Pros/Cons to appealing up (3.0 to 3.5)

DailyG&T

Rookie
Before I get a flood of suggestions to have Schmke analyze my stats, I did that and he confirmed my suspicion that I was close to being bumped up two years ago. Then last year was somewhat crappy, but in 2018 I played on three teams (40+ winter 3.0, spring 3.0 and spring 3.5.) My record for 2018 is 14-4 and I played line 1 singles in all my 3.5 matches (8 matches - I only lost one 3.5 match this season) and line 1 doubles or line 1 singles in my 3.0 matches. Tennis Ratings has me at 3.158 and they have me rated as the highest 3.0 player who isn't self-rated in my region.

The reason I am seriously considering appealing is this spring I had issues with team of choice not wanting to allow players to play up (based on space available on the team.) I also honestly see it as a respect issue. Our club has a challenge ladder and as I rose in the ladder, some of the 3.5 women flat out refused to play me because I was just a 3.0 in their eyes. (Also they were probably afraid that losing to a 3.0 would be embarrassing.)

I did like playing with my 3.0 doubles partner because I adore her as a person, but my captain ended up playing me a bunch of singles instead that was just meh and kind of ridiculous and frustrating. Every time I'd be driving home in my car thinking, I HAVE to get out of the 3.0 space. In my area there aren't 2.5 teams so many of the 3.0 team members are brand new to tennis.

So what are the downsides to appeal? If I did appeal I'd do it now because season is over but give enough time for procedures to happen before fall starts.
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
Pros - better players, more competition, maybe more teams
Cons - Can't play as 3.0 on a 6.0 or 7.0 MXD or Combos, stuck at 3.5 and playing a lot of singles

From my perspective, there is not much to lose appealing up. You get a 3.5A rating and that may mean more teams. There isn't much difference between a 2.95 and a 3.1.0. It's a little more consistency. There's a lot of difference between a 3.1 and a 3.45. But if you get to play them, you can at least learn to handle their pace and placement. Power and placement does not come into play until at least mid-4.0. If you get beaten easily at 3.5, the computer will re-rate you as 3.0.

Since you won't know if you will be bumped until later this year, I would try to find 3.5 players to compete against and see how you fare. 3¢
 

OnTheLine

Hall of Fame
Here are the cons:

1. fewer options to play. IIRC you are on a 3.5 team now and a 3.0 team, therefore you have ample playing opportunities. One lower where you can work on your skills, new tactics, etc. and one where you challenge yourself.

If you appeal up, you will lose that. No 4.0 team is going to take a 3.5A, heck, some 3.5 teams won't take an A as people actually know what that means.

2. I believe most leagues that matter (nationals et al) have already either begun with rosters set or are actually finished, so what is the point at this time of the year?

I know I have said this to you multiple times in multiple threads, but why worry about this? If you are playing on a 3.5 team now, also playing on a 3.0, why does it actually matter what numbers (and letters) are next to your name in tennislink?

It is not a "respect" issue, it is an ego issue.
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
First thing I want to know is whether there is a limit on how many people on a team can be playing up. If so, then yes, appeal up so you can get on a 3.5 team.

Now.

If your area does not have a limit on how many people on a team can be playing up, then I do have an opinion (big surprise, eh)? Do not appeal up.

Experienced captains check to see who is C, S, or A. When I learned a player had appealed up, I did not want her. Why? Because it usually meant she was (1) at the bottom of the higher level at best, (2) thought she was better than she is, and (3) way too concerned about having a vanity rating. Managing players who are overly concerned about their rating is a pain because it is All About Them and they can be unwilling to play with a weaker partner to protect their number. My existing players would see she wasn't that strong, and no number beside your name will change that. There simply is no good reason to appeal up (if we're talking USTA), IMO.

