USTA Southern Sectional Champs

OnTheLine

Hall of Fame
Southern Sectionals is kind of big. And unlike Nationals, they are holding all levels and genders at once, Nationals generally has a single level and two genders so the court requirements are lower.

For Southern Sectionals, for most (all?) levels, there are 2 flights of 5 teams each meaning 20 team matches of round-robin per level and gender. For 40 & Over, there are 4 levels so 80 team matches per gender or 160 team matches total. Each team match uses 5 courts so you get 800 total match courts needed. Assuming 10 hours of play each day and 2 hours per match, that is 5 matches per court per day or 15 per court over the three days round-robin are held. 800 matches and 15 matches per court means you need 53 courts ...

Texas Sectionals is also very big with I believe usually 4 flights of 4 teams each, but they both spread it out over several facilities in an area typically, and will have half the levels one weekend and the rest the next.

Nationals with the new format will give all 17 teams 4 matches over the two round-robin days, or 34 team matches per gender and level, or 170 match courts required. For both genders of a level at a Nationals that is 340 match courts. Again using 2 hours per match and playing 10 hours a day over the two days, that is 10 matches per court, or 34 courts required. So sounds like Vegas will be at capacity and perhaps hoping for matches shorter than 2 hours or plan on playing longer than 10 hours a day.

yup. I think they are going to run into some issues as far as I can see based just on the math of it all. Unless they run the RR out of multiple facilities in town. (Vegas is not terribly big, several nearby clubs (15 minute drives) with 8 courts, one with 12 about 30 minutes on far SE side). I would guess to expect some night matches.
 

Demented

Semi-Pro
Also, for southern you have to assume rain is going to happen during the event. I'd say each day is projected to be wet for at least 2-3 hours during the middle of your sessions. I've heard Ashville, NC was attempting to put together a bid but that's pretty far away from Louisiana and Arkansas.
 
Also, for southern you have to assume rain is going to happen during the event. I'd say each day is projected to be wet for at least 2-3 hours during the middle of your sessions. I've heard Ashville, NC was attempting to put together a bid but that's pretty far away from Louisiana and Arkansas.

I’m in Louisiana, and I’d much rather drive twice as far and play in Asheville.
 

rod99

Professional
last weekend i heard that mobile is hosting nationals (and continue hosting sectionals) for the next 3 years. yikes.
 

gmatheis

Hall of Fame
Also, for southern you have to assume rain is going to happen during the event. I'd say each day is projected to be wet for at least 2-3 hours during the middle of your sessions. I've heard Ashville, NC was attempting to put together a bid but that's pretty far away from Louisiana and Arkansas.

I've been to a sectionals in Asheville, NC. Definitely cooler in the higher altitude there … and only 45 minutes from me :)
 

schmke

Legend
Why do they have to “bid” to host the event anyway?
The USTA can't just commandeer a facility and say "we are holding Sectionals/Nationals there". A facility has to be interested and show that they have the facilities and infrastructure (hotels) to be the host. What else goes into a bid, but I believe it does have to happen.
 

kevrol

Hall of Fame
Was looking at a map the other day and Chattanooga TN would be an excellent place to have it. They seem to have a ton of facilities (including indoor backup options and a public 27 ct facility.) Also from the looks of it is a maximum of 8 1/2 hour drive from anywhere in the section. Now you'd have to either utilize multiple sites or break it up into two weekends but seems they could easily do it.
 

ace18

Professional
40+ sectionals just ended and the team from Atlanta won the 4.0 division. @schmke I would be curious if you've run any reports on this? The Atlanta team that won it has been managing ratings for years and years and the wonderfully lazy USTA GA/ATL just lets them keep doing their thing.
 

brettatk

Semi-Pro
40+ sectionals just ended and the team from Atlanta won the 4.0 division. @schmke I would be curious if you've run any reports on this? The Atlanta team that won it has been managing ratings for years and years and the wonderfully lazy USTA GA/ATL just lets them keep doing their thing.

I'm very familiar with that team. We've played them many times. I can also assure you that their antics have been reported to USTA over and over and they are very familiar with them as well. But as you said they've done nothing about it. At least now they will have to move up/split up so it'll be awhile before we see them again in 40+. I'm guessing they'll turn their efforts back to 18+ since they are still eligible to play 4.0 18+.
 

schmke

Legend
40+ sectionals just ended and the team from Atlanta won the 4.0 division. @schmke I would be curious if you've run any reports on this? The Atlanta team that won it has been managing ratings for years and years and the wonderfully lazy USTA GA/ATL just lets them keep doing their thing.
I have not looked specifically, but if they've been doing their thing for years, it wasn't working until this year as Atlanta/Georgia actually haven't been winning Sectionals as often as other States in general. Perhaps it was part of a multi-year master plan ...
 

ace18

Professional
I'm very familiar with that team. We've played them many times. I can also assure you that their antics have been reported to USTA over and over and they are very familiar with them as well. But as you said they've done nothing about it. At least now they will have to move up/split up so it'll be awhile before we see them again in 40+. I'm guessing they'll turn their efforts back to 18+ since they are still eligible to play 4.0 18+.
They will sign up for 4.5+ 40 and over, get trounced on purpose, as a norm, back to 4.0 they are. They've been doing that for years as well.
 

