The Tale of Captain Hook - a USTA story

[Unforced Terrors]

Can't that guy still play for the team that made Nationals? I thought that he was able to. Whether the captain/team lets him play is a different story though.

As long as they got 3 matches in during the season. One of the guys on the second place team will be able to play for the team that advanced to nationals since he got 3 matches in.

 

[nyta2]

@Unforced Terrors
You've got Mens 4.5 teams who have international players on the roster. With freaking ATP points. But they never played college tennis in the states. So they get to self rate as 4.5

ATP Points. Playing 4.5 level. Let that sink in.

i'm always happy when i encounter this... don't usually get to play someone of that caliber unless i pay for a lesson/hitting session.
do folks genuinely get upset at this at 4.5+ in general folks are always looking to play better folks... seems like a win/win scenario.
only folks i see getting upset are the ones that actually think 4.5 is a good level (compared to college/pros)... in the end 4.5-5.0 is just a good recreational level...
kinda like someone who "jogs" well, compared to world class runners...

 

[schmke]

i'm always happy when i encounter this... don't usually get to play someone of that caliber unless i pay for a lesson/hitting session.
do folks genuinely get upset at this at 4.5+ in general folks are always looking to play better folks... seems like a win/win scenario.
only folks i see getting upset are the ones that actually think 4.5 is a good level (compared to college/pros)... in the end 4.5-5.0 is just a good recreational level...
kinda like someone who "jogs" well, compared to world class runners...

Some are more concerned with winning than just competing, being challenged, and trying to play their best.

 

[nyta2]

Some are more concerned with winning than just competing, being challenged, and trying to play their best.

i wish my local league teams would stack their 4.5 teams... then i don't have waste time&money to encounter 5.0's at sectionals/nationals

 

[Creighton]

You actually don't. You can win with a deep team of "tweeners" (guys who are in between level and great at the lower level and low level at the next level up). If you look at a team and the key players are C or A rated, it's probably not a team leaning on ringers. The truly out of level players are S-rated because if you're that far out of level, you won't be able to hold the rating, and you won't ever get bumped back down. It's definitely easier to win without ringers in 40+ than 18+ since most of the shameless ringers are younger players. It's really rare to find 40+ guys good enough to be a 5.0 but without any past history who can rate at 4.0. My team that was 40+ national runner up in 2013 was like that and the Middle States team that won 40+ nationals in 2022 was like that as well.

I can see it at 40+ because there definitely appears to be a significant drop off between 40+ and 18+. My friends who finished 3rd at 40+ 3.5 nationals last year would be maybe the 4th best team in my flight in PATD this year.

But I just don't see how it's possible at 18+ because there is always a self-rate you can't compete with. And if you can compete with them, your player is too far out of level even if they're a C or A rated player.

 

[ponzicrash]

IMO allowing the proliferation of 40+ to the detriment of normal league play is essentially admitting the system is broken.

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

40+ is so boring, ugh.

 

[TennisOTM]

IMO allowing the proliferation of 40+ to the detriment of normal league play is essentially admitting the system is broken.

How are 40+ leagues a detriment to other leagues? They coexist just fine from what I've seen.

And what does it have to do with the system being broken? 40+ and 18+ leagues follow the exact same system.

 

[TennisOTM]

40+ is so boring, ugh.

Maybe you're being sarcastic, but I've had some of my most memorable matches in 40+. Near fist-fights over line calls, epic 3-hour singles battles, nail-biting team playoff matches, etc. If you have evenly matched opponents with desire to win, it's gonna be exciting - why does it matter how old they are?

 

[FuzzyYellowBalls]

Maybe you're being sarcastic, but I've had some of my most memorable matches in 40+. Near fist-fights over line calls, epic 3-hour singles battles, nail-biting team playoff matches, etc. If you have evenly matched opponents with desire to win, it's gonna be exciting - why does it matter how old they are?

Fist fights, lordy!

 

[Unforced Terrors]

Keep us updated if Captain Hook is able to overtake Captain Orange this season.

Captain Hook won the 40+ but got 2nd at 18+