The way to move up is to dominate those newbies who are flooding 3.0 in your area. Hand out bagels and breadsticks. If you're not beating them convincingly, then there are still some skills you need to learn. Use the time at 3.0 to develop great volleys, an overhead, poaching skills (you should be destroying all that soft high cheese those beginners are throwing up), and a transition game. The computer will notice your improvement, and you'll move up soon enough.

Just my $.02. Good luck!!
 

Moveforwardalways

Hall of Fame
I never understand these types of issues. If you want to be rated higher, you need to be beating lower to mid rated players at your level by 1s and 0s. If you are, you will get moved up quickly. If not, you do not need to be moved up. If you are really a 3.5 level player, then beating a mid level 3.0 by a score of 6-1 6-2 shouldn’t be that hard to do. If you are just imagining that you are better than you really are, then you don’t need to be moving up. Moving down is a different story, but moving up shouldn’t be an issue.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
I won 7 out of the 8 matches I played on 3.5 and I really enjoyed it. Those matches challenged me and I felt like that was right where I belonged. The 3.0 matches are just not fun. I like the camaraderie of playing with my friend who is my doubles partner, but not that much lol.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
I forgot to say the other thing is I plan to play tournaments and many don't have enough entries for 3.0 and barely enough for 3.5. I can't play up to 4.0 in tournaments. When I see who is entering tournaments in my area at 4.0, I recognize all the names and I can hold my own. (It's mostly 3.5 playing up to 4.0.) That's actually one of the main things that got me thinking about appealing this summer rather than waiting for it to be Jan and appealing if I'm not bumped up for some weird reason. (Bump only can happen once a year, correct?) So for instance I'm in a tournament next weekend and there's no 3.0 signed up so far, one 3.5, and one 4.0. I know the director and I think he'd want to have the three of us compete but I can't play up 2 levels.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
Cindy, I believe my area does have limits on % of players who can be playing up and also few folks appeal here. When I was looking at Tennis Record today I only saw one out of everyone in my area.
 

OnTheLine

Hall of Fame
I won 7 out of the 8 matches I played on 3.5 and I really enjoyed it. Those matches challenged me and I felt like that was right where I belonged. The 3.0 matches are just not fun. I like the camaraderie of playing with my friend who is my doubles partner, but not that much lol.

Yup. what @Cindysphinx said. I have one 3.5A on my team ... never ever again.

Are you winning your 3.0 matches by 0s, 1s and 2s no matter who your partner is?

You may well be playing at the 3.5 level, and if so the computer will find you .. .but a mid-year appeal up is all about vanity and ego, nothing else.
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
I cannot speak to the tournament issue, as I rarely play them. I don't understand why you cannot play up now to 3.5 in a tournament. And if you cannot hang with a 4.0 in a tournament, having "3.5" next to your name won't help.

I moved down from 4.0 for 2018 and am now a 3.5. Last week, I played Court Three doubles with a new partner in our flight playoff. I do not know the rating of my two opponents. One was *definitely* 3.0 (threw every ball up in the air) and her partner was either low 3.5 or high 3.0.

My partner and I won -2 and -1. When they threw up a high ball, I ran over and tried to take it out of the air. When they tapped their serves in, I returned deep and came in. I hit slice approaches. I served wicked spin. That sort of thing is why we dominated. Was this a waste of my time? Nope. I focused hard on being aggressive and consistent, especially moving forward through my shots and having deft placement. It was good practice.

So take inventory. At net, are you using a continental grip for all volleys and overheads? Are you serving with continental? Can you hit low volleys from the service line? Are you following solid returns to the net? Are you instinctively not bouncing balls unless absolutely necessary? Can you switch from 2HBH volley to 1HBH volley? If you can do those things -- if you have a solid foundation -- then you could be competitive in doubles at 3.5. If not, I would suggest that you will be able to develop those fundamentals much better doing it against weaker players than fighting for your life at 3.5.

