Queenstown Tennis Academy

Ladder Rules

The ladder has been updated to take account of activities during the last twelve months. Rules under the new system are set out below.  Please read carefully.

1.  The number of places that a member may challenge is as follows: Challengers ladder position  

2.  No challenge is valid until it is entered on the challenge sheet. A player may enter a challenge before contacting an opponent but this will be invalid if the date for the match is not noted on the sheet by 11pm two days later, i.e. if a player does not arrange and note the match by that time he/she must make himself / herself available for an upward challenge if one is received.

3.  The challenger must make direct contact with his/her chosen opponent, leaving messages by any method is not a valid challenge.

4.  A challenger may not change the day or time of challenge once arranged, otherwise the challenge becomes void. The challenger may not arrange another challenge with any player for 3 days but must make himself / herself available for an upward challenge if one is received.

5.  Challenges must be played within 10 days and all results entered on the challenge sheet on the same day.

6.  All challenge matches will be the best of three tie-break sets.

7.   If a player or players refuse a challenge for whatever reason, they will move to the position below the person or persons who issued the challenge. The challenger (s) stay (s) in his/her (their) original position. If a person refuses two challenges in a row they will be moved to the last position on the ladder.

8.  If a player fails to show up for an arranged match, the positioning procedure set in rule 7 applies.

9.  The winner of a challenge match need not accept a challenge from below during the 2 days following the win but may arrange a further upward challenge during this time.

10.  The loser of a challenge match may not arrange an upward challenge during the 5 days following the loss but he/she may be challenged from below during this time.

11.  A player may not be involved in more than one challenge at any one time.

12.  The challenger must supply a new set of tennis balls for the game

13.  The Men's / Ladies captains may arrange and register challenges without reference to Ladder positions in order to correct any imbalance's which in his/her opinion exist.

14.  In the event of a challenger losing a challenge match, he/she may only challenge the same opponent once more during 1 month (30 days) immediately after the original challenge.

15.  The ladder is not a stand alone system. Results of our Club Championships, including plate events will count towards ladder positions.