Ladder Rules
last revised: 30 Jun 2009

PURPOSE

Ladder competition was organised to provide the opportunity to play frequently with members of comparable skill to improve by challenging better players, and to rank the active members. There will two sections: men’s and ladies, age will not be a barrier.

QUALIFICATIONS
In order to play on the ladder, members must provide an e-mail address or a daytime telephone number where challenges can be arranged. Competitors play at their own risk. The organising committee and any representatives are not responsible for any injury, loss or other mishaps sustained by any participants during the tournament.

SEASON
Ladder competition will end on December 15.

The new season will begin on Jan 15.

MATCHES
A ladder match consists of the best two out of three sets, governed by Tournament Rules. A "12 point" tie-breaker (won by the first player to get at least 7 points and lead by at least 2 points) is normally used to decide a set when games are 6-6. Any other tie-breaking scheme may be used which is mutually agreeable.

RESTRICTED CHALLENGES
Challenges are normally restricted to opponents who are no more than ten positions away at the time the challenge is issued. More than ten rungs may separate players by the time the match is completed if the additional separation is due to ladder activity between the time of challenge and the time of completion. A player may make only one outstanding challenge, and may only be obligated to two outstanding challenges at any one time.

You may decline a challenge if:

(a) you are already obligated to two challenges,

(b) you are physically unable to play tennis,

(c) you will be away on leave for more than five out of the next ten days,

(d) you have defeated the challenger within the previous seven days.

The challenger makes a mutually convenient court reservation (one-and-a-half hours of play).

UNRESTRICTED CHALLENGES

From July 15 to December 15, challenges are unrestricted by relative ladder positions, but advancements by more than ten rungs must be completed by December 15. A match between two ladder members, which occurs as the result of an approved tournament play is treated as an unrestricted challenge, unless this implicit “challenge” is refused by either player before the match, begins. At the discression of the ladder chairman, ladder members playing in and completing in any approved singles tournaments are promoted to the top of the ladder, in the order that they finish in the tournament. Ladder members who receive this promotion are subject to unrestricted challenges for the next 4 weeks.

NEW MEMBERS
New members are placed at the bottom of the existing ladder, and are allowed two unrestricted challenges (in addition to the unrestricted play during the first month and in any approved tournaments), which may be used anytime during the season in which they join. A player who loses both of his unrestricted challenges while still positioned within the group of new players at the bottom of the ladder is moved to the top of that group as "consolation".

RECORDS
After a challenge match, write the date, scores, players' names and ladder positions at the start of the match. Inform the chairman via e-mail.of the match results. If the match results in advancement, the winner moves his own name into the loser's rung, and slides the loser and all the intervening names down one rung. Match results will be updated once a month.

ARRANGING MATCHES:
You may call anyone in your group for a match.

Please be very specific about
Time, Date and Place of your Match.

BALLS & COURTS
The challenger supplies the balls and court.The challenger should provide at least one hour and thirty minutes of court time.

New balls should be used for challenges . The challengee decides the acceptability of the balls. New balls that meet STA regulations are always acceptable.

INTERRUPTIONS
Play is continuous unless interrupted by weather, darkness, or the expiration of court time. If the interruption occurs before one set is completed, the partial scores are void, and the match may be restarted at another time. If the interruption occurs after one set is completed, the match must be resumed at the point of interruption within the next ten days, or be voided. A match unilaterally interrupted by one player (due to illness, injury, broken equipment, temper tantrum, etc.) is a win, by default, for the other player.

FORFEITS
A forfeit is a rare penalty for willful non-participation. A player forfeits a match if:

(a) he illegitimately refuses a challenge,

(b) he fails to give his opponent a 60 hour notice that he cannot appear for a scheduled match,

(c) he is more than 15 minutes late for the scheduled match.

Recent injury, sudden illness or family crisis is not a cause for forfeit if the match is promptly rescheduled. A forfeiter is penalized five ladder positions. A forfeit is not a win for the forfeitee. The imposition of the five-rung penalty is the obligation of the forfeitee, who should first try to contact the offendor and/or the Ladder Chairman. If the forfeit is justified, the forfeitee describes the situation on a challenge-result card.

"RESERVE" STATUS
Members must be ready, willing and able to play on demand. A member who wishes to withdraw from the ladder for a while can go onto "reserve" status. The member's name is removed from the board until he feels ready to compete again, at which time he is re-instated with one five-rung penalty. A member "on reserve" at the end of the season can rejoin the ladder in the following season either five rungs below the position he left (with no free challenges) or as a new player at the bottom of the ladder (with two free challenges).

MAILING LISTS
Printed lists of the ladder standings are issued periodically via e-mail, and/or an Internet web page. Members without e-mail or web access may:

(a) arrange delivery in care of an onsite friend

(b) supply the Ladder Chairman with a set of self-addressed and stamped envelopes.