Forgive me for being a bit harsh, but I have had to give this speech so many times over the years when I captained. The only trick to moving up a level is to get significantly better, and at the lower rating levels it is about having a solid all-court game with no glaring weaknesses.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
2018 - 40+ winter 3.0 - 3 wins & 0 losses -- all doubles

3.0 team -- 4 wins & 3 losses -- wins were like 6-0, 6-2; 6-1, 6-2. Two losses were singles to self-rated 3.0 (like the young soccer player I posted about.) The other loss was our high altitude 40 degrees doubles loss in the mountains. Mostly my captain chose to play me at singles (defeating the purpose of being on this team to play doubles with my friend.)

3.5 team - 7 wins & 1 loss - I played line 1 singles every match. Wins were all good straight sets except one where I won in a 3rd set. The others were pretty decisive like 6-3 6-2, etc.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
Cindy, I do play up to 3.5 in tournaments but you're only allowed to play up one level. So a 3.0 can't play up to 4.0. This is a USTA rule.
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
The reason I am seriously considering appealing is this spring I had issues with team of choice not wanting to allow players to play up (based on space available on the team.) I also honestly see it as a respect issue. Our club has a challenge ladder and as I rose in the ladder, some of the 3.5 women flat out refused to play me because I was just a 3.0 in their eyes. (Also they were probably afraid that losing to a 3.0 would be embarrassing.)

If they are avoiding you, that means they are mentally weak.

If so, if they snub you now when you're a 3.0, maybe they'll continue to snub you when you appeal up because you'll "only" be a 3.5A and not a "real" 3.5C [even though you've proven with actual match play you can hang at 3.5].

Also, if the team doesn't allow players to play up, would you still be considered "playing up" as a 3.5A vs the other members who are 3.5C? If so, appealing up successfully would be moot.

I did like playing with my 3.0 doubles partner because I adore her as a person, but my captain ended up playing me a bunch of singles instead that was just meh and kind of ridiculous and frustrating. Every time I'd be driving home in my car thinking, I HAVE to get out of the 3.0 space. In my area there aren't 2.5 teams so many of the 3.0 team members are brand new to tennis.

Did you ask your captain to get more doubles opportunities? Was the answer "but no one else wants to play singles"?

And was the singles "ridiculous and frustrating" because you won so easily? If so, wouldn't it have been just as ridiculous and frustrating playing doubles?

Bottom line: I don't think you'll get much out of successfully appealing up. Gain the experience at 3.0 needed to crush weaker players [have you seen how many threads are on "I lost to a weaker player"?] which will serve you well in the future. Worry about the appeal at year-end if the bump up doesn't occur.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
S & V - nobody wants to play singles so yes, the captain put me there because my team needed me. Which I do get. The 3.0 matches are just so frustrating, like just don't even feel like the game of tennis. It's kind of hard to describe but I'm like, why did I just drive an hour (or 2+ hours sometimes) for this?

The club ladies who don't want to play are kind of snooty. (Kind of lol.) One woman was playing a challenge match and suddenly "felt a cold coming on" when we were 5-5 in the first set, then dodged my calls and texts until the match expired and refused to ever play me again. Crap like that. This club wouldn't let me play up, so I played on their 3.0 team then found a different team who was happy to have me play up because I told them I'd play as much singles as they needed me for and I was available for all the matches. It actually worked out great and I had a really good season with them.

I think since so few people ever seem to appeal in my area, it'll stand out so much that it's really calling attention to myself (and maybe putting a big fat target on my back lol) so maybe I'll just wait....
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
Though I've got to say.....the main downsides I seem to be hearing about appealing up is that it looks douchey to do so. There doesn't seem to be anything really tangibly bad about it.
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
The club ladies who don't want to play are kind of snooty. (Kind of lol.) One woman was playing a challenge match and suddenly "felt a cold coming on" when we were 5-5 in the first set, then dodged my calls and texts until the match expired and refused to ever play me again.

She's not snooty; she''s mentally weak.

Snooty is when she refuses to play you at all because you're not good enough. The kind of person who believes that NTRP is a caste system and anyone lower than her is an "untouchable".

