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Eligibility |
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1.1 |
The South Wales Summer Doubles
League shall be open only to clubs which are affiliated to Tennis Wales
South.
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1.2 |
All competing clubs shall pay a
League Fee for each team entered and accepted into the competition. The
amount of the Fee shall be determined by a meeting of the Council of
Tennis Wales South.
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1.3 |
A Club failing to pay Affiliation
and League Fees prior to the commencement of the competition shall be
liable to a penalty deduction of 4 points for every match played prior to
receipt by Tennis Wales South of the fees owed.
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1.4 |
Clubs may have a maximum of two
teams in any Division, but no exchange of players between the two teams
will be permitted. If, by reason of promotion or relegation, two teams
from the same club are in the same Division then the League Committee
shall move the promoted or relegated team to a Division of equal status if
one exits.
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1.5 |
No player, having played for one
club in the League shall be qualified to play for another club in the
League during the same season without the permission of the League
Committee. The player concerned shall inform not only Tennis Wales South
of this request but also the Secretary of each club concerned to confirm
the player’s intention.
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1.6 |
Where a club enters more than one
team, no player having played in any higher division more than once shall
be allowed to play in any lower division during the season.
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1.7 |
International, County or regular
first team players who have been living away are not allowed to return and
play in lower teams than would normally be expected.
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1.8 |
If an ineligible player takes part
in any match, the offending club(s) shall be liable to a penalty deduction
of 4 points.
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League Structure |
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2.1 |
The Clubs in all Divisions will
play each other on a home and away basis, unless a shortage or surplus of
entrants dictates otherwise.
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2.2 |
The League Committee reserves the
right to promote and regularise the number of teams in each Division.
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Match Format |
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3.1 |
A team shall consist of six players
(three pairs). No substitution is allowed.
A match will be deemed to be
conceded if a team is only able to field one pair.
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3.2 |
Each match will be played over 3
rounds, unless in the instance of evening matches both Captains agree to
play over 2 rounds. The fixed draw is as follows, with Round 3 deleted if
playing over 2 rounds.
Round 1 1 v 1 2 v 3 3 v 2
Round 2 1 v 2 2 v 1 3 v 3
Round 3 1 v 3 2 v 2 3 v 1
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3.3 |
The team captains will submit their
3 pairs in order of merit before the match commences.
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3.4 |
In Premier Divisions, there will be
a tiebreak in each set at 6-6 (5-5 for evening matches). In all other
divisions the third set will be replaced by a tiebreak. This will be shown
on results cards as 1-0 or 0-1 (e.g. 6-4 3-6 1-0) and will be counted as
one set and one game when the cards are totalled at the end of the match.
If, however, both captains are in agreement before the commencement of the
match that throughout the entire match the third set should be played,
this is allowable.
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3.5 |
Matches in the evening must
commence no later than 6.00 pm. Unless floodlights are available to
complete a match, or the Captains mutually agree otherwise, the time of
cessation of play shall be at sunset.
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Scoring System |
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4.1 |
Each team will be awarded 1 point
for each pair competing in the match.
The winner of each match shall
receive 3 points and the loser 0 points.
Where the events are shared 3-3
(evening matches), the winner of the match shall be determined by
reference to the number of sets won. If the number of sets won is the same
then the winner of the match shall be determined by reference to the
number of games won. If the number of games won is the same then the match
shall be determined by reference to the result of the event between the
teams’ first pairs.
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4.2 |
In the event of a match being
conceded, the Club in default shall have no points but the intended
opponents shall receive 6 points, 9 events, 18 sets and 108 games.
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Schedule of Matches |
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5.1 |
All matches shall be completed in
accordance with the schedules laid down by Tennis Wales South.
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5.2 |
For the purposes of arranging the
dates and times of all matches, and to transact any other business in
connection with the competition, a Fixtures Meeting shall be held prior to
the start of the season for representatives of the competing clubs, with
the dates and times of all matches being determined by the home club.
Complete lists of the dates and times agreed upon shall be submitted to
Tennis Wales South within 14 days of the date of the Fixtures Meeting.
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5.3 |
The dates thus agreed upon shall be
strictly adhered to and no match shall be postponed for any reason except
bad weather or the unfit condition of the courts unless sanctioned by
Tennis Wales South and confirmed in writing by the club.
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5.4 |
All matches should be completed
within 14 days of the end of the fixture list relevant to the Division
concerned.
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5.5 |
A Club not completing its matches
within the specified fixture period shall be awarded 0 points for matches
not played.
