Below are USTA NorCal's junior tournament rules. These rules are based upon Friend at Court, the official USTA handbook of tennis rules and regulations, although some rules in NorCal differ slightly than Friend at Court.

The 2007 Junior Tournament Rules, as printed below, were in effect when this Handbook was published in November 2006. However, from time to time, the rules are changed during the year, and you should always check the Junior Area of the USTA NorCal website for updates.

In summary, rules are as follows:

1.

Rules of Play. The USTA Regulations shall govern all aspects of USTA NorCal sanctioned tournaments; except that when a USTA NorCal rule is different than the USTA Regulations, the USTA NorCal rule shall govern play. Note that National Level 1, 2 and 3 Ranking Tournaments that may take place in NorCal are governed solely by the USTA Regulations.

2.

USTA Membership. USTA Membership is required to play in all USTA NorCal sanctioned junior tournaments.

3.

Player Eligibility.

1. Age Eligibility. The USTA has adopted a "month of birth" age eligibility rule for junior players competing in USTA sanctioned tournaments. Junior players may continue to play in the 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 age divisions until the month they turn 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, or 19, respectively. Players should use the starting date of a tournament to determine eligibility when a tournament begins in one month and ends in the next.

2. Residency Requirement. Championship Tournaments, Excellence Tournaments and the Sectional Championships are open only to "Residents of Northern California." "Residents of Northern California" refers to permanent residents of USTA NorCal and temporary residents of the Section who do not reside there solely for the purpose of participating in tournaments and who are:

   • citizens of the United States

   • resident aliens in possession of a valid alien registration receipt card or

   • aliens who have resided in the United States continuously for more than one year and who are members of families in the diplomatic or consular corps.

The residency of a USTA NorCal junior is determined by the primary residence of the physical and legal custodian or guardian of said junior player.

4.

Entry Limitations on Players. Players are limited to entering one singles event, one doubles event, and one mixed doubles event per tournament. If a tournament offers events in more than one level, for example singles events at both the Novice and Open level, a player may only enter one singles event, not one Novice singles event and one Open singles event. A player's entries must be in one age division in a tournament unless the Tournament Committee has determined otherwise. For example, a player entered in the 14 age division in singles must play in the 14 age division in doubles, unless otherwise stated. If a Tournament Committee allows entries in multiple age divisions, that information will be published to the tournament web page.

5.

Concurrent Tournaments. When entries close, a player shall not be entered in two or more sanctioned tournaments if any parts of the tournaments overlap, unless each Tournament Committee involved understands the situation and concurs in writing. If entries for the overlapping tournaments close on different dates, approval must be received from all Tournament Committees no later than the entry closing date that occurs last. Players who enter a tournament and play it to completion, may then enter another tournament with overlapping dates without permission.

6.

Tournament Entry and Entry Deadlines. Players enter USTA NorCal junior tournaments using the online TennisLink Registration System. Players without access to the internet may use the paper entry form in the back of the Junior Handbook. All entries must be received by the Tournament Committee by the entry deadline posted on the USTA website.

7.

Late Entries and Onsite Alternates in Singles and Doubles. Tournament entries received after the published tournament deadline may be accepted at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.

After the tournament draw or match times are published, a late entry or a player coming to a tournament as an onsite alternate may be accepted to replace a withdrawing player if the replacement does not invalidate the seeding.

In tournaments with limited size draws, late entries and players coming to a tournament as onsite alternates may be accepted at the discretion of the Tournament Committee, provided that late entries shall be placed on the alternate list after the timely entries in an order determined by lot.

8.

Right of Refusal. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decline any entry either before or after the draws have been published. Some draws may be limited.

9.

Junior Tournament Descriptions. Please refer to LEVELS OF COMPETITION for a summary of the tournament descriptions. CLICK HERE for the full Junior Tournament Rules descriptions.

10.

Consolation Matches. Players are required to play consolation matches, if offered, or be subject to USTA NorCal Point Penalty Suspension System. Tournaments must post information about consolation draws to the tournament web page.

11.

Draw Type (Regular or Round Robin) Determined by Event Size. Challenger, Open, and Championship Tournaments. Events with two entrants shall play a regular draw format. Events with three entrants shall play a round robin. Events with four or more entrants shall play a regular draw format. Consolation formats shall be determined as set forth under Rule 9.

12.

Selection of Players for Limited Size Tournaments.

1. Novice and Challenger Tournaments. Novice and Challenger Tournaments with limited draw sizes will select players from the "bottom up." All players without ranking points will be selected first and then players will be selected from the bottom up of the most recently published Sectional Final Ranking List at the time entries close.

2. Other Tournaments with Limited Draw Sizes. All other tournaments with limited draw sizes will select players with the highest ranking from the most recently published Sectional Final Ranking List at the time entries close.

13.

Seeding.

1. Tournaments at the Novice, Challenger, Open, Championship, and Excellence Levels. The Tournament Committee shall seed tournaments at the Novice, Challenger, Open, Championship, and Excellence Levels. Tournament seeding will be based on the most recently published Sectional Final Ranking Lists. However, when a tournament receives entries from players who have a USTA national standing as of the date entries close in the top 50 of any division, they shall be considered for seeding.

2. Sectional Championship Level. The Director of Junior Tennis shall seed tournaments at the Sectional Championship level after consulting with the Tournament Committee. The most recently published Sectional Final Ranking Lists shall be used as a start for determining seeding. National USTA, ITF, ITA, WTA, and ATP rankings and standings will also be considered.

14.

Changes in the Draw. Except as set forth under "Restriction on Replacing Withdrawing Players with Byes" below, changes may be made in the draw as authorized in USTA Regulations. Should match times be changed, it is NorCal's policy to notify all players involved by phone message.

