To sign up, just click the "Join SRDTL" button

 

The Steiner Ranch Doubles Tennis Ladder is FREE for men and women 18 and over and is a way for local tennis players to meet and play matches on their own schedules without having to make any commitments to play regularly scheduled matches.  Make sure that you read and fully understand the rules below before signing up.

 

Here's how it works (rules):​

• Teams can be 2 men, 2 women or a mixed team.

• You can only be on one team.

• All Teams are ranked and listed on the ladder.

• When you join, your combined tennis rating determines where you are added on the ladder.  Your team is added near others with similar tennis ratings and you must work your way up.

• You can leave the ladder at any time, and rejoin at any time.  To leave the ladder, please go to the ladder on the website and click on the red LEAVE button and fill in the information.  When you rejoin the ladder (by signing up on the website again) you will be added either at a similar location from when you left the ladder or somewhere below that.

• Each month teams are grouped in 3's according to rank and some time during that month you schedule and play your two matches with the other two teams in your group.  This doesn’t mean that all three teams have to meet at the same time and play two back to back matches.  It means that if I am on team 2, I get in touch with the players on team 1 to schedule our match some time during the month and I also get in touch with the players on team 3 to schedule a match during the month.

• You have the entire month to play your 2 matches, but try not to wait until the last day.  You should contact your opponents within the first week of the month.  Text is best, but if you get no response don’t forget about email or an actual phone call with voices.

• Depending on the number of teams each month, there may be groups in a month that only have one match or could have 3 matches.  If you are in a larger group for a month with 3 matches, do your best to get the 3 matches played, but don’t worry if you only get 2.

• If you fail to play any matches for 2 straight months (nothing reported or forfeit) you will be automatically dropped from the ladder for the next month and the following months until you sign up again on the website.  You can always rejoin at any time but you will be off the ladder for at least the next month.

• If your teammate is unable to play, you are allowed to have a substitute for a match.  Ideally, the substitute should be close to the same playing level as the person for whom they are subbing and subbing should not be used to gain an advantage.  

• If you need to switch teammates, simply have the new player sign up stating who their teammate is, and the old teammate should click the "Leave SRDTL" button to leave the ladder.

• Players arrange the dates, times and locations of their matches.  Please be respectful of other people’s time.  On-time for your match should be 5 minutes early.  This is a local ladder, so all matches are to be played on one of the following approved “Steiner Ranch” courts:  Town Square Courts, Bella Mar Courts, John Simpson Courts, The UT Edgar O. and Melanie A. Weller Tennis Center, and Vandegrift High School.  Please note that you must be a Steiner Ranch resident or have a club membership to play on these courts, with the exception of Vandegrift High School.  Do not suggest playing on courts other than the courts listed above.

• The match format will be the best two out of three sets, with the third set being a 10 point tiebreaker if needed.  Players can agree to modify the match format for the situation, but if there is no agreement on something different, then the format mentioned above is the format.  For example, if players are having a great match and are feeling good and want to do a full third set, they can agree to that.  Or if the players are limited on time, or the weather is not ideal, they can play an 8 game Pro-set, or a 2 out of 3 Fast 4 match where the first player to 4 games by one wins the set.

• Penalties for Late Players:

• The point penalty system is enforced with the late player losing toss plus 1 game for each 5 minutes late. 

• Penalties begin at the scheduled time of the match. 

• The match is a default at 15:01 minutes late & considered a 6-0, 6-0 win for the player/team present. 

• If the player arrives before the defaulted time, he/she is to receive a 5 minute injury prevention warm-up. 

• Late penalties will be imposed only when a player’s late arrival is at fault for holding up the start of play. The only exception is if courts are not available at the match scheduled start time(s). 

• Example of Point Penalty System for Lateness:  Match start time is 8:00. 8:01-8:05 = loss of toss, plus 1 game. 8:06–8:10 = loss of toss, plus 2 games. 8:11–8:15 = loss of toss, plus 3 games. 8:15:01 = Match Default.

• This means that you should be early for your match.  If you schedule your match for 7:30 pm, then you should be there before that time.  

• We all know that sometimes life happens and things come up.  If you know that you are not going to be on time, contact your opponent and give them as much notice as possible.  If this happens and the players agree to a new time then the penalties don’t start until that new time.  

• We all want to play and have fun.  Let’s remember that goal.  But let’s also be respectful of other people’s time.

• Time Between Points, Games, and Sets:

• 20 seconds between points

• 90 seconds on changeovers (odd games)

• 120 seconds at the end of each set

• There is no break after the first game of any set, so players change sides right away but can get a quick drink without sitting

• Drinks should be taken on odd games only

• Tiebreakers, and Who Starts the Next Game or Set:

• USTA rules use the COMAN tiebreak both to determine the winner of a set and a match.  From here on out this is the format that we will use.

• When the set score is 6-6, the player or team who last received will serve the first point of the tiebreaker from the deuce side.  For doubles it follows the normal server rotation for that set.

• Thereafter, each player shall serve in rotation for 2 points, starting from the ad (left) side of the court, then the deuce (right) side of the court, until a winner of the set is decided. 

