- All members of a club affiliated to the eThekwini Tennis Association (referred to as the Association) must be registered. Members of more than one club must be registered by each club but registration fees have only to be paid once. (Failure to comply will result in a 6:0, 6:0 (or 13 nil, 15 nil) score to the opposition.)
- New members must be registered before they may play for their new club subject to the proviso that if they have not been registered with any other club affiliated to the Association prior to their application for registration, they shall be eligible to play as soon as their application and registration fee have been submitted and accepted by the Association. Unregistered players will forfeit all their match points for the fixture. In exceptional circumstances, secretaries may register/pay for the player on the Monday 4:30pm latest following the weekend match.
- The registration of new members will only be accepted by the Association when a clearance from the new member’s previous club (or other clubs in the case of dual membership) has been submitted to the Association.
- Members of clubs affiliated to other Associations but participating in the Association’s League competitions must also be registered with the Association and pay the Association’s portion of the registration fee.
- Dual members must indicate, in writing, to the Association, per their club secretary, for which club they are going to play league. Should they not do so, they will be considered league playing members of the club for which they play their first fixture.
- Players having played in one fixture in any league competition will not be permitted to play in the same league competition for another club in the same year.
Pool Players: Clubs to submit names, strengths and contact numbers of players to the Association to be placed on the pool player list prior to the league commencing, if they have such players available. Pool players may play for different clubs during that fixture. These pool players can only be utilized in the lowest league team of any club during the league season. Clubs must use their own members before requesting the use of a pool player. The Association must be advised if a pool player is to be used prior to the fixture taking place. The pool players’ own club has first call on their services irrespective of whether another club has already secured the player for their team. - A player who wishes to participate in a particular league can play for another club if his/her club has not entered a team in that particular league. This must be confirmed with the Association.
- Clubs with two or more teams in any of the league competitions shall in respect of all except the lowest team, nominate according to strength all the members of each team, not being less than minimum number required to constitute such team. Nominated players may not play in a lower team except with the prior authority of the Association. Any player playing up three (3) times becomes automatically nominated for the higher team and may not play down again.If a club is unable to field a full team and they have exhausted all their league player options, the club may utilise a registered social player from their club for one match per league season. This rule may be used on three occasions during a league season.A club may utilise an unregistered player from their club for league, provided the details of the player as well as proof of full league payment is forwarded to ETA offices by following Monday 4:30pm latest. Failure to do so will result in a 6:0, 6:0 (or 13 nil, 15 nil) score to the opposition.
- League fixtures take preference over club championships and club tournaments. The KZN Shield competition takes preference over the ETA league..
- The venue of a league fixture may not be changed without prior notification to either Association and will not be permitted to be played on courts not affiliated to the Associations.
- League fixtures may not be postponed but may be anticipated (played before the set date) with prior notification to the Association provided both clubs are in agreement. Clubs are asked to co-operate in this respect if the Association has granted permission for a fixture to be anticipated.No player who has played in a team in an anticipated fixture shall be eligible to play as a member of a team in another fixture set down on the original date of such anticipated fixture.
- A team that does not play the fixture on the date set down without ETA’s permission will be scratched from the league.
- Teams that are scratched from a fixture will receive a fine of R200 and be relegated the minimum of one (1) division in the league.
- Teams that are withdrawn before the league commences will be fined R200 and considered not to have entered and be relegated to the lowest league/division of that competition. If a team is scratched they will forfeit all their points.
- Home team to appoint a referee before the start of a fixture. Should there be no person available to serve as the referee, the home captain or both captains can be appointed as the referee(s).
- Replacements may not play in place of players injured during a league fixture.
- If one team is ready to play the first round of matches of a fixture and the other team is not ready to play any one or more of their matches within 15 minutes after the prescribed start of play, the former will be entitled to claim the match or matches concerned. Players arriving late will not be afforded a warm up time.
- If one team is ready to play the remaining round of matches of the fixture and the other team is not ready to play one or more of them within 20 minutes of having completed the first round of matches, the former team will be entitled to claim the match or matches concerned.
- Score sheets are to be completed in full by both team captains prior to the start of the fixture i e which league/division, referee and all players’ names and initials. No alteration is permitted once fixture commences. Rained out and anticipated fixtures must also indicate the date in the fixture book on which the fixture was set down to be played.Both teams shall email the score sheet to ETA within two days of the fixture. In the case of a tie or an unfinished fixture, the home team shall send in the score sheet whether the tie has been completed or not. Match Secretaries to also enter their team scores online on www.durbantennis.co.za within 48 hours of the date of the fixture.Failure to comply with this rule may result in points being deducted.
