Rules and Information
About Its Your Serve Tennis Forfeited, Retired, and Incomplete matches
Profiles & Registration Inclement Weather Skill Levels League Withdrawals
Scheduling Matches Division Winners
Match Play Playoffs & Championship Tournament
Scoring Disputes
About the Leagues
Its Your Serve Tennis provides online flexible tennis leagues for adults (we hope to add juniors at a later date).
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Players create a profile then register for upcoming leagues based on their playing level.
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Leagues are 5 to 7 matches of regular season play followed by playoffs and a single-elimination City Finals tournament to determine a champion for each playing level.
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Players/Teams choose a home court when registering and are placed in divisions based on their level. Play will be within a 6 mile radius of the Hoboken area.
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At the onset of the season, schedules are posted designating opponents and whether the match is home or away. Players/Teams contact their opponents and schedule their matches by a published deadline at a time convenient to all.
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Players/Teams post their scores for each completed match and track their standings during the regular season.
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At the end of the regular season, all division winners and runners-up are automatically qualified for an “opt-in” playoff draw and City Finals tournament for their level.
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Winners of each division, and the City Champion & Finalist will receive a Personalized Bag Tag.
Profiles & Registration
Profiles: In order to register to play in a league, players must create a profile
with Its Your Serve Tennis.
Registration: Players will be shown a list of leagues that are open for registration in your area. You can select a league to complete the registration and profile process. If you are registering for a Doubles league, your partner needs to create a profile before you can register a team for the league.
Skill Levels
Its Your Serve uses the NTRP rating system as the basis for adult league playing levels. We initially offer levels 2.5 through 5.0. As participation increases we may add additional levels (-2.5, -3.0, etc.) to accommodate the number of players and provide even better competition!
First time players: If you have a current NTRP rating, please register for that level. Otherwise, please review the NTRP playing characteristics on the playing level page and self-rate at the level that most matches your abilities.
Doubles teams: When registering for doubles, teams must play their first season at the level of the highest rated player on the team.
Returning players/teams: Returning players/teams must choose their playing level based on their last season of play in the same league format (i.e. singles or doubles).
[Win % is calculated as ‘Total Games Won’ divided by ‘Total Games Played’]
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Win % - 25% or less: you must move down 1 level
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Win % - 26% to 35%: you may choose to move down 1 level
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Win % - 36% to 65%: you must stay at same level
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Win % - 66% to 74%: you may choose to move up 1 level
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Win % - 75% or greater: you must move up 1 level
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Championship Tournament Winner: you must move up 1 level
Sandbagging: Choose your playing level accurately for your first playing season as players/teams who have a Win % of 75% or greater in their first season will not be eligible to win their division or qualify for playoffs. The only exception is if players levels can be verified at or below their Its Your Serve league level on the USTA Tennis Link Website (http://tennislink.usta.com/leagues).
Final Placement: Its Your Serve may also sometimes move a player/team to a level other than that requested or determined by the last playing season based on specific scheduling needs. However, we will do everything in our power to place players at the level where they will be most competitive!
Scheduling Matches
Scheduling: Schedules are posted prior to the league start date. Players/Teams will have at least 2 weeks to complete each match. Players/Teams should contact each other by phone and email as soon as possible to schedule their match. Each team must offer at least 3 dates for playing the match or agree to a date offered by their opponent. If teams cannot find a mutually agreeable date/time, they must play the match by 7pm on the Play By date and scores entered by 11:59 pm on the Play By date. Matches may be played out of order as long as they are played and recorded by the Play By date. (i.e. If you are going on vacation, you can schedule match 6 before match 3 if all players agree.) Please keep in mind that you need to do everything in your power to schedule the match so that everyone gets the benefit of exciting competitive match play!
Home Matches: Matches are designated as Home or Away. Home player/team supplies the balls for the match and is responsible for any court and/or guest fees, or permits (if required). If the home team does not want to pay the court fees, they can opt to play at the opponent’s courts if they are free. Please be specific about the location the match will be played, and give your opponent the exact location and/or directions.
Match Play
Match Play rules are described below. Any topics not covered will be guided by the USTA Friend at Court Tennis Rules & Regulations which can be found at the USTA Website:
(http://www.usta.com/about_us/custom.sps?iType=12369&icustompageid=17272) and includes The Code – The Players’ Guide to Unofficiated Matches.