Mentally weak is what she did: "felt a cold coming on"? That was surely original. She could have said "I have to rearrange my sock drawer" or "the Girl Scouts might come by my house selling cookies". At least she could have faked spraining an ankle. Hopefully you'll blow right by her and never look back.
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
Though I've got to say.....the main downsides I seem to be hearing about appealing up is that it looks douchey to do so. There doesn't seem to be anything really tangibly bad about it.

I wouldn't say that. Several guys on my team last year got bumped down and some chose to appeal up and others didn't. Whether it was wise from a tennis perspective to do that is another question but I don't consider it douchey. The exception is if they got absolutely crushed, match in and match out. If TR or TLS puts me 5 points away from the threshold, fine; if it's 20 points, I have no business appealing up. I'm not doing the team any good by becoming the weakest member.
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
Cindy, I do play up to 3.5 in tournaments but you're only allowed to play up one level. So a 3.0 can't play up to 4.0. This is a USTA rule.
From your record, it sounds like the computer will bump you up in November.

I guess I don't see the harm in playing with your bestie, seeing if you can go to districts, sectionals, nationals as a 3.0, working on important doubles skills along the way.

I wouldn't worry about the club ladies. If they fear you, it isn't because the number after your name is 3.0 or 3.5A. There are some people who will do anything to avoid a loss.

I guess I also think that if a tournament doesn't have a 3.0 or 3.5 draw, why bother?

One other thing to consider is mixed. If you are a 3.0, you have options for mixed and that can be good for skill development.

Anyway, I think you are reading us all correctly in that the reasons not to appeal up is because it looks bad/douchey/etc. But I do think there is a lot to be said for using the experience of being strong for you level to develop skills and improve muscle memory while you're not under a lot of pressure.

Good luck to you, really.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
Thank you for all the input, folks. I think I will just wait. I do have another option too which is this other non-USTA league I've been playing on. The rating system for that is different (letters vs numbers, and some different rules, like they move up an entire team at once vs individual players.) I played on that this season (just ended last week) and had a really good season. I went 8-1 (playing with my 82 year old partner every time except once) and that was a lot of fun. But that league is in a different geographical area from me so it's a bit of a drive (the home club is 25 min away but we travel to play teams that are 60-90 min or more away for me.) Don't have much interest in mixed. I just don't love doubles. I really prefer singles. I signed up for this casual league where you schedule your own matches (also non USTA) and it's co-ed singles. So there are definitely play opportunities. I also realized through my experience with trying to get on the 3.5 team at this particular club, that finding "my people" is really important to me. The whole experience just left a bad taste in my mouth. I may just do tournaments throughout summer/fall since I have so much fun at them. (I really enjoy watching other people play, not even pro level though that's fun, but also "regular people" who are really good tennis players.) So for instance I'm in a "just for fun" tournament today with my daughter then we'll hang out and watch some tennis the rest of the morning, and that's really fun for me.
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
Oh, wait. I misunderstood something. You *like* playing singles?

Well, that's different. I thought you were being forced to play singles because no one else would.

Since you've already decided not to appeal up (really, it sounds like it won't make any difference), then I will go off on a wild tangent. :)

You did not mention how old you are, but you are over 40. Let me tell you about my friend Becky, then.

Becky and I met as 3.0s. She liked singles; I liked doubles. We were both in our 40s, but she is maybe 4 years older.

Becky pursued singles and was successful at 3.0 and 3.5. She didn't play much doubles and didn't work on her volleys or overheads, preferring to constantly tinker with her FH and serve. After all, it was enough to just push a volley into the open court, preferably from a position quite close to the net. Becky was very much about serving big and hitting a FH into the open court. This worked.

