ITA Rule updates discussed during the ITA Convention meetings held in Naples, FL in December 2008. The following have been adopted/clarified and may not appear in the published edition of 2009 Friend at Court: New wording in bold
ITA Rule I.H.1 (page 255) Medical Time-Out. The USTA medical time-out regulation, USTA Regulation III.E. and USTA Table 10, applies with the following exceptions:
- In NCAA Division I, a player may have 1 Medical Time Out per match. Should the player need an additional Medical Time Out, the player will be retired. Exceptions are the Bleeding Time Out (which follows USTA Rules) and the Medical Time Out taken for a bathroom visit at an unauthorized time.
- All other Divisions: NCAA Division II & III, NAIA and Junior/Community College will default to the USTA Medical Time Out rule.
- In all Divisions, a player may have one Medical Time-Out during the warm-up and another Medical Time-Out during the match for the same condition, following USTA Rules.
c. (all current exceptions will shift down)
ITA Rule I.I.1. (page 256) No rest periods between second and third set. There shall be no rest period between the second and third sets. Extreme Heat: If the temperature is 90 degrees at the start of the match, the players shall be offered a 10 minute rest period between the second and third sets. Extreme heat situations do not apply to team competition (dual meets).
ITA Rule I.J.3&4 (page 257) Who May Coach: Coaching is permitted by the head coach and two designated coaches, who may be an assistant coach and/or a registered volunteer coach and/or player. All assistant coaches and volunteer coaches must be on the institutional coaching list and registered with their respective school. Two coaches may coach on the same court at one time.
ITA Rule I.L.1 a (page 258) Ball Usage: In NCAA Division I singles: one can of balls (3 balls) per set must be used, and in doubles: four (4) balls per doubles pro-set must be used. In all other Divisions, a minimum of three new yellow tennis balls, ITF-approved, shall be provided for each match. The balls shall be changed at the end of the second set. In doubles, four (4) balls per doubles pro-set must be used.
Combine ITA Rule II.A.8 & 9. (page 251) Men's Division III (3-6). The format in Men's Division III is 3-6 with nine team points. Players are given a 5-minute break after their doubles match.
Add new rule after ITA Rule II.B.13.b. (page252-253) Inclement weather.
Rule II.B.13.c. Matches played indoors. If a match is moved indoors due to inclement weather, the indoor facility or covered courts must meet the playable outdoor weather conditions stated in Rule II.B.13.a. (Rule II.B.13.c. will now become II.B.13.d.)
ITA Rule II.H.3.a (page 266) Carry-over of code violations after a match is over in team competitions. The following carry over rules apply in team competitions:
- Code violation after the completion of a match.
i. Team matches where doubles is played first, followed by singles: If a player commits a code violation after his/her doubles match is complete, the penalty shall be assessed to the highest remaining doubles team still in progress at the start of the next game or immediately in a tie breaker. (For 7-point team format: the penalty is assessed provided the doubles point has not yet been decided. If the doubles point has been decided, the carry over penalty shall be assessed at the start of that player's singles match). If that player is not playing in the singles, the carry over penalty shall be assessed to the no. 1 singles player from that team. If a player commits a code violation after his/her singles match is complete, the penalty shall be assessed to the highest remaining singles player still on the court at the start of the next game or immediately in a tie breaker.
There are five separate time segments when a player can commit a code violation:
1. During his/her first match (doubles) of the dual meet;
2. After his/her first match (doubles) of the dual meet but before the doubles
point has been decided.
3. After his/her first match (doubles) of the dual meet but after the doubles point
has been decided. (Applies only to 7-point team format).
4. During his/her second match (singles) of the dual meet;
5. After his/her second match (singles) of the dual meet.
ii. In team matches where singles is played first, followed by doubles: If a player commits a code violation after his/her singles match is complete, the penalty shall be assessed to the highest remaining singles player still on the court at the start of the next game or immediately in a tie breaker. If the singles matches have been completed, the carry over penalty shall be assessed at the start of that player’s next match. If that player is not playing in doubles, the penalty shall be assessed to the no. 1 doubles team. If a player commits a code violation after his/her doubles match is complete, the penalty shall be assessed to the highest remaining doubles team still in progress at the start of the next game or immediately in a tie breaker.
There are four separate time segments when a player can commit a code violation:
1. During his/her first match (singles) of the dual meet;
2. After his/her first match of the dual meet but where singles matches remain in
progress;
3. During his/her second match (doubles) of the dual meet;
4. After his/her second match (doubles) of the dual meet but where doubles
matches remain in progress.
iii. For the purpose of imposing Carry-over penalties after a doubles match, the two doubles players remain a team until one or both of them have left the court.
ITA Rule II.H.3.b,c,d (page 266-7) Removed
ITA Rule II.I.2 (page 267) Team penalty for being late. If a team is not ready to begin its team match at the specified starting time, each player on the starting lineup in singles shall begin one game down and shall be deemed to have lost the toss. If there has been no direct communication with the team arriving late, the following should be applied: A team not ready to begin the match within 15 minutes of the specified starting time will lose the doubles point(s). A team is not ready to begin within 1 hour of the specified start time will forfeit the remaining singles matches. Under extenuating circumstances, both coaches may agree to start the match at a later time.
Add new rule after ITA Rule II.K.4 (page 268) Line-up changes once a match has begun. In a team match, the official start of the doubles play of the match is marked when the on court warm-up begins between any of the three doubles teams and in singles, when the warm up begins between any one of the six singles matches. In NCAA Division I and II, once the warm up begins in any match (on any number of courts), substitutions are not permitted. In all other Divisions: if playing on less than 6 courts, the players not on the court may still be substituted before the start of their warm up. (e.g. if playing on 4 courts and the #5 player gets sick/injured while the #1-#4 are warming up, you may move your #6 up to #5 and slide the remaining players up.) Matches must be started in accordance to ITA Rule II.B.9.
Add to bottom of Rule II.K.6. (page 258) Removing players from the doubles line-up.
If a team has 6 or less healthy players and a player in the doubles line up is injured/sick prior to the start of the match, they may take a player from another doubles team to join the healthy player. One of the healthy doubles teams must stay intact. The teams must still play in order of ability and will default at the #3 position.
ITA Rule I.M. (page250) Seeding-Ratio of 1 to 4
Players may be seeded in a ratio of one seed per four players. Additional players may be placed using a ratio of one to four. The position of a placed player in the draw shall be determined by lot.
ITA Rule II.B.12. (page252) Determining the winner of a team meet.
Except in men’s and women’s Division I tennis, the winner of a team meet is the team that wins the majority of the individual matches (e.g. 5 out of 9 matches).
In men’s and women’s Division I tennis, (3-6 format), the winner shall be the team that wins four points. All matches….
