Rules

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Rules

WORLD MASTERS AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

A) General championship rules

  1. The Championships shall be called the “World Masters Amateur Championships”. They shall cover both “Individual Competitions” (or “Competitions”) and “International Team Events” (or “Events”).
  2. The Championships shall normally be contested biennially and each shall be held, where possible, at a single venue in the host country.  The host country shall rotate in the order of USA, UK, Australia, France.
  3. The Championships shall be open to players of the appropriate standard, who are recognized as amateur players by their National Association and who have reached the requisite age during the year in which the Championships are held.
  4. The International Tennis Committee (ITC) shall determine the Rules under which the Championships are played, and, in cases of conflict, shall take precedence over any other Rules or Procedures.
  5. The National Association of the host country shall appoint a Tournament Organizer, who shall be the focal point for contact and responsible for the pre-planning and day-to-day running of the Championships.  He shall advise the other National Associations, not less than twelve months before their commencement, at which courts (s) and over which approximate dates the Championships will be played.
  6. The Championships shall be played under the “Laws of Tennis” and any “Tournament Rules and Procedures” applicable in the host country.
  7. The handicaps used for eligibility and seeding purposes in the Individual Competitions shall be those shown on the RTO Website 21 days before the commencement of the Championships.  The handicaps applicable for determining the order of play in the Team Events shall be those shown on the RTO Website 2 days before the start of the first International Event.
  8. The handicaps for doubles pairs shall be based on the combined handicaps of players as calculated by the T&RA Calculator for Doubles Handicaps.  This calculation shall be based on each player’s doubles handicap, except for players who only have a singles handicap posted on the Website, in which case their singles handicap shall be used.

B) Specific Rules for Individual Championships

  1. The Individual Competitions shall embrace Singles and Doubles contests with separate events for players aged respectively over 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 years.
  2. The handicap levels below which competitors shall be automatically eligible to compete shall be:
Singles Handicap Combined Doubles Handicap
Over 503035
Over 553540
Over 604045
Over 654550
Over 705055
Over 755560
Over 806065

The acceptance of entries from players with handicaps above these levels shall be at the discretion of the Tournament Organizer.

  1. Players shall be entitled to enter a maximum of four separate events, although the Tournament Organizer shall have discretion to set a higher or lower restriction if the scheduling, available facilities or size of entry make this practical.
  2. All Competition matches, except for the Over 80’s shall be played as level matches on a knockout basis, with each match the best of three six-game sets, and all games played to full advantage.  The Over 80’s shall be played as one nine game set but with the final played over 3 sets with the 3rd set, if required, starting at 3 all.
  3. Scheduling should be such that :
    • i) No player is required to play successive rounds of the same event at a different venue.
    • ii) No player is asked to play more than two matches in the same age group in the same day.  However, players who enter events in more than one age group must be prepared to accept the scheduling consequences.

