USTA question Juniors vs Adults

[racingdad23]

Can juniors play up in adult divisions? I'm asking because we dont have many junior tournaments in our area march-april. He could really use the extra court time. Is there anything in the rules that wouldnt allow this or cause him to loose eligibility in junior division?

 

[goober]

They can play in Open tournaments. A number of the top ranked juniors around here play them routinely. I am pretty sure they can't play in NTRP unless they are 19.

 

[fe6250]

They can play in Open tournaments. A number of the top ranked juniors around here play them routinely. I am pretty sure they can't play in NTRP unless they are 19.

Goober is right about 19 for NTRP.

 

[tfm1973]

when i was in my 20's i played in some open tournaments and ran into some junior players. these juniors ranged from decent high school players to ready for prime time in division I.

either way for a grown adult it's not fun. nobody enjoys losing to a kid. nobody enjoys beating up on kids. aight i'm lying. i love beating up on snotty kids. oh and the worst part too is these kids tend to be fast as lightning. like their bones haven't hardened yet and they don't get tired.

 

[Moz]

I'm playing a lot of juniors in open tournaments at the moment and it certainly adds some additional interest to the match in terms of playing styles.

 

[Geezer Guy]

either way for a grown adult it's not fun. nobody enjoys losing to a kid. nobody enjoys beating up on kids. aight i'm lying. i love beating up on snotty kids.

It is a bit more nerve-wracking (especially if their parents are watching/cheering) but I don't mind. I've beaten and been beaten by my share of juniors. I just try a bit harder to model good sportsmanship than when I'm playing against an adult.

 

[IanRichardson]

I have played in a few ntrp tournaments and I am 18, also I saw some guys who looked to be 16 or so playing in the 4.0 tournament.

You may want to check and see for your area.

I know around here some of the clubs have "ntrp leagues" which are not usta sanctioned, but you do get to play with people of similar ability.

Don't bother having your child play in the open divisions unless he is a 4.5 to 5.0 player.

 

[Ash Doyle]

I am pretty sure they can't play in NTRP unless they are 19.

If that is true then it is not enforced at all in NC.

 

[10sjunkie]

In NC there are several tournaments that allow juniors to play in the NTRP divisions. I understand that it is up to the TD's discretion to let them play.

 

[IanRichardson]

I am also in NC just for the record...

So, I guess if anyone not in North Carolina could give us some info about this it would help.

 

[boilerfan]

I have heard the rule mentioned in leagues that you have to be 19 to play in a league, but I have played a number of juniors in tournaments. I even played a couple juniors in the State Hardcourt Championships(in NC), but that was a while back, so if you can play the state level tournaments as a junior, I would assume it is not enforced in smaller tournaments.

 

[goober]

I guess it varies by area and maybe it is just the TD discretion. Two visiting ranked juniors (13 and 15 years old) wanted to play in a NTRP tourney recently in my area. The TD said it was a USTA rule that juniors could only play open not NTRP. The 13 year old got crushed and the 15 year old won a couple rounds.

 

[IanRichardson]

I can see the league play rule as people really like to recruit ringers for that.

I am still not 100% sure about the rule for juniors not playing ntrp though. I don't see how you could locally enforce that and here is why. Say you have a doubles team of juniors who are 9.0. Well, what if they were to advance to sectionals/nationals? Would they not be allowed to play then? It seems as if someone is allowed to play in one area it should be a nationwide thing in the event that they make it to a national event. So obviously someone is incorrect is all I know.

 

[10sjunkie]

For league play, players are required to be 19 or over (or turn 19 in the year of play) in order to participate. In tournaments it is the TDs discretion as to whether juniors are allowed to play in NTRP levels. Juniors can play in open levels. I am not aware of any tournament that allows players to advance any further, such as to a sectional or national championship. Maybe I am confused as to what you are saying, Ian?

 

[IanRichardson]

I am admittedly new to playing ntrp, but I was under the impression that players/doubles teams who perform well during the year make it to some type of sectional/national event. I know that you have to have a certain ranking to get into some of the closed ntrp tournaments here in NC at the end of the year. I assumed that the winners of those tournaments would advance on. That was what I was talking about when i talked about the 9.0 mixed doubles team.

 

[Ash Doyle]

I am admittedly new to playing ntrp, but I was under the impression that players/doubles teams who perform well during the year make it to some type of sectional/national event. I know that you have to have a certain ranking to get into some of the closed ntrp tournaments here in NC at the end of the year. I assumed that the winners of those tournaments would advance on. That was what I was talking about when i talked about the 9.0 mixed doubles team.

I don't know of any tournament where winners advance on to sectionals or nationals. I think you are thinking of USTA league play.

 

[IanRichardson]

I don't know of any tournament where winners advance on to sectionals or nationals. I think you are thinking of USTA league play.

Ah ok, as I said I have only been playing ntrp about a year and sadly only read about people advancing when waiting to play tournaments. I guess i looked at something about leagues and just assumed it was from a tournament.

That being said however it must vary state to state as North Carolina has a closed clay court ntrp tournament. So one TD in one part of the state letting juniors play would qualify them for that tournament at the end of the year, provided the junior attained a high enough ranking.

 

[QuakerTennis]

Closed Tourneys

The "Closed" in a NC Closed tournament refers to residency rather than some qualification process. You just have to live in NC to play in one; you do not need to qualify by playing any tourneys leading up to it.

 

[JLyon]

TD's can be fined by the USTA if they allow Juniors to play in NTRP Events that are Sanctioned by the USTA. Juniors can only play Open Divisions in USTA Adult Tournaments.