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5.6 |
Any team conceding three or more of
its fixtures will be considered as having withdrawn from the League and
the results of matches played will be declared null and void. Any team
seeking to re-enter in subsequent years shall be placed in the lowest
division.
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Postponed Matches |
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6.1 |
The home team must contact the
visiting team in the event of it being found necessary to postpone the
match due to bad weather or the unfit condition of the courts. It is the
obligation of the visiting team to advise the home team of the telephone
number of the official responsible for the team and the latest time by
which that official must be contacted to stop the visiting team travelling.
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6.2 |
Postponed matches must be played
within 18 days, with the home team offering the opposition 3 dates within
this period. The dates offered and the agreed date for the rematch are to
be submitted in writing by both parties to Tennis Wales South within 5
days.
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6.3 |
An extension to the period within
which postponed matches must be played may only be sanctioned by Tennis
Wales South.
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Abandoned Matches |
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7.1 |
Where weather or bad light results
in a match having to be abandoned, if a team has won sufficient events to
win the match, the result shall stand. In these circumstances, only the
events, sets and games completed will count. Where an insufficient number
of events has been completed to achieve a result, the whole match is to be
replayed at the same venue within 18 days. In these circumstances, the
home team must offer the opposition 3 dates within this period. The dates
offered and the agreed date for the rematch are to be submitted in writing
by both parties to Tennis Wales South within 5 days.
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7.2 |
An extension to the period within
which abandoned matches must be played may only be sanctioned by Tennis
Wales South.
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7.3 |
If weather or bad light does not
interfere with play, all 3 rounds (2 rounds for evening matches) must be
completed by actual play or concession of events.
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Courts and Equipment |
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8.1 |
All competing clubs should make
available 3 courts of an acceptable standard and equipped in accordance
with the Rules of Lawn Tennis.
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8.2 |
Where a club has sufficient courts
of different surfaces, a match shall, unless otherwise agreed by the two
captains, be played on one surface, except that a match may if necessary
be transferred to another surface following the intervention of the
weather. The home club shall have the choice of surface and the visiting
club shall have the right to determine court allocation.
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8.3 |
All matches shall be played with at
least 9 new balls that are of an ITF recognised brand.
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Late Arrival |
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9.1 |
If any player is not on court and
ready to play within 15 minutes of the agreed starting time, a set will be
deducted from each of the opposing pairs unable to commence play.
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9.2 |
If play has not commenced within 40
minutes of the agreed starting time, then the first round event(s) will be
conceded 6-0 6-0.
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9.3 |
If any player is not on court by
the commencement of the 2nd round events then all events
involving the player(s) concerned will be conceded 6-0, 6-0.
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Dress
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10.1 |
Appropriate tennis wear must always
be worn, with competitors adhering to the rules of the host club, both in
dress and footwear, when playing away.
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Results |
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11.1 |
The captain, or other responsible
official of each team shall be responsible for submitting a match card
giving the names of all players and the full score of all events, sets and
games won and lost. The match card must be sent to Tennis Wales South
within 7 days of the conclusion of each match, duly counter-signed by the
captain, or other responsible official, of the other club.
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11.2 |
On completion of the schedule of
matches, club representatives shall contact the appropriate Tennis Wales
South office in order to confirm that all submitted result cards have been
received for the season.
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11.3 |
The League Committee shall be under
no obligation to take into account any match, the result of which has not
been submitted in accordance with these Regulations by a designated date.
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12.1 |
The team scoring the highest number
of points in Premier Division I shall be the Champion Team of the year.
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12.2 |
In normal circumstances, the bottom
two teams in each Division shall be relegated and the top two teams shall
be promoted except for Divisions I East and 1 West and Divisions 2A and 2B
East (and West if applicable).
In these Divisions there shall be
playoffs between the first placed team in one division and the second
placed team in the other division in each Division 1 and each Division 2
East (and West if applicable).
The winners of each playoff shall
be promoted.
Players competing in the play-offs
must have competed for their divisional team at least twice during the
League season.
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12.3 |
The playoff dates will be confirmed
following ratification of the season’s results and are subject to the
same rules as the League. The first placed teams shall be the Home team in
the playoffs.
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12.4
12.5 |
In the event of points being equal
a percentage of events won to count, then sets and then games will
determine the Club to occupy the higher position. (e.g. Number of events
won / Total number of events played x 100%.)
Promotions and Relegations from
parallel divisions shall be in accordance with the following diagram.
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