- Starting times :Saturdays : 13:15 for knock-up, 13:30 start of play latest.Sundays : 8:15 for knock-up, 8:30 start of play latest
Midweek : 8:15 for knock-up, 8:30 start of play latest. North Coast to be given 15 minutes leeway due to the distance they have to travel.
- In the case of rain causing a late start, Saturday fixtures must start not later than 14:00 hours and Sunday fixtures not later than 09:30 hours. Both teams must be present at the courts where the fixture is due to be played. The referee will decide whether the courts are playable but shall not call off the match until 14:00 on Saturday afternoon and 09:00 hours on Sunday morning.The exception to this rule is that if severe weather conditions prevail the fixture may be postponed telephonically by mutual consent between the two clubs participating in the said fixture, but within 2 hours before start of fixture.
- If a fixture cannot be played due to inclement weather and/or any circumstances beyond the control of the clubs involved in that fixture, the fixture shall be postponed to the first available week after the completion of that league, irrespective of KZN school holidays.Floodlights may be used to finish the match provided both captains are in agreement.Should a fixture be anticipated or started at an earlier time by arrangement, all the above rules to apply.
- The following clubs have indicated that they may be prepared to play men’s league on a Saturday afternoon:-Amanzimtoti, Chatsworth, Kings Park, Kloof C C, North Coast, Pinetown, Prospect, Stella, Westville.Clubs may approach each other to play on a Saturday afternoon instead of a Sunday morning. If both clubs are agreeable the fixture must be played on a Saturday prior to the date that is set down for the said fixture.
- Some clubs have entered more teams than they have courts available. If you require extra courts due to the fact that you have more fixtures scheduled at home than you have courts available, you may contact the Match Secretary (Tel No 2612527) in order to arrange for use of courts at Westridge Park.All clubs participating in the league must please examine the fixtures carefully and if you need to play at Westridge Park, kindly advise your opponents timeously.
- Mixed, Men’s and Ladies Doubles Leagues will play 2 tiebreaker sets. If a 3rd set needs to be played for a result, a super tiebreaker (10 points) will be played. The first team to reach 10 points wins but the winner must lead by 2 points.The Super Men’s league format of play will be the best of 3 tie break setsMidweek Ladies Leagues play best of 3 tiebreak sets.
The tie-break system will operate when the score reaches six (6) games all in a set.
The tiebreak system will operate when the score reaches six (6) games all in a thirteen game match (Over 40’s Men’s and Ladies).
The tiebreak system will operate when the score reaches seven (7) games all in a fifteen game match (Over 45 mixed league).
- Winners of the Over 40’s and Mixed over 45’s will receive 5 points for each fixture played.
- In the event of extreme heat conditions, if a player is unable to continue, they may concede the match. If able to continue thereafter, they may play in the next round.
- Please ensure that neat tennis apparel is worn for all league matches.
- Any dispute shall be adjudicated by the Competitions Committee which shall be elected by the Executive committee of the Association to act on their behalf. In the event of a club not accepting this ruling it will be able to lodge an appeal which will be undertaken in terms of Clause 10 of the Constitution.
- Three brand new Dunlop Fort All Court/Slazenger Championship balls per couple of the home team must be used for all league fixtures.
- PROMOTIONS AND RELEGATIONS:The team coming bottom in each division will be automatically relegated to the next lower league.The team coming top in each division will be automatically promoted to the next division.
If one team wins more matches than the other team it will be the winner of the fixture, even when the sets won by each team are equal (15-9).
If each team wins three matches and the number of sets won by each team are equal, the result will be a draw (12-12).
Every effort should be made to complete the fixture or achieve a winning score.
At the conclusion of a competition, if two (2) teams have an equal number of points, the team, which won the fixture between them, shall be the winner. If the fixture between them was a draw or if three teams tie with an equal number of points, the winner shall be decided on the overall percentage of sets won to sets played; and if this is also equal, on the overall percentage of games won to games played.
The team winning the 2nd Division and lower divisions/leagues, provided it has won all its fixtures in winning its division/league, shall be entitled to challenge the team finishing second to bottom in the divisions two above it.
If the challenging team wins the challenge match it will be promoted to the division in which the challenged team finished second last, and the latter team will be relegated to the next lower division.
If the challenge match is drawn the challenger will not be promoted and the challenged team will not be relegated.
The challenge match must be played on the Saturday/Sunday, whichever is applicable to the current league, following the completion of the league (including rained out matches).
All challenge matches must be played at the club that is being challenged. The challenger must provide the balls and refreshments.
- Should a club want to enter a new strong team in a higher division in the league, a challenge match will need to be played to assess the strength of the new team. The Competitions Committee will inform both clubs accordingly. Teams to play prior to the start of the relevant league.
- Notwithstanding the above rules, the Competitions Committee will have full authority to amend these rules if the circumstances are deemed fitting and if it is in the best interests of tennis.