Then we all moved up to 4.0, and Becky was getting old-ish. Opponents stopped letting her patrol the baseline. They would bring her in and then pass or lob her. I would watch the end of her matches, and she would be in the process of getting destroyed at the net. Eventually, knee troubles and bad 4.0 losses made her decide to play more doubles. Trouble was, she still couldn't volley or transition to net. She was years behind in those skills compared to my other 4.0 doubles players. Those players showed little patience with someone who couldn't volley and positioned poorly and who was constantly pinned in the back corner by two opponents at net who could volley any ball Becky hit.

The singles players here can give their thoughts, but I think it is super important for singles players to develop their net skills. The day will come when, either due to age or injury, singles isn't an option.

Anyway, keep us posted on your adventures. It sounds like you are improving very quickly and are going to have a blast as you move up.
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
Oh, wait. I misunderstood something. You *like* playing singles?

Well, that's different. I thought you were being forced to play singles because no one else would.

You're not the only one who misunderstood. I came to the same conclusion based on

"but my captain ended up playing me a bunch of singles instead that was just meh and kind of ridiculous and frustrating"

[story about the all-encompassing Becky omitted]

The singles players here can give their thoughts, but I think it is super important for singles players to develop their net skills. The day will come when, either due to age or injury, singles isn't an option.

Excellent advice. Fortunately for me I played mostly doubles but I could transition to singles by constantly attacking the net, thus limiting the test of my inferior GSs.

Personally, I think it's important for singles players to develop net skills even if they don't intend to play doubles; mainly because it's FUN.
 

SGM1980

Rookie
I played a lot of singles last year but choose to only do doubles this year due to physical stuff and it's made me a much better player! I think when i go back to singles as well I'll see a great improvement! Plus, doubles is much more fun now!
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
I played a lot of singles last year but choose to only do doubles this year due to physical stuff and it's made me a much better player! I think when i go back to singles as well I'll see a great improvement! Plus, doubles is much more fun now!

What do you think you'll do differently/better in singles with all of that doubles experience?

Don't forget the conditioning part: singles is a lot more grueling.
 

SGM1980

Rookie
What do you think you'll do differently/better in singles with all of that doubles experience?

Don't forget the conditioning part: singles is a lot more grueling.

My singles matches are usually long slugfests from the baseline. I've never been comfortable coming in and ending points at the net. At 3.5/4.0 you can get pretty far as a consistent lady with a heavy topspin ball and good angles. I can get a lot of errors hit off of a deep heavy ball, and i have a very good sharp cross court backhand that gives me a lot of winners.

But especially as i get older i want to be able to end points more quickly, and i think my newfound comfort in the front half of the court should help me a lot. I'll know when i play singles again, i suppose
 

OrangePower

Legend
I don't see much benefit to appealing up. You might legitimately be playing at a level about your actual rating, but you can play up a level anyway. It's true that you can't play up two levels, but it's also extremely rare that someone would be playing at two levels above their rating, so that's probably not the case here.

The flip side is that if you do appeal up and then struggle at the higher level, then you could be stuck until the computer bumps you down again. Not that you would expect to struggle at the higher level, but niggling injuries etc sometimes happen that can hamper your game unexpectedly.
 

Moveforwardalways

Hall of Fame
On the other hand, if you are 40+ and enjoy singles, you will be heavily recruited by practically every regular 40+ team in your area. Finding people who are 40+ and actually like singles is just flat rare. Most 40+ players see singles as punishment or something you have to do to “pay your dues” on a team before the captain lets you play doubles. If you actually want to play singles and don’t complain to your captain every time you are assigned singles, you will be in every line up every time. Captains will be calling you up left and right.
 

frank52

Semi-Pro
>>> I think I will just wait. <<<<<

Do you even have a choice ??
Seems unlikely USTA would allow a computer-rated person to successfully appeal up in the middle of the year.

Does a computer-rated player really have the option of appealing up in the middle of the year?
Would this be just the computer appeal where you move up if your year-end rating was within a few thousandths of a point of the next rating?
Would you write USTA and give a reason for requiring USTA to move you up in mid year? What reason?
 

