Section XI

BOYS AND GIRLS TENNIS

USTA rules

Participation Regulations:

1. The maximum number of allowable contests in Section XI is 17.

2. Participation in a two-day invitational tournament shall count as one of the allowable contests, and only three such tournaments shall be permitted.

3. In invitational tournaments, individuals may not participate in more than three matches per day. If three matches are played, a modified scoring system of a 10-game pro set will be used with a 12-point tie breaker at 9-all. (revised 8/24/05)

4. Two matches may be played on one day provided one of the following modified scoring systems is used: best 2 of 3 sets using no ad scoring with a 12-point tie breaker at 6-all, or 10 game pro-set using regular scoring with a 12-point tie breaker at 9-all. (revised 5/22/03)

League Play

1. Schedules: All schools must play matches on dates scheduled by Section XI. For varsity postponements, the next available date policy must be followed.

2. Match Time: Matches will start by 4:00 PM or earlier and no later than 20 minutes after the visiting team arrives (10-minute warm-up included in 20 minutes). Schools with only four courts should try to start matches as early as possible. (revised 8/24/05)

3. Match Play: Matches consist of four singles contests and three doubles contests. Each contest scores 1 point, and the team winning 4 points wins the match. Individuals may compete in only one contest per match.

Matches will be 2 out of 3, 6-game sets, using no ad scoring. Sets tied at 6-all will use a 12-point tie breaker. The USTA format of no break while switching sides after the first game will be in effect. There will be a 90-second break during all other changeovers and at the completion of the first set. In a 3-set match, there is a 10-minute break if requested by either player. (revised 8/24/05)

One can of balls (recommended USTA yellow) must be provided by the home school per match.

Coaches must agree prior to starting the match to use the following:
a. Tie breaker in lieu of a third set
b. Ten-game pro-set instead of 2 out of 3 sets; tie breaker at 10-all.

4. Line-ups: Coaches must exchange line-ups and match books, showing previous match line-ups for inspection. Line-ups must be in order of strength for both singles and doubles. It is not required to break up a doubles team to fill a singles spot. Any player noticeably injured before the match begins must be substituted. Only the last position in either singles or doubles may be defaulted.

Changes in line-ups may be made provided there is an intervening practice between matches. Proper match-ups of play is the responsibility of the home team. Once one point has been played, any error results in default against the home team. (revised 8/24/05)

5. Challenge Matches: Challenge matches will allow for changing the rank order of play. Challenge matches during the season will consist of 2 out of 3, 6-game sets. Players may challenge one or two positions ahead on the ladder. The loser forces the ladder down.

6. Rules of Play: USTA rules apply for play. Play must be continuous throughout the match. Practice serves must be taken during the 10-minute warm-up prior to the start of the match. All points played in good faith stand. In case of a dispute, a player may request a lines-person. (revised 8/24/05)

7. Dress Code: All team members must be uniformly dressed in a team shirt, and solid colored shorts or skirts. They may be either white or school colors. Jams, cutoffs, jeans, and large designs are not permitted. Any failure to comply will result in competitor(s) being excluded from participation. (revised 8/24/05)

8. Coaches: Coaches may speak to the players only during the 90-second odd-game change-over. Coaches must remain outside the courts during play and only enter if an emergency arises. Players are entitled to a 10-minute rest period between the second and third sets.

9. Injury: Should a player become injured or have an unavoidable accident, one five-minute treatment will be allowed. If unable to continue play, a default will be declared.

10. Spectator Control: Spectator control is the responsibility of the home team. Any player distracted by spectators should report the incident to the home coach. Sportsmanship should be emphasized by players, coaches, and spectators at all times.

11. Cessation of Play: Either coach has the discretion to stop a contest after play has begun due to darkness or inclement weather. The contest will continue on the next available date at the same site, with the same players, same court, same side, same score. New balls may be used. No substitution of players is allowed.

12. Reporting: The winning coach must report the score of the match to the media, and both coaches must submit a rating card to Section XI.

Division Individual Tournament

All rules for league play apply with the following exceptions:

1. Entries: Each school shall be entitled to one entry in singles and one entry in doubles in this single elimination tournament. The rest of the draw may be filled with up to 32 qualified entries, as determined by the coaches at the seeding meeting.

2. Eligibility: Participants must have represented their schools in at least six contests during the season in order to be eligible. (Any exception must have approval of the Section XI Executive Director.)