C) General Rules for International Team Events

  1. The International Team Events shall include separate contests for players aged over 50, 60 70 and 80 years.  The international teams shall compete for the Ted Cockram Trophy (Over 50), the Pete Bostwick Cup (Over 60), and the Danby Trophy (Over 70) and the Munõz Trophy (Over 80).  The Events shall be competed as Fixtures of a defined number of Matches played between the participating countries.
  2. The International Team Events shall include separate contests for players aged over 50, 60 70 and 80 years.  The international teams shall compete for the Ted Cockram Trophy (Over 50), the Pete Bostwick Cup (Over 60), and the Danby Trophy (Over 70) and the Munõz Trophy (Over 80).  The Events shall be competed as Fixtures of a defined number of Matches played between the participating countries :
    • i)   he was born in that country, or
    • ii)  his natural mother or father were born in that country, or
    • iii) he is a citizen of that country, or
    • iv) he has been a permanent resident in that country throughout the immediately preceding four years, or
    • v)  he has dual nationality and elects to make himself available to represent that country.
  3. Any player who has already represented a country in the World Masters, but wishes to represent another country may change allegiance once only, and is permitted provided :
    • i)   he did not represent a different country in the immediately preceding Competitions; and
    • ii)  he is a citizen of that country, and
    • iii) he has been a permanent resident in that country thoughout the immediately preceding four years.
  4. A player shall be deemed to have represented a country if he has been nominated to play and accepted that nomination to play in any Fixture for that country in the World Masters International Team Event.
  5. Each participating country may enter one team for each Event.  When four countries enter, two countries shall be seeded in the first round of the event on the basis of handicap rankings  with their opponents drawn by lot.  When only three countries enter, the Events will be played in a round robin format with teams playing fixtures against each of the other two participating countries.  Where scheduling and facilities permit, the host Country may elect to adopt a round robin format even when four countries are participating but this shall be solely at the discretion of the host country organizer.
  6. Each country entering the Championships shall be entitled to appoint one representative per team to a Committee of Management (COM), which shall meet when necessary to resolve any disputes, or matters of principle, arising during the event. The COM shall be empowered to make any final decisions in this regard in keeping with the spirit of these events, on the basis of one vote per representative. The representative of the host country shall be Chairman of the COM and shall have a casting vote, if required.
  7. Each team shall be allocated a minimum of three hours practice time in the two days preceding the commencement of the Team Events.  Should additional practice time be available, this will be shared equally between the competing teams.
  8. Countries may select their teams for any match from any nominated players who :
    • i) are of the requisite age,
    • ii) are registered members of their National Association,
    • iii) are recognized as amateur players by their National Association, and
    • iv) did not represent a different country in the previous International Team Events and
    • v) is qualified under Rules 15 & 16 above.
  9. Selection of the singles players and the doubles combinations for each match shall be at the discretion of each team, except that the players chosen to play singles shall play in handicap order (i.e. best player ranked No. 1) and the pairs selected to play doubles shall play in order of combined handicaps as calculated by the T&RA Calculator for Doubles Handicaps.
  10. In any case where a country fails to produce the requisite number of players, it will be the responsibility of the ITC (in advance), or failing that, the COM (at the event) to decide to what extent matches should be forfeited, or players permitted to play more than once.  Each situation should be resolved on its own merits. General guidelines are set out within the specific rules for each age group.
  11. The scheduling of matches shall be at the discretion of the Tournament Organizer in the overall interests of the Tournament.  The default order of play for the International Team matches in a Fixture shall be as specified in Rules 35, 45, 52 and 59 below. This order may be altered by the Tournament Organizer in the overall interests of the Tournament, or at the request of either Team Captain. In the event that the Team Captains cannot agree on the resultant order of play, it shall be decided by ballot under the control of the COM.
  12. Each Team Captain shall nominate his team, in ranking order, in writing to the COM not less than 30 minutes before the scheduled start of play for each match and the COM shall communicate this information forthwith to the opposing Captain.
  13. Substitutions may not be made after teams have been nominated, without the agreement of both Captains.
  14. All matches shall be the best of three six-game sets played level, and games shall be played to full advantage.
  15. The winner of each Tournament Trophy shall be the team winning the Final, or, in the case of a round robin format, the most Fixtures. In the event of a tie in the number of Fixtures won in any tournament, the winner shall be:
    • i)  The team with the most matches won, or if still equal;
    • ii)  The team with the least sets lost, or if still equal;
    • iii) The team with the most sets won, or if still equal;
    • iv) The team with the least games lost, or if still equal;
    • v)  The team with the most games won, or if still equal;
    • v)  The team with the most games won, or if still equal;

In the event that a winner has not emerged after all of the above tie-breakers have been applied, the winner shall be decided by a “Grill Hitting” Competition, the Rules of which shall be determined by the COM.

The second placed team shall be the winner of the fixture between the two other teams.

D) Specific Rules for the Cockram Trophy

  1. Participants in the Cockram Trophy shall be aged 50 or over, during the year in which the event takes place.
  2. Team rankings shall be based on the aggregate of the handicaps of the five lowest (best) handicapped players on the team. The best ranked team shall be the one with the lowest aggregate handicap.
  3. Each inter-country Fixture shall consist of three singles and two doubles matches.
  4. The host country shall be penalized if it fails to provide a full complement of players for any match (See Rule 34 below), but visiting countries may enter teams of six players without penalty, provided they have less than seven players  with a handicap of 35 or better attending the concurrent World Masters Amateur Championships.
  5. Except as specified in Rule 34 below, no player shall be permitted to play in more than one age group, nor play more than once, in the same inter-country match.
  6. A visiting country entering a six-man team, under Rule 32, may supplement its team, either by including a player from its Bostwick, Danby or Munõz Cup team, or by playing its highest singles handicap player twice.  In the latter case, the highest handicap player shall play in both the third singles and second doubles.
  7. In cases where a host team falls below the requisite number of players before the start of any match :
    • i)   If reduced to six players, it shall forfeit the third singles match;
    • ii)  If reduced to five players, it shall forfeit the second doubles match;
    • iii)  If reduced to less than five players, it shall forfeit the entire fixture.
  8. The default order of play for Cockram Trophy matches shall be :
    • i)   First Doubles;
    • ii)  Third Singles;
    • iii) First Singles;
    • iv) Second Singles;
    • v)  Second Doubles.                