OrangePower

Legend
The singles players here can give their thoughts, but I think it is super important for singles players to develop their net skills. The day will come when, either due to age or injury, singles isn't an option.
Completely agree.
I used to be primarily a singles player. I've always enjoyed dubs also, but tennis is my primary form of exercise and singles is of course a much better workout.
However as you get older it gets harder to play singles several days in a row, so these days I tend to play 50/50 singles and dubs.
My net play is adequate but still not quite as natural for me as it is for the dubs specialists on my team, so it's something to continue to work on and develop.
 

MisterP

Hall of Fame
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DailyG&T

Rookie
Sorry I was unclear. I **love** singles in general but the 3.0 matches at singles are boring, annoying, frustrating.....going in and winning is fine but they are just meh. I don't want to drive 2 hours and play someone who doesn't even know how to keep score because she (literally! true story) just started playing tennis two weeks ago. This really happens in 3.0 where I live. So I stayed on the 3.0 team with the promise and understanding that I was doing so to play doubles with my partner, whom I adore yet rarely get to see since we're both so busy. So it seemed great but then my captain ended up mostly playing me singles. Meanwhile I wanted to play up so found a 3.5 team and did really well there, playing singles the entire time. I'm perfectly capable of playing doubles and like it fine (I'm on a 3rd team -- the non-USTA league that is doubles only) but my preference if I had a choice (and I'm better at) is singles. Yes I was on three teams this spring! It is too much lol. (I have kids at home and work f/t.)

I am 48 and so far, so good, injury free, lots of stamina etc, but yes, in the future I'll probably transition to doubles as one does. Though, watched a bunch of folks at a tournament today and all of these singles players were in their 60s and going strong. So you never know.
 
Always play up to the level you aspire to play at.
I know 3.5 players who have never had their BH punished
They play for decades and don't even realize their form is bad.
Play up, and you will see the next level of weakness in your game.
 

MisterP

Hall of Fame
Sorry I was unclear. I **love** singles in general but the 3.0 matches at singles are boring, annoying, frustrating.....going in and winning is fine but they are just meh. I don't want to drive 2 hours and play someone who doesn't even know how to keep score because she (literally! true story) just started playing tennis two weeks ago. This really happens in 3.0 where I live. So I stayed on the 3.0 team with the promise and understanding that I was doing so to play doubles with my partner, whom I adore yet rarely get to see since we're both so busy. So it seemed great but then my captain ended up mostly playing me singles. Meanwhile I wanted to play up so found a 3.5 team and did really well there, playing singles the entire time. I'm perfectly capable of playing doubles and like it fine (I'm on a 3rd team -- the non-USTA league that is doubles only) but my preference if I had a choice (and I'm better at) is singles. Yes I was on three teams this spring! It is too much lol. (I have kids at home and work f/t.)

I am 48 and so far, so good, injury free, lots of stamina etc, but yes, in the future I'll probably transition to doubles as one does. Though, watched a bunch of folks at a tournament today and all of these singles players were in their 60s and going strong. So you never know.
Ok but you can play 3.5 as a 3.0. So... why?
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
MisterP - Ideally I would like to play on a team at my own club (can't play up there.) Also for tournaments often they try to consolidate divisions because there aren't enough entries. So being a 3.5 would give me more play opportunity.
 

MisterP

Hall of Fame
MisterP - Ideally I would like to play on a team at my own club (can't play up there.) Also for tournaments often they try to consolidate divisions because there aren't enough entries. So being a 3.5 would give me more play opportunity.
I agree with TTPS (craziness) you should play at the level you want to be at. But it’s weird that you can’t play up. Why?
 