ace18

Professional
I have not looked specifically, but if they've been doing their thing for years, it wasn't working until this year as Atlanta/Georgia actually haven't been winning Sectionals as often as other States in general. Perhaps it was part of a multi-year master plan ...
this goes back to 4.0 18+. I believe they went to nationals once, won several state titles. They would all get bumped up to 4.5, they would sign up for 4.5 low, win one individual match the entire season and eventually get back to where they wanted to be. I've been playing USTA in GA since 2008 and these guys are the originators of this. There are several other teams that have learned from this and followed the same procedure over the years. I'll bet brettatk could name those teams off the top of his head without thought.
 

brettatk

Semi-Pro
I have a question about the move up/split up rule. I know these guys will now have to move up or split up due to qualifying for Nationals. How long do they have to wait before they can play 40+ 4.0 again? I didn't know if it was for a certain time frame or whether it was from now on.

I don't know any other teams that go to this extent, but I do know many others that have multiple players managing their ratings. We used to compete and did go to Sectionals a few times. But too many teams have 4.5 guys playing 4.0 these days for us to compete with them since we lost several of our guys to 4.5.
 

ace18

Professional
I have a question about the move up/split up rule. I know these guys will now have to move up or split up due to qualifying for Nationals. How long do they have to wait before they can play 40+ 4.0 again? I didn't know if it was for a certain time frame or whether it was from now on.

I don't know any other teams that go to this extent, but I do know many others that have multiple players managing their ratings. We used to compete and did go to Sectionals a few times. But too many teams have 4.5 guys playing 4.0 these days for us to compete with them since we lost several of our guys to 4.5.
you know, i'm not really sure how that works. You can obviously search the captains name and see what the team does at 4.5 low, in fact, they just finished the the summer season, 1-6 at 4.5low, but going to nationals at 4.0, lol
 

darkhorse

Semi-Pro
sounds like sour grapes.

teams that have the potential to reach a sectionals tournament need to get commitment from players before the season starts. i understand things come up, but our captain let us know about the dates of the tournament back in february and got commitments from guys to block their calendars. sure, it wasn't a great location but teams who have the conditioning to handle these conditions and depth were rightfully rewarded.

I'd say a good 90% of threads that mention playoffs on TTW are sour grapes
 

Tiafoe

Rookie
I have a question about the move up/split up rule. I know these guys will now have to move up or split up due to qualifying for Nationals. How long do they have to wait before they can play 40+ 4.0 again? I didn't know if it was for a certain time frame or whether it was from now on.

I don't know any other teams that go to this extent, but I do know many others that have multiple players managing their ratings. We used to compete and did go to Sectionals a few times. But too many teams have 4.5 guys playing 4.0 these days for us to compete with them since we lost several of our guys to 4.5.
I believe the rule is that only 3 players from a team that goes to Nationals can play together at that level until 3 years have passed since going to Nationals. I'm almost positive about number of players, I'm not 100% positive on number of years that must pass.
 

brettatk

Semi-Pro
I believe the rule is that only 3 players from a team that goes to Nationals can play together at that level until 3 years have passed since going to Nationals. I'm almost positive about number of players, I'm not 100% positive on number of years that must pass.

Yeah, you are definitely right about the number of players. I just can't find anything about the time frame. I'd be satisfied if it was 3 years. One year just doesn't seem long enough.
 

Tiafoe

Rookie
Yeah, you are definitely right about the number of players. I just can't find anything about the time frame. I'd be satisfied if it was 3 years. One year just doesn't seem long enough.
It actually might only be one year. I was looking through some past emails about this rule and actually couldn't find anything about 3 years. The issue Nationals teams have is that appealing down would be impossible for the top players on those teams.
 

schmke

Legend
It actually might only be one year. I was looking through some past emails about this rule and actually couldn't find anything about 3 years. The issue Nationals teams have is that appealing down would be impossible for the top players on those teams.
I believe it is just one year.
 

brettatk

Semi-Pro
I believe it is just one year.

I think that is right by something else I read. If that is right, these guys just qualified by winning 2018 Sectionals 40+ 4.0. Here in Atlanta we have already started our Fall 2019 40+ season. This team will be eligible to play again at 4.0 in Fall 2020 (which will actually be July-August 2019)?
 

MRfStop

Hall of Fame
I'm very familiar with that team. We've played them many times. I can also assure you that their antics have been reported to USTA over and over and they are very familiar with them as well. But as you said they've done nothing about it. At least now they will have to move up/split up so it'll be awhile before we see them again in 40+. I'm guessing they'll turn their efforts back to 18+ since they are still eligible to play 4.0 18+.
How much are they paying Bain?

I’m seriously considering moving out of Georgia simply because how bad USTA Georgia runs leagues and how biased they are toward Atlanta teams. League office is based out of Atlanta along with the grievance board.
 
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