WTC Ladder Tournament Rules

  • If any players believe they are going to delay the tournament by more than 14 days in any one round or by more than 21 days cumulatively, please withdraw for the benefit of other players wanting the tournament to proceed in a reasonable timeframe. A delay is defined by the number of days past 7 that elapse between matches (or between the commencement of the tournament and the first match). Here is an example of a player who completes the tournament with a total of 16 days of delay:
    • R16: first match is played on 2/11 (11 days beyond 2/1, so 4-day delay)
    • QF: 2/23 (12 days beyond 2/11, so 5-day delay)
    • SF: 2/28 (5 days beyond 2/23, so 0-day delay)
    • F: 3/14 (7 days beyond 2/27, so 7-day delay)
  • Delay calculations are a little more complicated than shown in this example, as the time a player waits for their next opponent to finish their previous round doesn’t count toward the player’s wait time.
  • Match results must be reported directly to chad@twedt.com (or texted to 412-315-1208) so that results can be posted immediately to the website.
  • Do not report match results on laddero.com, as it will only update the ladder itself, not the tournament bracket. That wouldn’t mess up the tournament, but it will make it so players can’t see how the seeding worked creating the draw. (If you do mess up, don’t panic… the match can easily be deleted.)
  • All six prizes will be awarded upon conclusion of the final match.

All rules from the regular season still apply, but two additional rules apply during the ladder tournament:

  1. As soon as you schedule a match, text the “who, when and where” details to 412-315-1208 or email chad@twedt.com. These details will be immediately posted to the website in case others want to watch.
  2. Players must mutually agree on whose can of balls is to be used for the match before a can of balls is opened. If the players cannot agree, then one can of balls will be used for the first set, and the other can of balls will be used for the second set. A spun racquet will be used to determine which one is used first. If the match progresses to a third set, the server chooses which can to use in each game. The server may not mix balls in a service game – they must use one can or the other can during each service game. Alternately, if both players agree to use one single can during the entire third set, they can spin a racquet to determine which can it will be.
    • This rule is created more out of an abundance of caution than some kind of signal that there is “trouble brewing.” That said, some players do have certain preferences of balls (such as high altitude vs normal balls), and this rule ensures that in case there is a dispute, players are spared the grief of arguing and can simply use this rule instead. (And as always, the “normal” rule for balls is still in effect – if both players agree on what can to use, then just revert back to rule #8 below.)

Top 8 Regular Rules to Review going into the tournament

For complete rules, see the main ladder page.

  1. ALL TIEBREAKERS WILL BE COMAN TIEBREAKERS: players switch sides after the first point, and then every 4 points thereafter (so after 1 point, after 5 points, after 9 points, etc.). This is the fairest possible way to play a tiebreaker in both singles and doubles. The traditional way allows a player to be able to potentially win a tiebreaker by playing 6 of their 7 points on one side of the court if they win 7-0. The Coman tiebreaker ensures as equal time as possible on each side of the court no matter what the final score is. For more information on the Coman tie breaker, see official USTA documentation on it.
  2. A match may be suspended and continued at a later date due to darkness only if BOTH players agree the conditions are no longer reasonably playable.
  3. A match may be suspended and continued at a later date due to moisture on the court if EITHER player wishes to suspend to avoid injury due to slipping.
  4. If a player is more than 15 minutes late to a scheduled match, the opponent may opt to record a 6-0, 6-0 win by default.
  5. If both players agree to play a third set tiebreaker due to time restrictions, it should be a 10-point tiebreaker.
  6. 4.5 players are not eligible for the “top ladder position” prizes since they have an advantage getting tournament prizes.
  7. To qualify for the tournament, players must play against at least 6 unique opponents.
  8. Both players bring a new can of balls. The winner brings home the unopened can, and the loser brings home the used can. When the first two sets are split, ONLY IF BOTH PLAYERS AGREE, the second can of balls may be opened for the third set, in which case the winner decides which used can to take home.