Captains Update
Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00
Most of you seem to be doing well navigating the instructions in our captains guide: please let us know if there's anything you do not understand or that could made clearer.
The LTA have finally resolved most of our software issues although things could always be improved. Please see the captains guide for details on how to enter any unusual scores and for updates on software anomalies. The Divisional Secretaries can adjust any scores manually if necessary.
KNOCKOUT CUP MATCHES:
All quarter final matches have now been completed.
For those planning ahead (hopefully) to finals day, a reminder of KO Cup rules 5:
To be eligible for the final, a player must have represented their club at least twice in the A&D League during the summer season prior to the final.
This does not have to be a mixed match - it can be mens, womens, mixed or Vets but not another KO Cup match.
The KO Finals will be held at Berkhamsted Tennis Club- more detail to follow:
HEAT RULE
Several captains have asked about this. It is covered in rule 15:
15). Once arranged and entered online, no fixture shall be rearranged unless the weather or the state of the courts prevents the match from being played. The final decision on whether the courts are playable rests with the home team. 24 hours before the match, if the temperature is forecast by the BBC weather app to reach 32 degrees Centigrade or over, either team may request that the match be postponed.
Please note that this rule is very much something to fall back on: the committee is currently reviewing the wording. We know that matches are postponed regularly for various reasons, as agreed by captains. This is fine: we always hope that they are actually played. We must have a note with the reason if a postponement is agreed, with the reason.
CAPTAINS REMINDERS:
Checking Matches
As a losing captain, if you do not check the result entered by the winning captain, you will never know whether it is incorrect. We do not check these things. This season we have had incidences of a player being added three times, incorrect players being added, wrong scores etc. These have been noticed by accident mainly so it is your responsibility to check.
Adding a Note to a Match
We realise this is frustrating but currently the software will not allow you to add a note after you have saved the scores. Please remember to add a note with any information before you enter the result. If you forget, then please email the Divisional Secretary.
Postponed Matches
Please remember to add the Postponed Status. Annoyingly the software requires Save to be clicked twice as per the captains guide:
To enter this option, please click on Change results, then Match Status at the top. Choose postponed and then click Save, then Save again next to Rubber results- ignore the message saying that you are saving a partial result.
We must have a note with the details of the postponement please.
Once the match has been rescheduled, the postponed status can be removed (same method), but please leave in the note with the original reason until the results are entered.
Unknown Players
This issue is much better than in previous seasons so thank you! If you have a player who hasn't yet played for you this season, you can add them to your team list before they play and this way you will be able to check that they are affiliated. When you come to add the results, if you cannot find someone, please add them as an unknown player. We realise that at this stage it means you would have to come out of the results to add the note first with who the player is (annoying!) or alternatively please email the Divisional Secretary.
The team with the unknown player will automatically receive an email: this is generated from the LTA software, not us.
Entering Results
Results should be entered within 72 hours please or a Postponed status and note. If you know you are going to be away, please ask your Fixtures Secretary to do it otherwise we end up chasing because we don't know what is going on.
Rule 24 Reminder: Walkovers/ One Pair Matches
28) In the Summer Season a team may concede one walkover and play one one-pair match, or two one-pair matches. In the Winter Season a team may concede two walkovers and play one one-pair match or concede one walkover and play two one-pair matches or play 3 one pair matches. If they concede more than this they will be disqualified and all their matches will become null and void. At the end of the season, they will be relegated.
As ever thank you for your support.
Rebecca & Mike
Divisional Secretaries ADTL