General League Questions

Tiebreak Used for Leagues
Starting in the 2019 league season, USTA Colorado will utilize the standard tiebreak procedure for changing sides. Players change sides of the court every 6 points. The first person to serve, serves one point to the deuce side of the court (do not change sides after the 1st point). Every subsequent server will serve two points, starting from the ad-side of the court. Any tiebreak at the end of the 1st or 2nd set is still first to 7 by 2. The match tiebreak in lieu of a 3rd set is still first to 10 by 2. At the end of any set, doubles partners may change their serving order. This includes at the beginning of a match tiebreak in lieu of a 3rd set.

The standard tiebreak procedure for switching sides will apply to all local league matches, flight playoffs and District Championships. The Coman tiebreak procedure is still being used for Sectional and National Championships, so any teams that advance will use the Coman at those events.

The Standard tiebreak procedure must be used for all league matches (singles or doubles) for any tiebreak that is played (set tiebreak or match tiebreak).

How many players are on a team?
Depending on which league you participate in, you will need between 5 and 9 players in order to form a team. The minimum number of players is listed on the League Calendar for each league.

How can I find out about the format for each league?
Click on the specific league names on our League Menu page for a description of each league. You can also select a specific area of Colorado for more specific information. Once familiar with the league formats, review the League Calendar and the Day of Week Schedule for each league.

What is the difference between USTA, ITA and CTA Leagues?
Most leagues start with USTA, ITA or CTA in the name. In leagues with USTA in the name, winning teams have the opportunity to advance as far as the National Championships. Winning teams in leagues with ITA in the name can advance as far as Intermountain Section Championships. Teams with CTA in the name do not have post-season advancement. See each league page for more details.

Why is USTA Adult 18 & Over 6-7 weeks of matches?

What if I don’t know anyone, but want to participate in leagues?
USTA Colorado encourages players who don’t have a team to use our find a team program.

Once I find a team, how do I register?
All adult leagues, with the exception of USTA Flex Leagues require a USTA membership, so the first step is to get a USTA membership. Please see our New to League Tennis page.

If you do not have an NTRP rating, you will need to go through the self-rate process.

Your captain or facility will provide you with a team number that allows you to register for league play.

Once you have a USTA membership, a valid NTRP rating, and a team number, you are ready to register yourself for league play. Simply go to TennisLink and click on Register for a team in the upper right hand corner. The site will prompt you through the rest.

How long are NTRP ratings valid?
Year-end ratings (from the previous year) are good for 3 years. For those 60 & over, ratings are good for 2 years. Once a rating expires, the player will need to go through the self-rate process.

How do I know what NTRP level I should play?

How does USTA Colorado send out information?
In 2006, we began transitioning from mailing printed materials to sharing information online. Details that were previously included in captains’ packets can now be found on the Captain Information page. Some information is emailed directly to captains in each league.

We strongly recommend that all captains and players familiarize themselves with league rules and regulations each year. Be sure to regularly check your email and visit this website for updates and important information. If you need any assistance, please contact us.

How many matches are required to be eligible to advance?

Are alternate court surfaces, like clay, approved?
Yes. If a home team Captain plans to play any of their individual matches on alternative court surfaces (i.e. clay), this Captain must designate prior to the exchange of line-ups which position(s) will be played on alternative court surfaces. If the home team fails to designate the specific matches to be played on alternative surfaces before exchanging line-ups, the visiting team Captain has the ability to designate which matches will be played on the courts provided by the home facility.

When does league registration open?
See the League Calendar page for the dates that all leagues open for registration. Registration is done on TennisLink. In order to register for a team, you must have a USTA membership that is valid through the league season and a team number. The facility coordinator of the facility you wish to play out of provides team numbers. You need to have the minimum number of players registered by the registration deadline of each league to be included in the schedule. Players may only play on one team within each league, except for leagues that use a “combined NTRP” format (i.e. levels that are 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, etc.).

Questions about adding, moving and deleting players.
Players may be added to your team until the last match of the season. Players may be moved to another team during the same calendar year as long as they have not played a match. Teams may not be deleted once the league department has generated a schedule. All player moves and deletion requests must be submitted using our online form.

What constitutes a Team Default or a Double Team Default?
Each team must have the minimum number of players available to play the majority of individual matches. If one team does not have the minimum number of players, the opposing team will be credited with a total team default, and will win each individual match 6-0 6-0. If neither team has the required minimum number of players, the match shall be scored as a double team default, and neither team will receive credit for a win. In the case of a team default or double team default any individual matches actually played will count only for NTRP ratings and eligibility for advancement and cannot count for determining standings (USTA National League Regulations: 2.01C(3) Team Match).