schmke

Legend
I agree with TTPS (craziness) you should play at the level you want to be at. But it’s weird that you can’t play up. Why?
Each section/district/area can have rules that govern playing up, and some allow it with up to 50% of a roster, others allow fewer, and some teams/clubs have rules about it that trump the USTA rule for the area.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
The team has to agree and some just only want 3.5s. That was what happened at my home club. I think their thinking was they didn't want to get too big or have to divide into two teams and it's just simpler to have everyone play at their official level. Also the 3.5s don't want to play with 3.0s if they are really hardcore and want to create a dream team. I know in the past they've had two teams -- the "real" team and the "fake" team where the only 3.5s on there are in name only, like someone is injured or just doesn't want to play but signs up so they can be the 3.5s and it gives 3.0s a chance to play up. But they didn't have that this time. For tournaments who are combining divisions, you can only play up one level, so if some 3.5s signed up for the 4.0 level, and there are no 3.0 or 3.5 entries, then I can't play at all. That is probably going to happen to me this upcoming weekend where I know I can play singles competitively against these 4.0 entries since they're ladies I played this season in 3.5 (when I went 7-1 playing all singles) but I can't play up 2 levels. So it's kind of a bummer. There are two 4.0 entries who are both 3.5 players and rather than have all three of us play each other, they either cancel the whole thing or just have the two of them play each other and that's it. I set out in 2018 to play a tournament every 2 mos and it's been really hard because of lack of entries at the lower level.
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
PS none of the "real" 3.5s want to play 3.5 either - they ONLY want to play on one team, a 4.0 team. So this problem never goes away!
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
This season actually worked out very well for me since I found a team that was really happy to have me. They would have had to forfeit lines without me and I appeared and said I would play singles and was available every single match. It really met my own personal goals and it was great to feel wanted. Nobody wants to feel like they're just being grudgingly allowed to play. It was just a bummer to be on a team directly competitive against my own club and there were hard feelings on both sides about it.
 

kevrol

Hall of Fame
Sounds like you'll be bumped this year. Just let the computer sort it out. Everyone knows you're a 3.0 now and if you appeal you'll be a 3.5A which everyone knows means you're still really a 3.0. There's no reason to appeal up unless you're planning on playing 4.0.

Also you've played 18 matches. Schmke can correct me if I'm wrong but I think I remember reading that automated appeals by players who have played 10+ matches are automatically denied.
 
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S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
This season actually worked out very well for me since I found a team that was really happy to have me. They would have had to forfeit lines without me and I appeared and said I would play singles and was available every single match. It really met my own personal goals and it was great to feel wanted. Nobody wants to feel like they're just being grudgingly allowed to play. It was just a bummer to be on a team directly competitive against my own club and there were hard feelings on both sides about it.

Did I read that correctly? Your club team didn't want you because you weren't rated high enough but then got mad at your for joining another club's team?? Did you sign a non-compete clause when you got your signing bonus? ;)
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
LOL because we are playing for big bucks, S & V. But seriously.....the director of ladies play (who is also the captain of all the teams) told me in a not kind way that I wasn't of the caliber to play on this team since they really wanted to build a "dream team" that would go to sectionals. She actually named names of some of the better players on the team and said, "How can I tell x and y that you're on the same team as them when they really want to go to sectionals?" So I was really upset and insulted. Then they said nobody would be allowed to play up at all, then later they did allow another 3.0 woman to play up. Meanwhile I was still a member of this club and remained on the 3.0 team to play doubles with my partner, whom I love and didn't want to leave in the lurch. So all of those 3.5 ladies didn't know this story so when they saw me play for another team, they felt like I went out and purposely found a team to play against them. Now that the season is over I am phasing out my time at this particular club....too much attitude for my taste.
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
LOL because we are playing for big bucks, S & V. But seriously.....the director of ladies play (who is also the captain of all the teams) told me in a not kind way that I wasn't of the caliber to play on this team since they really wanted to build a "dream team" that would go to sectionals. She actually named names of some of the better players on the team and said, "How can I tell x and y that you're on the same team as them when they really want to go to sectionals?" So I was really upset and insulted. Then they said nobody would be allowed to play up at all, then later they did allow another 3.0 woman to play up. Meanwhile I was still a member of this club and remained on the 3.0 team to play doubles with my partner, whom I love and didn't want to leave in the lurch. So all of those 3.5 ladies didn't know this story so when they saw me play for another team, they felt like I went out and purposely found a team to play against them. Now that the season is over I am phasing out my time at this particular club....too much attitude for my taste.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold."

