of another and semi's in two more. Over all I was at the top of my previous level so a bump is welcomed. However going to 4.5 and knowing a number of the 4.5 players in my area I am going to have to work really hard this winter to even have a chance in any of my future matches.
Overall I am excited about the challenge but it's going to be rough to lose so many matches this upcoming season.
Overall I am excited about the challenge but it's going to be rough to lose so many matches this upcoming season.
Perry the Platypus
Rookie
Re - Mr. Tennis
Sadly we do not have combo leagues here. She will play 9.0 with me, but the 9.0 league here is really small and again the tournament fields don't make.
Not really complaining, but it is definitely true that as you move up the ladder you have fewer playing opportunities and play a lesser variety of players.
That said, it is still fun and every last match is uber-competitive. Even the scores that seem lopsided really are not. I walked away from winning 2 & 2 last year and feeling that I easily could have lost and losing 2 & 2 yet feeling that I should have won. That never happened at 4.0........
Sadly we do not have combo leagues here. She will play 9.0 with me, but the 9.0 league here is really small and again the tournament fields don't make.
Not really complaining, but it is definitely true that as you move up the ladder you have fewer playing opportunities and play a lesser variety of players.
That said, it is still fun and every last match is uber-competitive. Even the scores that seem lopsided really are not. I walked away from winning 2 & 2 last year and feeling that I easily could have lost and losing 2 & 2 yet feeling that I should have won. That never happened at 4.0........
Perry the Platypus
Rookie
BTW - to clarify I am not saying that the players are lesser players (far from it!) but that there is less variety. People have similar styles.....
Perry the Platypus
Rookie
OR...you could just play up.....
My wife was bumped up from 4.0 to 4.5, and at first she was upset about it. But after we looked through her singles tournament records (10-3 with no wins over 4.5 bumpees), and singles league records (9-7 with only 1 win over a 4.5 bumpee) we believe that we found the reason. That one 4.5 bumpee that she beat ( 5-7, 7-6, 10-8 ) in league is now a 4.5 benchmark, probably because she was undefeated at 4.0 league playoffs, and undefeated at state... plus this girl played up in a 5.0 league where she won 4 singles matches, and played up in a 5.5 league where she won 3 singles matches. My wife remembers being so thrilled and proud about winning that particular match, that even if it means getting bumped up for it, it was still worth it. (hey, at least she didn't say winning that match was better than sex, right?)
Geezer Guy
Hall of Fame
I thought my only chance of getting to 4.5 was to be SOMEHOW included in the mass of 4.0's getting bumped up.
Alas, it was not to be.
Alas, it was not to be.
Bingo, I was going to say the same thing but you pretty much nailed it. I'm not letting it bother me too much though, I know I would have gotten bumped up regardless of this "update" to the system. And on an even more positive note, I'm really happy about most of the good 4.0's in my area getting bumped up to 4.5. My 4.0 team didn't have any players bumped up and already posted a pretty good record last season, we're hoping to win it this year.
MomentumGT
Semi-Pro
I was hoping to get bumped after this season, but unfortunately/fortunately didn't get the nod. LOL. My dad and some of his 3.5 teammates got the bump while posting a couple wins above .500.
My league dubs partner got bumped from a self rated 3.5 to 4.5 which is warranted I guess as he rated very conservatively. It was his 1st time playing usta league and my 3rd season. This season we had only 1 loss @ #1 dubs and it was kinda close and the rest of the matches we dished out a beating. Apparently I'm a computer rated 4.0 so maybe after the spring season I'll get the bump.
-Jon
My league dubs partner got bumped from a self rated 3.5 to 4.5 which is warranted I guess as he rated very conservatively. It was his 1st time playing usta league and my 3rd season. This season we had only 1 loss @ #1 dubs and it was kinda close and the rest of the matches we dished out a beating. Apparently I'm a computer rated 4.0 so maybe after the spring season I'll get the bump.
-Jon
Lame_Backhand
New User
I feel a little slighted as well, but am not going to let it bug me. I knew I was going to get bumped to 3.5, bump was surprised that some of the players that just got drubbed were also bumped up as well. I beat this one guy who was his team's captain and introduced his team as the next State champions in #1 Singles 6-0, 6-1, and I am really not that good of a Singles player. We beat his team 5-0. I saw him at a basketball game the other night and he was really ticked-off that he was bumped up to 3.5 as this year was going to be his year to win the State 3.0 title......
I feel that 3.5 this year is going to be last years 3.0 on steroids, at least in my local area.Swing hard just in case you hit the ball.............
HunterST
Hall of Fame
To me it seems like being bumped would be a good thing. The only way to get better is by playing with people of higher levels. Right now, my goal is to be the best tennis player I can possibly be, not necessarily to win every match. Then again, I only play on local "have a beer leagues" not USTA where there's actual championships and such.
Eviscerator
Banned
This is one of the things I am seeing with players who are livid that they are now forced to play higher adult levels based on their senior results. I know a 60 year old who lost more than 50% of his adult league matches, but because of his senior results he now has to play at the higher adult level where he will be destroyed. He will stop playing adult as a result.
I think the USTA has made a big error and will see it's revenue drop as a result. If so watch how quickly they reverse themselves because they are all about the money.
`
OrangePower
Legend
Yeah I agree. Some of those that got bumped have potential to improve by playing at the higher level, and even though the first season or two will be hard, in the end they will end up better players for it.
But on the other hand, some players were already as good as they were ever going to be. So now, playing against stronger competition, all that's going to happen is that they are going to get killed repeatedly - with no hope of improving. They will probably just stop playing league tennis as a result.
Geezer Guy
Hall of Fame
I play both Senior and Adult, and I don't see that much of a difference between the two levels of play. Maybe at Super-Seniors there's a difference, but I don't see much change between a 40-something 4.0 and a 50-something 4.0.
Perry the Platypus
Rookie
The guys I had in mind are in the 60s (some 70s) range......
Fedace
Banned
40 something is regular adult. maybe in doubles not that much difference. but in singles, younger guys play and i don't think 50 something can compete with 40 year old in singles..
Ever since I've made improvement an objective, the year-end ratings process has been a source of anxiety.
--Tyro
http://tenniswire.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/year-end-ratings/
--Tyro
http://tenniswire.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/year-end-ratings/
Eviscerator
Banned
Well try playing a 19 year old in singles of the same relative skill level and tell me there is no difference.
The point is that while this player was in a middle of the pack in 4.0 seniors, he is below average in the 4.0 adult league, yet his senior results force him to play up in the 4.5 adult league. It will not be fun for him, nor his opponents.
I have noticed lot of seniors in my area avoid adult league like the plague, lay low april-june, then emerge for senior league in july. Typically, these guys are no longer competitive at their official usta rating, and avoid adult league in order to remain competitive at artificially high usta rating. If they played adult league they would risk getting bumped down appropriately.
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