• Players change ends of the court after the first point and every four points thereafter (1, 5, 9, 13)

• The set tiebreaker is first to 7 by 2.

• The game and set score is now 7-6, so players change sides and the player who received for the first point of the tiebreaker serves for the first game of the second set.

• The match tiebreak (after each player or team has won 1 set) is treated as a third set. The individual team can decide which partner will serve first as it is the beginning of a new set. 

• If the previous set ended in a tiebreaker, then the player or team who received for the first point of that tiebreaker will serve the first point of the match tiebreaker (first to 10 points by 2).

• The player or team whose turn it is to serve after the end of the 2nd set, begins serving the first point of the match tiebreak from the deuce (right) side of the court. They serve 1 point. 

• Thereafter, each player shall serve in rotation for 2 points, starting from the ad (left) side of the court, then the deuce (right) side of the court, until a winner of the set is decided. 

• Players change ends of the court after the first point and every four points thereafter (1, 5, 9, 13)

• Score reporting to show tiebreakers should be in this format:  7-6(7-3), 4-6, 1-0(10-6)

• Both teams should bring a new can of balls to the match.  One can will be opened to play with.  The winner takes home the unopened can and the loser takes home the opened can of used balls. 

• Remember that this ladder is for competition, but it’s for fun.  When making calls you should be 100% sure, or give the benefit of the doubt to your opponent.  Be open to asking for your opponent’s opinion on a call, and be friendly.  It’s OK to lose!

• After the match is over, both teams should report the score right away on the website.  Remember that when you report your score, it is asking you for YOUR CURRENT LADDER RANKING (ex. 63), not your tennis rating (ex. 3.5).  Here are the match outcomes that can be reported:

  • Completed - The match was played and there was a winner and a final score.

  • Schedule Problem - Both players were in communication trying to figure out a match time and day but couldn’t match their schedules up.

  • Weather Problem - The weather made it so that the match could not be played.

  • Injury (match not finished) - The match was in the process of being played and one player had to retire due to an injury or sickness.  The non-retiring player gets the win and the score is still reported with a comment on which player had which score.

  • Injury (match not played) - The match was never started due to an injury or sickness of one player.  The non-injured player gets the win.

  • Forfeit - If one player tries hard to schedule a match and the other player makes no effort, the match is a forfeit.  It’s also a forfeit if one player just refuses or can’t play that month unless it’s due to injury.  Write forfeit in for the score and the other player gets the win.

• At the beginning of the next month, the team with the best record in the group moves up to the next group, and the team with the worst record moves down a group.  In the event of a tie in matches won, group movement will be decided first by head to head competition, then on sets won vs. sets lost.  If it’s still a tie at that point, the highest ranked team will move up and the lowest ranked team will move down.  The top 10 spots and the bottom 10 spots work a little differently in order to mix things up for those teams.  For the top 10, at the end of the month, #1 stays at the top. #2 moves to #4. #3 moves to #7. #4 moves to #2. #5 stays at #5.  #6 moves to #8. #7 moves to #3. #8 moves to #6. #9 moves to #10. #10 moves to #9. The bottom 10 move in a similar way to the top 10 only in reverse.  If there are 99 total teams, #99 stays at the bottom. #98 moves to #96. #97 moves to #93. #96 moves to #98. #95 stays at #95. #94 moves to #92. #93 moves to #97.  #92 moves to #94. #91 moves to #90. #90 moves to #91.

• Please keep in mind that the ladder is very fluid month to month.  Teams can quit the ladder at any time, and teams can sign up for the ladder at any time.  Adding and subtracting teams when the new ladder comes out on the 1st of the month can move things around quite a bit depending on the playing levels of the new players, as teams are added to the ladder near their own playing level.  For example, you may win both of your matches, but if 5 new teams join the ladder and they have a higher tennis rating than your general location on the ladder, you may actually move down a couple spots. Keep in mind that the primary goal of this free ladder is to have 2 competitive matches each month.  The secondary goal is to try to move up the ladder, which may or may not happen depending on the number of teams dropping and joining the ladder each month.

• Remember that by signing up for Steiner Ranch Doubles Tennis Ladder, you accept and agree to the following waiver of liability:  I hereby agree to assume full and complete responsibility, risks, liabilities and hazards incidental to participation in the Steiner Ranch Doubles Tennis Ladder. I agree to indemnify, release and hold harmless the Steiner Ranch Doubles Tennis Ladder, its office holders, agents, employees, and all other persons and entities associated with the ladder from any and all claims, costs, causes of action and liabilities including but not limited to illness, personal injury, death and/or damage to or destruction of property arising from participation in the ladder. I agree to follow all policies and rules, its office holders, agents and employees. I understand failure to comply with Steiner Ranch Doubles Tennis Ladder's policies may result in my removal from said ladder. I have read the forgoing and certify my agreement by signing up for the ladder.

• Remember to be safe.  If you are playing someone you don’t know, it’s always a good idea to play on courts where there are other people around or else bring someone along with you to your match.