For each local league, Flight Playoff and/or District Championship team match, a majority of the individual matches must be played to constitute a valid team match. If 2 out of 3 positions, 2 out of 4 positions, or 3 out of 5 positions are defaulted, it is considered a full team default. The USTA Colorado District League Coordinator or Area Coordinator (in outlying areas) must be notified, before entering a full team default (USTA Colorado League Regulations: 7.01 Full Team Defaults).

Invalid Match / Double Full Team Default
USTA Regulations require that a “majority” (i.e. more than 50%) of individual matches must be played to constitute a valid team match. If both teams are responsible for a majority of the individual matches not being played, it is considered an Invalid Match and/or a Double Full Team Default. If this happens, neither team is eligible to advance.

How do Team Defaults affect standings?
1. The defaulting team (or teams if it is a double team default) are not eligible to advance.
2. If the team that received a win by team default is in an advancing position, the scores for the defaulting team will be reversed to give every team in the flight the same benefit of having a win by team default. If more than one complete round robin is played, the scores are only reversed in the round in which the team default occurred. If the team default occurred in an incomplete double round robin, the scores are reversed in the incomplete round, as well as the round in which the other teams in the flight played the defaulting team.
Summary: A team cannot advance if they full team defaulted any matches. A team cannot benefit from receiving a full team default if they are in an advancing position.

If my opponents full team default against us, does that hurt or penalize us?
No. There is no penalty to the team that had enough available players if the opposing team defaults too many lines and creates a full team default. However, the team receiving the win by team default cannot benefit in overall team standings from this win. If any team in contention for advancement has won a match by team default, the defaulting team’s scores will be reversed in the flight to give all teams the same benefit of a full team default against that team. This means that the standings will be based on all other matches in the flight, as if the defaulting team didn’t exist. In some instances, this reversal of scores can change the advancing team because that team performed better in all of the other matches compared to the team that had previously been in 1st with the benefit of a full team default. This process avoids allowing a team to benefit as the recipient of the full team default vs. the rest of the teams in the flight/sub-flight.
Summary: A team cannot benefit from receiving a full team default if they are in an advancing position.

Score reporting questions.
Scores must be reported on online within 48 hours of the match being played. If a match is rained out, rescheduled or suspended then scores should be reported within 48 hours of completion.

Entering scores for matches that were not completed and/or reported by the score entry deadline (or 3 week deadline).
These match scores cannot be entered. Even if played, they will not count for eligibility or year-end NTRP ratings, nor will they be able to appear on players’ records in TennisLink.

Can a captain change the name of a player who receives the win in a defaulted match?
Once the scorecard has been confirmed, or the score entry deadline / 3 week deadline has been reached, USTA Colorado cannot change the name of the player who receives a win by default.

How to report 3rd set scores.
The score for any third set must be entered as 1-0 in TennisLink. The system will not accept any other score for a third set.

Won’t this have an affect on my rating?
No. The score of any 3rd set match has a negligible effect on NTRP. Since the computer considers the match to be very close once it goes to a 3rd set, a score of 6-0 in the 3rd will not affect either player differently than a score of 7-6.

Why was this change made?
Prior to 2009, players who opted to play a tiebreak in lieu of the 3rd set had to enter a score of 7-6, even though they did not play that many games. The result for team standings, however, was not very accurate since the teams both lost more games (for standings purposes) than they actually played. In addition, this is the same score entry process that is used for all playoff events in Colorado, so the Adult Programs Committee voted to be more consistent with score entry.

There is no record of the actual 3rd set scores. How can I see that information?
Unfortunately, that is one downside to this new system. Any matches that are played out in their entirety and go to a 3rd set will not be able to record the actual 3rd set score.

What is the player deletion fee?
USTA Colorado will be assessing a fee for player deletions in all adult leagues to cover the costs associated with the administration of those deletions. The total refunded amount will be $15 on all deletions ($10 for Trio). Thus, facility coordinators and captains, please take note of this when registering players on your teams. Players can apply registrations from one league to another (except Trio) to avoid the deletion fee.

Why is there a deletion fee?
Due to the costs and time incurred to delete and refund a player.

When will I get my refund?
All refunds are processed at the conclusion of each league; therefore, please allow approximately 2 weeks after the conclusion of Districts for each league for all refund checks to arrive in the mail.