Format 🎾🍷
Overview
Wine-Down Wednesdays 🎾 🍷 is a league created for tennis ladies, by tennis ladies.
Your time is valuable, and we don't want you to spend all day at the courts, driving across town to get to matches, or work tirelessly to make up rain outs.
We designed this format to avoid common tennis hassles so you can take your well-deserved girls night out, and enjoy some wine.
Format
Three lines of women's doubles play every Wednesday night, over the course of a five-week season.
Two lit courts are required to set as your team's home-court location. Hard courts and clay courts allowed. As a courtesy, it's nice to let the visiting captain know which courts their team can expect before match day. Then, each team is placed in a division based on level and location, with a schedule of home and away meetups to play matches Wednesday night.
Lines 1 and 2 start play at 6:30 PM*
Line 3 follows the conclusion of the match that finishes first.**
*Preferred start time is surveyed at the end of each season. At the end of 2023, 65.5% of players requested a 6:30 PM start time.
**Three courts may be used, if available, and as long as both captains agree. And the start time may be 6 PM, as in previous seasons, as long as both captains agree.
The same players may play twice if there is limited availability; however, both teams need to have four players present to start two lines at 6:30 PM; otherwise, the matchup will be considered defaulted.
If players are playing two lines in one night, it should be the first players that finish as a courtesy to the opposing team to keep play moving.
For each division level, all players may play any line at any time, so there is no sandbagging qualifications.
Players are permitted up to a 15-minute warmup before the start of each match.
Home team provides one can of balls for each match, no ball exchanges after the match.
Each match is best of three sets using 7-point set tiebreakers* if necessary.
No ad scoring. So, at deuce - it's receiver's choice for the service return, and the team that wins that point wins the game.
If a match reaches a third set, it is replaced by a 10-point match tiebreak.*
*Tiebreaks
Defaults
The matchup will be considered defaulted if a team fails to have two lines present (four total players) across two courts for a 6:30 PM start.
If teams default an entire matchup, preventing their opponents from playing a full five-week season, they are subject to league sanctions.*
*Players may be added to each team's roster at anytime throughout the season to prevent forfeits. (more detail below)
Injury Retirement
If a player incurs an injury during play, and cannot finish the match, one of their teammates is allowed to substitute in to complete the meetup.
Once a player is replaced, they are not allowed to play the rest of the night.
This should not be abused. Strategic substitutions mid-match are allowed in other leagues, but not in Wine-Down Wednesdays.
Scoring
Each line is worth more points:
Week 1
Line 1 = 1 point, Line 2 = 2 points, Line 3 = 3 points
+ points increase per week to ensure no team is ever out of the running
Week 2
Line 1 = 2 points, Line 2 = 4 points, Line 3 = 6 points
Week 3
Line 1 = 3 points, Line 2 = 6 points, Line 3 = 9 points
After the first three weeks of the season, teams are seeded in a bracket based on the points they accumulated within their division.
Bracket Play helps reseed teams to ensure the season finishes with the closest matchups.
Every team plays both weeks of Bracket Play. Starting Week 4, and finishing Week 5 - the previous weeks' winners will play winners and the losers will play losers.
Reporting Scores
Any player from any team may report scores after each meetup has been played.The sooner the scores are reported, the sooner the standings can be updated.
You have three options to report scores via text, email or score form.
We love to know the scores of each line to know how competitive the matchups are. But, if they are not required so they do not delay reporting. Simply include the win/loss results of each line.
Inclement Weather Policy
It is the responsibility of the home team captain to communicate any cancellations or delays. In the event of a cancellation, scheduling makeup matches is not required. Instead, play will resume the following week and the season will be extended an extra week to play that matchup. To avoid forfeits, substitutions are allowed if for some reason a player that started the match is not available to finish it.
Rain
Before the Meetup Starts
Matches should be called due to rain if it is actively raining and/or the courts are wet at the 6:30 PM weekly start time. If rain subsides with a clear future forecast and courts can be dried before the 6:30 PM start time, matches may be played.
During the Meetup
After matches start, if it rains and wets the courts, then the meetup should be called. If at least two lines of matches have finished, the meetup will be considered complete. If two lines of matches have not finished, the season will be extended an additional week to allow those meetups to be played.
Temperature
If temperature is below 32 degrees or above 95 degrees (Fahrenheit) at the court and players agree, the match may be played. Temperature to be verified by the use of a weather app for the zip code of the matches (wind chill and heat index are not a factor in determining temperature).
*Players are not required to wait at courts for an hour after the 6:30 PM start time to communicate any cancellations.
Each season may be extended up to two weeks due to rain. If any season gets more than two weeks of rain, preventing a full five week of player - then, players will receive a prorated rate with a discount code to use on next season.
Level Placement
The goal is to match teams with comparable abilities within each level and division. Team movement from one level to another shall be based on the most recent team history with final determination at the discretion of the league coordinator.
Miscy
BYOB & F
Players and teams are welcome to share, but there are no expectations to provide beverages or food for others.
Communication
Captains will be given the email and cell phone information for their opposing teams each season. This information should be used to communicate any cancellations or delays for your scheduled matches.
COVID-19 Guidelines
Follow the USTA's guidelines for playing tennis safely. If you are sick, running a fever, or coughing - please stay home. Wash/Sanitize your hands immediately before and after your match. Avoid handshakes, high fives and fist bumps. Maintain social distancing while cheering for your teammates.
Have fun!
Captain Registration
Captains are responsible for registering their team in order to secure a spot on the schedule each season. Early-Bird Registration Opens May 1st, stay tuned...
Individual Dues
Players may join teams anytime during the season. All registered captains and players must pay their individual dues prior to their first match, agreeing to Tennis Lady's terms and conditions, to be eligible to play. Players may not take over the dues and waiver of another player.*
*Captains are responsible to make sure each of their players agrees to the terms and conditions of the league by signing up on the website and paying individual dues. If any player joins in the Activities without having done so, TENNIS LADY is not liable.
TENNIS LADY has the right to refuse services to any player or team if they do not comply with the league mission and vision.
Refunds
There are no refunds once the season starts. In the event all matches are not able to be played, players will receive a prorated rate with a discount code to use on next season.