3. a. FOR BOYS ONLY: 50% Rule - Participants must be scheduled for either singles or doubles, according to where they played 50% of all league and non-league matches, as of the seeding meeting.

b. FOR GIRLS ONLY: In order to play in the Division doubles tournament, girls must play four doubles matches within the Division. (approved 5/23/06)

4. Commitment: A player must make a commitment to complete any tournament entered. Any default will result in exclusion from the division tournament and Section XI Tournament. Any exception must have the approval of the sport chairman.

5. Tournament Director Duties: The tournament director shall be the division chairman or designee. Duties include the coordination, administration, seeding of the tournament, and designating an appeals panel at each tournament site. A sportsmanship statement should be read to all participants prior to the first match of the tournament.

6. Seeding:
a. The division chairperson shall conduct the seeding meeting. All coaches are invited to participate and all schools must be represented. Comparative records will be used to determine the draw. Second singles players shall not be seeded unless they have had direct confrontation with first singles players during the season.
b. A draw of up to 32 players/teams may be established.

7. Play: Starting times and sites will be announced by the division chairman. (revised 8/24/05)

8. Tennis Balls: Schools are to provide two cans of USTA approved tennis balls per entry.

9. Forfeiture: Failure to arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time will result in penalties being assessed before forfeiture is declared. Any exception will be determined by the appeals panel.

10. Coaches' Responsibility: Coaches, or school-designated alternates, must be present during play and responsible for the conduct of their players.

11. Matches in the individual tournament will be 2 out of 3 sets, no ad scoring, and 12-point tie breaker at 6-all. A new can of balls can be requested by either player for the 3rd set. (revised 8/24/05)

12. Advancement: The four semi-finalists will advance. A playoff between third and fourth places shall be held to assist in seeding the Section XI Tournament. (revised 8/24/05)

Section XI Individual Tournament

All rules for league play and division tournament play apply with the following exceptions:

1. The draw shall be 16 singles and 16 doubles. Each division shall send four singles and four doubles teams.

2. The sport chairman shall coordinate, administer, and seed the tournament with the assistance of the division chairmen.

3. The sport chairman or designee shall serve as tournament director and shall designate an appeals panel at the tournament site.

4. The tournament shall be conducted in two days: First two rounds on the first day, no ad scoring; semis and finals on the second day, regular scoring. A 12-point tiebreaker shall be used throughout. New balls may be requested for the third set.

5. The top three singles and doubles will represent Section XI at the NYSPHSAA tournament. A playoff between the semi-final losers will determine the third representative.

NYSPHSAA Individual Tournaments

1. The top three singles and doubles from the Section XI Individual Tournament will represent Section XI at the NYSPHSAA tournament.

2. All NYSPHSAA, Section XI, and USTA rules and regulations must be followed.

3. All entries must commit to complete the tournament and will not be excused or granted a late start in order to take achievement tests.

Section XI Team Tournament

Sixteen teams may qualify - the top three teams in the upper ability leagues and the fourth team will be determined by a playoff between the fourth place team in the upper league and the first place team in the lower league. Matches will be played at the site of the higher seed. Home court for tie breaking matches will be determined by the outcome of the second match played by the two tied teams during the regular season. Finals will be played at a neutral site. If the first place position is tied in the lower ability league, there will be a playoff match to determine the team that plays the fourth place finisher of the upper league. If there is a tie for fourth place in the upper ability league, the same policy applies. These matches MUST be played on the NEXT AVAILABLE DATE after the regular season. (revised 8/24/05)

Conduct for Section XI League and Tournament Play

Profane, obscene, or abusive language; abuse of racket, balls, or equipment; deliberate stalling or unreasonable delay of play; and gamesmanship will not be tolerated in any match. The coach or tournament director will be responsible for enforcing proper conduct of players.

Point Penalty System

Unsportsmanlike conduct will result in a penalty during play of the match. A point penalty is scored as though the player had played and lost what would have been the next point. A three-point penalty system will be used.
    First Offense: warning
    Second Offense: point
    Third Offense: match
Note: Physical or verbal abuse to anyone will result in the immediate default of the match and suspension from the next regularly scheduled contest (including tournament play).

Scoring

1. No ad scoring will be used. A player need win only 4 points to win a game. If the score goes to 3 points all (or deuce) the next point decides the game. The receiver has the right to choose which court the serve is to be delivered on the 7th point.
Note: The score calling terminology for no ad may be in simple numbers: 0 (love), 1, 2, 3, game.