15.

Restriction on Replacing Withdrawing Players with Byes. A Referee shall not make changes in the draw as described in USTA Regulation I.I.1.b.ii. and iii. as follows: when a player who is not seeded withdraws from a tournament and there are no alternates awaiting entry, a Referee may not replace the withdrawing player with a Bye. If there are no alternates awaiting entry, the Referee is required to leave the unseeded withdrawing player in the draw and advance the opponent by means of a Withdrawal or Default, whichever describes the circumstances of the withdrawal.

16.

Tournament Scheduling.

1. Latest Start Time in 14, 12, 10 and 8 Divisions. No match should start nor suspended match be resumed after 8:00 pm. Tournament Committees should use their best efforts not to begin matches after 6:00 PM on school nights.

2. Latest Start Time in 18 and 16 Divisions. No match should start nor suspended match be resumed after 10:00 pm. Tournament Committees should use their best efforts not to begin matches after 6:00 pm on school nights.

3. Maximum Number of Matches in a Day - All Divisions. The scheduling guidelines for junior divisions in USTA Regulation I.J.12 shall mandatory for all junior tournaments. Matches played in the 10s and 8s divisions shall follow the scheduling guidelines in USTA Regulation I.J.12. for the 12s divisions.

17.

First Match Times.

1. Tournament Responsibility for Publicizing First Match Start Times. The draw for each event must be published with start times to the USTA website no later than 72 hours before the start time of the first match of the event.

2. Players Responsible for Obtaining Start Times. Players are responsible for obtaining their own starting time by checking the TennisLink Tournament Home Page or by calling the pre-tournament phone number beginning three days prior to the tournament if the start times are not available on the website.

18.

Change to Alternate Match Format. The Tournament Committee may change the match format before the start of play in any round in a draw without notice on the tournament web page when in the Tournament Committee's discretion the change is necessary to complete the draw after inclement weather causes the tournament to fall behind its published schedule; however, the Tournament Committee may not switch from regular scoring to No-Ad scoring. The Tournament Committee shall use their best efforts to have all matches in a round in a draw use the same match format. In the event the Tournament Committee has to change the match format in more than one singles draw, the Tournament Committee shall use their best efforts to use the same alternate match format in all changed singles draws. In the event the Tournament Committee has to change the match format in more than one doubles draw, the Tournament Committee shall use their best efforts to use the same alternate match format in all changed doubles draws. Once the match format in a draw has been changed, the Tournament Committee may not revert back to the original match format.

19.

USTA NorCal Point Penalty Suspension System. The USTA NorCal Point Penalty Suspension System (PPSS) shall apply to all USTA NorCal sanctioned junior tournaments. It is a system that levies suspension points for violations of the USTA Regulations, no shows, defaults, and other misconduct. CLICK HERE for the PPSS.

20.

Penalty for Lateness. Players are expected to check and comply with all scheduling done by the Tournament Committee. A player is deemed to have arrived when the player checks in at the place designated for checking in and is properly clothed, equipped, and ready to play. The lateness penalty clock starts at the scheduled match time regardless of court availability.

21.

Refunds. The Tournament Committee shall not charge any fee (such as a processing, service, or handling fee) for refunding the entry fee. However, in the case where the tournament is rained out before a match is played, the tournament may withhold an administrative fee of $2.00 per entry in the case of a tournament that charges a per entry fee or a total of $2.00 in the case of a tournament that charges a base fee.

No refund will be required to be made to a player if that player plays only one match and then the tournament is rained out.

No refund is required beginning 6 days before the start date of the tournament.

22.

Nonpayment of Entry Fee. The tournament may charge a collection fee for returned entry fee checks or nonpayment of outstanding fees at the tournament. Nonpayment of entry fees or cancellation of payment after the entry deadline will result in player suspension until such payment is received by the tournament.

23.

Unfinished Tournaments. Junior players may not make up matches after the end of the sanction dates. Tournament Committees are instructed to use their best efforts to keep the progression of a draw even so that one half of a draw does not progress further than another. All players shall earn Ranking Points accumulated as of the last scheduled day of a tournament.

24.

Cancellation of Tournaments. The Tournament Committee shall not make the decision to cancel all matches for the remainder of the day until at least 12 Noon of the day in question, or the remainder of the tournament until at least 12 Noon of the last scheduled day of play.

25.

Player Attire. Appropriate tennis attire is required for all matches. Rules of the host club will govern. Any dress code must be published to the tournament website no later than the time entries open.

26.

Warm-up Period. Warm-up time is limited to 5 minutes. All practice serves must be taken during warm-up.

27.

Certified Officials.

1. Novice Tournaments. Certified officials are not required at Novice Tournaments, although they are highly recommended. In lieu of a certified official, at least one person familiar with the rules of Friend at Court must be at the primary tournament site at all times.

2. Other Tournaments. The Referee of each Challenger, Open, Championship and Excellence Tournament and the Sectional Championships shall be a referee certified by the USTA. A Certified Official is required at each satellite site. One Certified Official is required for each 8 courts in play. Any waiver to these rules is subject to the prior written approval of the Director of Junior Tournaments.

28.

Awards. Awards must be presented to all singles and doubles finalists including 3rd and 4th place finishers when a playoff is held, and consolation finalists. Sectional Championship awards must be presented to 1st through 6th place and to doubles champions and finalists.

Sportsmanship Awards must be presented to two players each day of a tournament. USTA NorCal shall provide the Sportsmanship Awards no later than the start date of the tournament.

29.

NTRP Tournaments. Players who are age eligible to enter junior tournaments may not enter NTRP tournaments.