DELSEA TENNIS CLUB LADDER RULES 

 

Members of the Delsea Club Tennis Ladder must meet the following qualifications.

  1. Players must be current club members.
  2. Membership dues must be up to date.
  3. South Jersey is defined as the 7 counties south of the I95 Corridor (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem).
  4. A Qualified player is defined as a player from Gloucester County or a South Jersey player that played on one of the Delsea Teams in the 2022 and/or 2023 seasons.
  5. A rostered player is any active player, including out of state or Non-South Jersey players, that played for one of the Delsea Teams in the 2022 and/or 2023 seasons and paid dues to Delsea Tennis Club.
  6. Out of state and non-South Jersey “rostered” players (played and paid dues in the 2022 and/or 2023 season on one of the three Delsea teams):  These players can continue to play on a Delsea Tennis Club team as the rostered singles player but can only be listed or challenge onto the doubles ladder with a Qualified player.
  7. Doubles players may have only one partner on the ladder.
  8. Starting in the 2024 season:  the only new players challenging onto the doubles ladder must be from Gloucester County or a “South Jersey” resident challenging in with a Gloucester County resident.  No new “out of state” or non “South Jersey” player can challenge onto the ladder.
  9. Because of the difficulty finding single players, new Singles players challenging on the singles ladder can be from Gloucester County or one of the South Jersey counties.
  10. A new singles player from South Jersey can only challenge onto the doubles ladder with a Qualified player.

 

Making a Challenge

  1. The challenge season runs from March 1 through October 31.
  2. Any new Challengers must email the team they want challenge to register a challenge and to learn availability of players.
  3. At the same time, the challengers must email the captain of the team on which they are challenging and advise the captain of the challenge.
  4. After setting up the match, the challengers must email the captain of the team on which they are challenging and supply the date and time of the challenge match.
  5. Delseatennis@gmail.com must be copied on all emails relating to the challenge so that the website can be updated. 
  6. All Challenge matches should be played within eight (8) days of the challenge. 
  7. An effort should be made to play challenge matches outside.
  8. Unranked players or teams may get on the ladder by challenging any position on the ladder. If victorious, the challengers take the loser’s rank, and all players/teams below drop one position. If the challengers lose, they may challenge at a position no higher than five positions lower or may add their names to the bottom of the ladder.
  9. Challengers may not challenge on the ladder by way of default.
  10. While a match is pending, players may not make or accept other challenges.
  11. Players on the ladder may challenge, 1, 2, or 3 positions above their current rank.
  12. Challengers must supply new unopened approved USTA tennis balls.
  13. Matches are decided by the best of three sets. A Coman tie-breaker (first to seven by two) will be used when the scores is 6 all.

 

After the match:

  1. The challengers will let the team captain know the winner of the match by email and will copy dennistennis@gmail.com on the results.
  2. The results of the challenge will be posted on the website and the ladder adjusted accordingly should the challengers win the challenge match.
  3. During the four days following the match, the Challengers cannot make another challenge.
  4. During the four day period following the match the following rules apply: 1) Players cannot schedule a rematch; 2) the defender can decline challenges during the four day period; 3) the challenger can not make another challenge.

 

Withdrawal from the ladder

  1. Players may voluntarily withdraw from the ladder at any time.
  2. Starting 4/11/24: If a team/players are unavailable for more than 15 consecutive days during the challenge season (March 1 through 10/31) the player(s) must withdraw from the ladder. 
  3. Players unavailable for a period of 8 to 15 days must advise the Delsea Club Board at Delseatennis@gmail.com. They will be classified as "inactive" and allowed to return to the ladder without challenge. 
  4. If the Board is not advised of an “inactive status” (injury, vacation, etc.)  and the player is challenged and not available to play within 8 days, they will be defaulted.