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Matches are best 2 out of 3 sets. Sets are won by the first to win 6 games by a margin of 2 games.
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A 7-point tie-break (first to 7 points by a margin of 2 points) will be played at 6 games all in any given set.
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If both players/teams agree, a 7-point tie-break set can be played in lieu of a third set.
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Scores for a set that ended in a tie-break and for 3rd set “tie-break set” will be entered as 7-6.
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Choice of service / court end for the first game of the match is decided by a coin toss at the start of the warm-up allowing players to warm-up on the end of the court where they will begin play. Player/Team winning the toss can either: a.) choose to serve or receive letting the opponent choose ends, b.) choose ends letting the opponent choose to serve or receive, or c.) require the opponent to make the first choice of service or ends and then taking the remaining choice.
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Players change ends whenever the total number of completed games in a set is an odd number.
7-Point Tie-Break Rules: First team to 7 points by a margin of 2 points wins the tie-break and the set. Serving rotation is maintained during the tie-break. The player whose turn it is to serve, serves 1 point from the deuce side of the court. Players then serve 2 points each in succession starting from the Ad court. Players/Teams change sides at every 6 games. The team that served first in the tie-break, receives first in the next set. Players/Teams change sides after the tie-break.
Sportsmanship: We started Its Your Serve Tennis to provide players with additional opportunities for fun, affordable, competitive tennis! We expect every member of Its Your Serve Tennis to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner under all circumstances to ensure the quality of the league is maintained! If you experience a player or team who is unsportsmanlike, please email us at: contactus@itsyourserve.net, and let us know about your experience. That player will receive a warning and additional complaints could lead to suspension from the league.
Scoring
Scores are entered by clicking the Update scores link on the home page and entering the appropriate information.
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Winning player/team should enter score; however, if winning player/team does not enter score in a timely manner, any player/team can enter score.
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If a player/team forfeited the match (see rules for ‘forfeit’) click the forfeit box for that team.
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If a player/team retired during the match (see rules for ‘retire’) enter all completed games and click the ‘retired’ box for that team.
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If players/teams cannot complete the match (see rules for ‘incomplete match’) enter all completed games and click the ‘incomplete’ box.
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If players/teams do not play a match but it was not due to a forfeit, then no scores are entered. Neither player/team will receive any points.
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All sets that were decided by tie-breaks will be entered as 7 – 6 as the tie-break is counted as 1 game.
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If players/teams opted to play a tie-break in lieu of the 3rd set, the 3rd set score is entered as 7 - 6.
Forfeited, Retired and Incomplete Matches
Forfeited: The following situations that can result in a forfeit.
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Opponent does not respond to multiple contact attempts by email and phone by 5 days prior to Play By date. Please send an email to contactus@itsyourserve.net and copy your opponent so there is a record that you have attempted to contact your opponent.
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Opponent does not show up for match within 20 minutes of scheduled match play time.
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Opponent cancels a scheduled match less than 24 hours from scheduled match play time.
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Opponent decides at any time they cannot play the match and must forfeit the match.
Please note that you should avoid forfeiting your matches as it results in other players in your division not getting the benefit of a full schedule. Players with excessive forfeits may be asked not to play in future leagues.
Retired: If a player/team starts a match but one player/team cannot complete the match due to medical or personal reasons, they are considered retired from the match.
Incomplete: If both players/teams start a match but cannot complete it due to inclement weather or other mutual circumstances (the lights burn out on the courts, a tree falls on the courts during the match, etc.), and do not reschedule and play the remainder of the match at a later date, the match is considered incomplete.
General: Please note that for any of the above situations, if both players/teams agree to play the match at a later time, then they are free to do so and we strongly encourage this! However, we recommend that both players/teams also agree on what to do if they are not able to play the match later.
Inclement Weather
Inclement weather is defined as precipitation (rain, snow, hail, sleet) or severe weather (temperature below 32 degrees or above 95 degrees Fahrenheit according to www.weather.com). Use the following guidelines in the event of inclement weather:
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If there is inclement weather, players/teams must contact each other via telephone to cancel a match. Do not assume that a match is cancelled!