E) Specific Rules for the Bostwick Cup

  1. Participants in the Bostwick Cup shall be aged 60 or over, during the year in which the event takes place
  2. Team rankings shall be based on the aggregate of the handicaps of the five lowest (best) handicapped players on the team.  The best ranked team shall be the one with the lowest aggregate handicap.
  3. Each inter-country Fixture shall consist of two singles and three doubles matches
  4. The host country shall be penalized if it fails to provide a full complement of players for any match, but visiting countries may enter teams of between six and eight players without penalty, provided they have less than eight players with a handicap of 45 or better attending the concurrent World Masters Amateur Championships.
  5. Except as specified in Rules 42 & 43 below, no player shall be permitted to play in more than one age group, nor play more than once, in the same inter-country match.
  6. A visiting country entering a seven man team, under Rule 40, may supplement its team either by including a player from its Danby or Munõz Cup team, or by playing its highest singles handicap player twice.  In the latter case, the highest handicapped player shall play in both the second singles and the third doubles.
  7. A visiting country entering a six man team, under Rule 40, may supplement its team by including :
    • i)   Two players from its Danby or Munõz Cup team; or
    • ii)  Playing its two highest handicap players twice; or
    • ii)  Playing its two highest handicap players twice; or

In each case the order of play for the team must satisfy Rule 22.

  1. In cases where a host team falls below the requisite number of players before the start of any match :
    • i)   If reduced to seven players, it shall forfeit the second singles match;
    • ii)   If reduced to six players, it shall forfeit the third doubles match;
    • iii)  If reduced to five players, it shall forfeit the second singles and third doubles matches;
    • iv)  If reduced to less than five players, it shall forfeit the fixture.
  2. The default order of play for Bostwick Cup matches shall be :
    • i)   First Doubles;
    • ii)  Third Doubles;
    • iii)  First Singles;
    • iv)  Second Singles:
    • iv)  Second Singles:

F) Specific Rules for the Danby Trophy

  1. The Danby Trophy participants shall be aged 70 or over during the year in which the event takes place.
  2. Team rankings shall be based on the aggregate of the handicaps of the three lowest handicapped players on the team. The best-ranked team shall be the one with the lowest aggregate handicap.
  3. Each inter-country fixture shall consist of three double matches.
  4. The host country shall be required to provide a full complement of players for any match.
  5. Visiting teams shall be required to make every effort to recruit the full complement of six players, although special consideration will be given to any country that is unable to recruit six players with a handicap of 55 or better.
  6. In any case where a country fails to produce the requisite number of players, in order that no team should be placed at a disadvantage by a team fielding a lesser number of players, the following guidelines should be considered first :
    A visiting country entering a team of less than six players may supplement its team as follows :
    • i) By adding the necessary number of players from the Munõz team.
    • ii) If reduced to five players, it may play its highest handicap player in both the second and third doubles matches.
    • iii) If reduced to four players, it may play its two highest handicap players twice; the two highest handicap player shall play in the third doubles, and the next two highest handicap players shall play in the second doubles.
    • iv) If reduced to three players, each player may play twice.

In each case the order of play for the team must satisfy Rule 22.

If, under option iv) above, the score is one match all after the first two matches, the team with a full complement of players may play its lowest handicap player a second time in the deciding match.

  1. The default order of play for Danby Cup matches shall be :
    • i)   First Doubles;
    • ii)  Third Doubles;
    • iii)  Second Doubles.

G) Specific Rules for the Munõz Trophy

  1. The Munõz Trophy participants shall be aged 80 or over during the year in which the event takes place.
  2. Team rankings shall be based on the aggregate of the handicaps of the three lowest handicapped players on the team. The best-ranked team shall be the one with the lowest aggregate handicap.
  3. Each inter-country fixture shall consist of two double matches.
  4. The host country shall be required to provide a full complement of players for any match.
  5. Visiting teams shall be required to make every effort to recruit the full complement of four players, although special consideration will be given to any country that is unable to recruit four players with the necessary handicap.
  6. In any case where a country fails to produce the requisite number of players, in order that no team should be placed at a disadvantage by a team fielding a lesser number of players, the following guidelines should be considered first :

    A visiting country entering a team of less than four players may supplement its team as follows :
    • i)  If reduced to three players, it may play its highest handicap player in both doubles matches.
    • ii)  If reduced to two players, the country must forfeit the Fixture.
  7. In the event of a tie with Matches split 1-1, a deciding set shall be played between a scratch pairing selected as one player from each of the competing pairs.
  8. The default order of play for Munõz Trophy matches shall be :
    • i) Second Doubles;
    • ii) First Doubles;

Approved by ITC [XXXX 2021]