How good will it feel to beat x and y? I'm kinda vindictive that way and I'd revel in it ["I'm not good enough for your team but I'm beating your top guns?"]. But it sounds like you're doing the wise thing and taking the high road and not burning your bridges.

With "teammates" like that, who needs enemies?
 

DailyG&T

Rookie
Or as my kids say, "Mom, you won all season out of spite." I had a really great season record and I really do think it's true! I had something to prove. My big mistake was not making a clean break. I shouldn't have stayed at that club on the 3.0 team and should have just played up to 3.5 on my other team. It was hard having a foot in each world. And once I put out feelers about joining other teams, most of the others were happy to have me and I realized my own club was just wack. I opened up to my new team about why I joined them and learned there are lots of other folks with similar experiences about being put down etc from this other club. On the day my 3.5 team played my own club's 3.5 (forbidden to me) team, they brought out one of their best players instead of the usual people they have playing singles (whom I have beaten easily on our club ladder) and though I lost, I gave her a really challenging match (2nd set was 6-4, I was really pushing her to that 3rd set.) And also in a moment of instant karma she hurt herself. I don't wish injury on anyone, BUT they brought out several people to root for her (people who know me too since I'm a member of that club too) so it felt kind of like a pile on.) So this spring was a HUGE learning experience from me -- a lot of lessons in all of this.
 

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
Or as my kids say, "Mom, you won all season out of spite." I had a really great season record and I really do think it's true! I had something to prove. My big mistake was not making a clean break. I shouldn't have stayed at that club on the 3.0 team and should have just played up to 3.5 on my other team. It was hard having a foot in each world. And once I put out feelers about joining other teams, most of the others were happy to have me and I realized my own club was just wack. I opened up to my new team about why I joined them and learned there are lots of other folks with similar experiences about being put down etc from this other club. On the day my 3.5 team played my own club's 3.5 (forbidden to me) team, they brought out one of their best players instead of the usual people they have playing singles (whom I have beaten easily on our club ladder) and though I lost, I gave her a really challenging match (2nd set was 6-4, I was really pushing her to that 3rd set.) And also in a moment of instant karma she hurt herself. I don't wish injury on anyone, BUT they brought out several people to root for her (people who know me too since I'm a member of that club too) so it felt kind of like a pile on.) So this spring was a HUGE learning experience from me -- a lot of lessons in all of this.

Take it as a compliment: they brought out their big gun AND a cheering section. They must have been worried about you.
 

aloha10s

New User
I was just reading this thread because I had a friend who appealed up this year from 3.0 to 3.5. She was super excited to finally be recognized as a 3.5 and posted her new 3.5A rating on Facebook. I was wondering - is there a threshold on appeals UP versus down? Meaning I've heard you have to be in a certain range to be able to successfully appeal down, but can just anyone appeal UP?
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
I was just reading this thread because I had a friend who appealed up this year from 3.0 to 3.5. She was super excited to finally be recognized as a 3.5 and posted her new 3.5A rating on Facebook. I was wondering - is there a threshold on appeals UP versus down? Meaning I've heard you have to be in a certain range to be able to successfully appeal down, but can just anyone appeal UP?

I just . . . I just don't understand this.

She didn't post, "Hey, I just learned a drop shot and used it to win a match!"

Or, "I've been working on my fitness all year, and I played singles without running out of gas today!"

Or, "I learned a kick serve today!"

Nope. She posts that she has a shiny new number next to her name that comes with an asterisk shaped like the letter "A".

I don't understand. How is she in any way a different player than the day before she appealed up?
 
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