2. Tie Breaker: the 12-point tiebreaker will be used.

Singles: Player A, having served the first game of the set, serves the first point from the right court; Player B serves points 2 and 3 (left and right); A serves points 4 and 5 (left and right); B serves point 6 (left) and after they change ends, point 7 (right); A serves points 8 and 9 (left and right); B serves points 10 and 11 (left and right), and A serves point 12 (left).

A player who reaches 7 points during these first 12 points wins the game and the set. If the score has reached 6 points all, the players change ends and continue in the same pattern until one player establishes a margin of 2 points to win the game and set.

Note that the players change ends every 6 points, and that the player who serves the last point of one of these 6-point segments also serves the first point of the next one (from right court).

For a following set the players change ends, and Player B serves the first game.

Doubles: Follows the same pattern, with partners preserving their service sequence. Assume A-B versus C-D, with A having served the first game of the set. A serves the first point (right); C serves points 2 and 3 (left, right); B serves points 4 and 5 (left, right); D serves point 6 (left) and the teams change ends.

D serves point 7 (right); A serves points 8 and 9 (left, right); C serves points 10 and 11 (left, right); B serves point 12 (left). A team that wins 7 points during these first 12 points wins the game and set.

If the score has reached 6 points all, the teams exchange ends. B serves point 13 (right) and they continue until one team establishes a 2-point margin and thus wins the game and set.

As in singles, they change ends for one game to start a following set, with team C-D to serve first.

LONG ISLAND TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (Boys and Girls)
(Revised 5/22/07)

There will be a Long Island Tennis Team Championship. Each year, the team champions from each Section will compete sometime following the Section XI and Section VIII team championships. Sunday may be used as a next available date in case of inclement weather. Site of the championship will alternate each year between locations in Nassau and Suffolk (approved 5/23/06)

1. Individual schools would be responsible for busing their teams to and from the championship site. Participating schools should each bring 7 cans of tennis balls to the site.

2. The Long Island Team Championship in Boys' and Girls' Tennis shall follow the scoring format of the host section: Section XI - 4 singles, 3 doubles; Section VIII - 3 singles, 4 doubles. (approved 10/17/06)

Conduct for Long Island Team Championship Play
Profane, obscene, or abusive language; abuse of racket, balls or equipment; deliberate stalling or unreasonable delay of play; and gamesmanship will not be tolerated in any match. The coach or tournament director will be responsible for enforcing proper conduct of players.

Point Penalty System
Unsportsmanlike conduct will result in a penalty during play of the match. A point penalty is scored as though the player had played and lost what would have been the next point. A three-point penalty system will be used.
        First offense:        warning
        Second offense:    point
        Third offense:       match
Note: Physical or verbal abuse to anyone will result in the immediate default of the match and suspension from the next regularly scheduled contest.

Jewelry
No jewelry permitted. Jewelry on court will be a medical time out; 2nd time the player is out of the tournament.

Uniforms
Players must wear team shirts for the match. Appropriate tennis attire may be worn due to weather conditions.

*Match Play: Matches consist of 4 singles contests and 3 doubles contests during the years when Section XI hosts the Championship. Matches will consist of 3 singles contests and 4 doubles contests during the years when Section VIII hosts the Championship. Each contest scores 1 point, and the team winning 4 points wins the match. Individuals may compete in only 1 contest per match.

Scoring
1. No ad scoring will be used. A player need win only 4 points to win a game. If the score goes to 3 points all (or deuce), the next point decides the game. The receiver has the right to choose which court the serve is to be delivered on the 7th point.
Note: The score calling terminology for no ad may be in simples numbers: 0 (love), 1, 2, 3, game.

2. Tie Breaker: The 12-point tiebreaker will be used.

Singles: Player A, having served the first game of the set, serves the first point from the right court; Player B serves points 2 and 3 (left and right); A serves points 4 and 5 (left and right); B serves point 6 (left) and after they change ends, point 7 (right); A serves points 8 and 9 (left and right); B serves points 10 and 11 (left and right); and A serves point 12 (left).

Note that the players change ends every 6 points, and that the player who serves the last point of one of these 6-point segments also serves the first point of the next one (from right court).

For a following set the players change ends, and Player B serves the first game.

If the score has reached 6 points all, the teams exchange ends. B serves point 13 (right) and they continue until one team establishes a 2-point margin and thus wins the game and set.

As in singles, they change ends for one game to start a following set, with team C-D to serve first.