Rules & Regulations

Rules of play – all ITF rules and regulations are in force with the following SEASAC modifications. Singles sticks are required.

Tennis will be a 3 day format, scheduled Thursday to Sunday.  

1. Number of participants

Minimum number for full SEASAC Participation Points is 7.

• Max of 8 players per team

• 1st, 2nd and 3rd singles, 1st and 2nd doubles

• 1 coach per team per school will be allowed on court 

• Teams entering with less than the minimum of 7 players forfeit all rubbers in the tournament.

2. Players will be seeded by their own schools 1 - 8 and players may participate in both singles and doubles matches during the tournament (but not within the same match). The players you are fielding for each round of matches must be declared at set times shared by the TD. It is stressed that this system depends upon the integrity of the coaches in ranking their own players. Students should be seeded according to their UTR ranking.If a student’s UTR reliability is 90% or higher, the seeding must strictly follow the UTR order.If a student’s UTR reliability is below 90%, adjustments to the seeding order may be permitted, provided that there is clear justification explaining why a change is appropriate despite the UTR ranking.

All changes must be documented and approved to ensure transparency and fairness.

3. Players will be seeded by their own schools, and equivalent seeding paired up for matches. It is stressed that this system depends upon the integrity of the coaches in ranking their own players. 

- Players will be seeded by their own schools 1 - 8 and players may participate in both singles and doubles matches during the tournament (but not within the same match). Team roster is to be submitted no less than 5 minutes before the start of the match.  Teams cannot see the team roster of the opposition before the start of the match.  No changes can be made once submission has occurred. 

- Singles must play in seed order. Doubles 1 must have a lower or equal combined ranking than doubles 2 and the highest rank doubles player must play doubles 1. Scenarios below: 

- The TD, with the assistance of a technical advisor can change the seedings of a team if deemed that an AD seeded their team incorrectly. Additionally, if the TD feels a team intentionally did not seed their team accurately then it will be discussed with the SEASAC committee and discussed at the AGM, and that school will be put on probation for the following year in that sport.

• Seeding will be submitted and verified by the AD of the school to the TD on the Monday preceding the tournament and the TD will email the seedings to all other competing schools. The TD, with the assistance of a technical advisor can change the seedings of a team if deemed that an AD seeded their team incorrectly. Additionally, if the TD feels a team intentionally did not seed their team accurately then it will be discussed with the SEASAC Committee and at the AGM and that school will be put on probation for the following year in that sport. Seedings will be posted on the tournament notice board and subsequently adhered to.

4. Tournament scoring system to follow UTR. Using the following format. 

• Best of 3 short sets (3 point deuce for time-sake)

• Final set super-tie break first to 10 (must win by 2 clear points).

• In a short set (set 1 & 2), 4-4 goes to tie-break (first to 7 points by 2-clear points). 

• 3 point deuce refers to: one advantage, then back to a deuce. The next point is the deciding point. 

• Receivers choice of side to receive the final point (eg ad side or deuce side).

• Warm–up: limited to 5 minutes/match (It is recommended that a system be set up to monitor the warm-up time).

• Players can request a 30-minute maximum rest period between matches. The request must be made with the TD and should be used for playoff matches only. 

5. Coaches are allowed to coach from coaching areas only; however, it should not stop play. The TD has the authority to regulate appropriate coaching behaviour. Coaching is considered to be communication, advice, or instruction of any kind, audible or visual to a player. Coaching will be allowed at the change of ends.

6. Order of play will be 1st singles, 2nd singles, 3rd singles, 1st doubles and 2nd doubles. All matches must be played and forfeits are not allowed to happen. Coaches must declare at the beginning of the match if a player is injured and they must use their reserve (following the reserve player substitution rules). 

7. If a player forfeits a match, during play, it will be the discretion of the TD to allow that player to continue.

8. If a player forfeits a second match in the tournament, the TD has the right to exclude them from all future play with the exception of academic reasons, e.g. SATs.

9.  Tournament Tiebreakers  

•  Head to Head 

• Total rubbers won against tied teams in matches against each other  

• Total sets won against tied teams in matches against each other  ( a super tiebreak counts as a set and additionally a game) 

• Total games won against tied teams in matches against each other ( a super tiebreak break counts as set and additionally a game) 

• Once a tiebreak has been resolved additional ties will be resolved in the same format using the same sequence of procedures beginning with the head to head result. 

10.  Unplayed or partially played matches  

• If one full set has been finished the winner is deemed to be the pair/player who has won that set 

•  If one full set has not been finished then the match is void  

• Three out of the five matches must have finished one set for the match to count as a result 

11. For call disputes, challenge language should be direct and official “I challenge the call”. At an official challenge, point stays with the receiver - no repeat of point, but coaches note the challenge. For the next (or pre-determined follow-up) challenge, independent officials called in (such as neutral coach or TD) to watch matches and rule on any further challenges (would not assume line calling duty).

 12. Scheduling: the schedule is an estimate of match times. As matches vary in length teams must be prepared at the TD request.

 13.  A School will receive one MVP nomination per team, which can be awarded to any two players from their participating team(s). Schools will be asked to submit their MVP nominations in time for the  presentations to take place at the gala dinner.

14.  Hosts need to organise games and to have allocated spaces for substitute players bought by schools.

15.  All SEASAC schools have UTR rosters.