Scheduling
- It is your responsibility to get in touch with players in your division in order to find a time convenient for both of you, in which to play your match. Email is the most preferred way to contact a player in your division. The singles league regular season will end sometime in September, with playoffs starting shortly after.
- A coin flip, the flip of the racquet or a voluntary consensus between players will decide who serves first for each match.
A member can play in 1 or 2 divisions. A maximum of 2 singles divisions per member is allowed.
If a FHTC member has won a singles playoff title 2 times, then he or she has to move up to the higher division and is ineligible to play in the division for future seasons where he or she has won the title 2 times. If a member is already in the highest division(A), he or she can continue to compete in that division.
3. Match Length
Not greater then a 10 minute warm up is the standard rule to ensure you finish your match in time
All matches are to be played using regular standard tennis rules, except that instead of playing a best of 3 sets (to keep game times reasonable), games will be decided on a “FIRST to win SIX games” (STANDARD TENNIS SET) with regular advantage scoring. You must win the set by 2 games, however If the score is 6-6 in games, then play a regular style tiebreaker up to 7 points (1-2-2-2, etc) to determine the winner of the set with a final score of 7 games to 6 games.
For Singles league play, matches are up to 6 games, however the rule is if you get removed from the court due to a future reservation or your time is up on the court, then the 2 players should finish the match on the next available court that day. If the 2 players do not have time to finish the match, due to rain darkness or any other reason then the short match score is emailed in.
The league commissioner will then round the score up and games up to fit in with the scoring system.
4. Points System / Scoring
Standard tennis set is played up to 6 games
8 points are split. Winner gets 8 points (1 per game won and 2 point bonus for winning) minus 0.5 points for each game he or she lost
Final Score Points Chart
6-0 Winner gets 8 points Loser gets 0 points
6-1 Winner gets 7.5 points Loser gets 0.5 points
6-2 Winner gets 7 points Loser gets 1 point
6-3 Winner gets 6.5 points Loser gets 1.5 points
6-4 Winner gets 6 points Loser gets 2 points
7-5 Winner gets 5.5 points Loser gets 2.5 points
7-6 Winner gets 5 points. Loser gets 3 points
As well only each player’s top 15 scores played for the season will count towards his total points in the standings. A player can play as many matches as he likes, but only his top 15 scores will count for his points total. Also for scoring purposes, only the first league match played versus a certain person counts in the standings in each division, you can also play exhibition matches, but only the first head-to-head score counts for the standings per division, per season.
5. If a player is unable to finish a match due to injury or emergency, then there are 2 options.
The non-defaulting player at the time can decide to take the win, and his score automatically gets pushed up to 6 games and the defaulting player gets the score he has at the time of forfeit
Only If the non-defaulting player agrees, both players can agree to continue and finish the match at another day and time, you must continue the match with the score you had.
6. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER OF THE MATCH TO EMAIL THE SCORE TO fhtcleague@hotmail.com WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF PLAYING THE MATCH. ALSO, INCLUDE THE DATE THE MATCH WAS PLAYED, YOU MUST COPY YOUR OPPONENT IN THE EMAIL AS WELL. SCORES EMAILED AFTER 5 DAYS OF PLAYING MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED. After your matches, please email me your results so I can update the website. If your opponent does not show up for a scheduled match, you can reschedule, or the player who showed up has the first option to take the win and will be awarded the 8 points on default.
In case a player does not show up for a match and does not cancel within 3 hours’ notice then the other player can take the 6 to 0 default victory if he or she chooses. In case there is a weather discrepancy and concern over rain or other weather and a player cancels pass the 3 hour deadline, no default will be awarded.
7. Playoffs seeding
Ordering for tiebreakers are as follows:
a. Most total points
b. Winner of head-to-head matchup
c. Best winning percentage from all his top 15 matches played.
d. A coin toss will decide the positioning.
8. Playoff Format
For each division, the playoff format will be as follows with the conclusion of the regular season. Top 4 seeds in total points for each division make the playoffs automatically regardless of points accumulated. (Minimum 1 game played at very least) In each group as well any player from seed 5th seed to seed 8th seed that has a minimum of 30 points will also make the playoffs. If the 9th seed or higher has 30 pts or more for example he or she will not make the playoffs. No reseeding in playoff brackets based on first round playoff results, a straight draw is set up.
The last day of the regular season and playoff schedule dates will be set up well in advance. There is some flexibility of a few days with the playoff matches if time allows.
9. (Lucky Playoff Entrant Rule) For playoffs once the regular season ends the draws are then officially set. e.g. 1 vs. 8 and 2 vs. 7. However, once after they are set before playoffs begin, if a player cannot play in the playoffs for any reason, vacation or injury. The first person out of the playoffs (e.g. in 9th place) will have a chance to fill in and take that playoff spot, then 10th place, and so on till all playoff spots are set. (MInimum 1 game played) After the first round of playoffs if a player cannot play there is no fill in and a default will be awarded after the first round.
10. For any matters that come not covered here the league commissioner will make the final decision.
Men’s Premier Division
As of the 2019 season at Forest Hill Tennis Club there is a new Men’s Premier division created to attract a very high level of competitive play. Only players who have qualified for this division may play in this division. Qualifying is based solely on your past tennis performance at FHTC or tennis performance elsewhere. Any member can make their way into the division in a future season by qualifying.
The Qualifications. Any 1 or more of these below qualify a person to play in the Premier division
a. Once a player has played one match in F.H.T.C. Premier division he is grandfathered in forever regardless of new qualification rules
b. Has finished in first place in the regular season standings in F.H.T.C. Men’s A Division
c. Has played in the F.H.T.C. Mens A finals
d. Has won an adult OTA singles Tournament or other provincial equivalent tournament or has won a USTA adult Tournament
e. Has become a men’s singles club champion at any recognized tennis club in the world.
f. Was at any time or currently is a member of a Varsity University/College Team anywhere in the world.
g. Has won professional tennis matches on a professional circuit.
(solid proof of past performance must be given to the commissioner for qualifications for performance outside of F.H.T.C)