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Players/Teams should try to reschedule their match by the Play By date. If neither player can agree on a date, the match should be played at the default time.
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If a match is started and is interrupted before it is completed due to inclement weather, players can reschedule the match using the guidelines above, or let the match stand as Incomplete (see rules for Incomplete Matches).
League Withdrawals
If a player/team is injured or unable to complete the season for any reason, they should immediately email the league at contactus@itsyourserve.net, We will attempt to replace a withdrawn player/team if it occurs early enough in the season. A doubles team may replace an injured player 1 time during a season. However, if they have already played any of their matches, the team will not be eligible to win their division or opt-in to playoffs. Please note that there are no refunds or credits after schedules have been published for a given league.
Please make an effort to avoid withdrawing from a league if at all possible, as it results in other players in your division not getting the benefit of a full schedule.
Division Winners
At the end of the regular season, the division player/team with the most points will be the division winner. Ties are broken in the following order:
Division winners will automatically qualify for play-offs if they have marked themselves available for playoffs on the My Schedule page.
Players/Teams can check division standings anytime after the final Play By date to see the final standings in their division.
Sandbagging: Choose your playing level accurately for your first playing season as players/teams who have a Win % of 75% or greater in their first season will not be eligible to win their division or qualify for playoffs. The only exception is if players levels can be verified at or below their Its Your Serve Tennis league level on the USTA Tennis Link Website (http://tennislink.usta.com/leagues).
Playoffs & City Championship
Playoffs begin after the regular season to determine a City Champion & Runner-up for each playing level in each league. Typically playoff schedules will be posted within 2 days after Play By date of the final match.
Playoff Availability: Players MUST mark themselves as available for playoffs prior to midnight on the Play By date of the final match in order to be considered for the draw. Please keep in mind that there will not be as much time between matches as during the regular season so do not mark yourself as available if you will not have time to complete the matches according to the schedule.
Qualification: Division winners and runners-up in each division will automatically qualify for playoffs if they have marked themselves as available to play. In addition, wildcard players may be chosen if needed to complete the draw. (see sandbagging rules below).
Sandbagging: Choose your playing level accurately for your first playing season as players/teams who have a Win % of 75% or greater in their first season will not be eligible to win their division or qualify for playoffs. The only exception is if players levels can be verified at or below Its Your Serve Tennis league level on the USTA Tennis Link Website (http://tennislink.usta.com/leagues).
Scheduling Matches & Default Time: Players/Teams should contact their opponents immediately as playoffs are based on an abbreviated schedule. Players/Teams should give their opponents at least two options for playing. If you have any problems contacting your opponents within 24 hours of the playoff match being posted on your schedule, you should send an email to: contactus@itsyourserve.net, immediately describing your efforts and copy your opponent at all available email addresses.
Default Time: If match schedule cannot be agreed upon, the default time for all playoff matches will be 7:00 pm on the Play By date.
Player Seeding: Player seeding will be determined in the following order and will be shown on the playoff draw.
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Division Standing
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Total Points
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Win%
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Total Matches Won
Home Court & Balls: Home court advantage will go to the player with the highest seeding. Home player/team supplies the balls for the match and is responsible for any permits, court and/or guest fees.
Entering Scores: Winning team should enter scores. All scores must be entered by midnight on the Play By Date or both teams will automatically be forfeited. If you have not been able to contact your opponent at all available phone numbers and email addresses and have emailed the league at: contactus@itsyourserve.net, you should enter the match as a Forfeit on the Play By Date.
City Championship Match: The final 2 players/teams at each level will play a championship match to determine the City Champion and runner-up for each level.
Disputes
Since Its Your Serve Tennis matches are “unofficiated matches”, we expect players to handle disputes where there is disagreement on what occurred on the court amongst themselves and in a sportsmanlike manner. This includes line calls, score disagreements, etc. Since these types of disputes are subjective in nature, we recommend players print a copy of USTA’s Friend at Court Tennis Rules & Regulations which can be found at the USTA Website: (http://www.usta.com/about_us/custom.sps?iType=12369&icustompageid=17272) USTA Friend at Court 2007 Edition and includes The Code – The Players’ Guide to Unofficiated Matches.
