Message: These rules will be updated soon to reflect the recent changes voted for at the Captains and Fixtures meetings.

1. CODE OF CONDUCT applicable to all affiliated clubs and places-to-play

All players must observe the code of conduct adopted by Tennis Scotland (TS) as detailed on its website
www.tennisscotland.org, i.e. that code issued by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), together with the guidelines for a non-
umpired match – see LTA website www.lta.org.uk for all of its competition rules/regulations. For clarification, Juniors
eligible to play in yellow ball tournaments may play in Adult events which have no minimum age restrictions.

1.1 LTA REGISTRATION. It is mandatory for all venues which take part in Tennis Borders leagues to be LTA registered.

2. SUBSTANCES PROHIBITED to all players:
Tennis Borders (TB) supports the anti-doping policy enforced by TS and the LTA as described on their websites, and does
not allow use/abuse of the prohibited substances detailed.
NOTE: Hereinafter, “club” refers to all affiliated clubs and affiliated places-to-play.

3. PROCEDURE PRIOR TO ALL DOUBLES MATCHES:
3.1 Matches are played as per the fixture lists agreed by the Adult and Junior management committees of the
association.
3.2 At least 48 hours before the scheduled time detailed in paragraph 4.2 hereafter, the away team confirms its
intention to play the match and notifies the home team of the intended time of arrival.
3.3 In the occasional event that a club cannot raise the full complement of couples, that club, at least 24 hours prior to
the match, must advise the other club of the likely shortage. On arrival, the opposing team is awarded the total
number of rubbers for each missing couple, and these are entered on the result sheet and count, regardless of any
third round in top divisions being started or completed, i.e. three rubbers each scored as 6-0, 6-0.
3.4 The only standard reason for a postponement of any match by captains is inclement weather. If a match has to be cancelled or rearranged for any other reason the match secretary must be informed and they will decide whether the match can be rearranged or that a win must be awarded to one team or the other.
3.5 In the case of postponement, the latest time that a match is called off is 4.30 pm on weekdays and midday on
Saturdays and Sundays. Postponement times for Junior matches scheduled for other times are as previously advised
by the Junior Management Committee (JMC) via its separate rules, which follow – see appendix.
3.6 In the case of postponement of a league match, the home team, at the time of postponement, offers the visiting
team two dates for the playing of the match, which must be within three weeks of the date originally scheduled – if
this time limit is different for Junior matches, the JMC additional rules will specify.
3.7 For clarification, in any Adult/Senior/Junior league competition with two or more groups, not Divisions, a neutral venue is used for the final.

3.8 If at the start of a match it looks unlikely that it will get finished in time then captains can agree to play sudden death deuce (the no ad rule) with receiving couples choosing which side the server serves towards.

4. PROCEDURE FOR THE PLAYING OF DOUBLES MATCHES:
4.1 Prior to the start of each match, captains shall –
(a) enter on the result sheet the agreed time limit, 10pm limit for evening matches, allowing for any available
floodlighting. Play must stop when the time limit is reached regardless of whether or not the game is complete.
Only completed games should be recorded on the result sheet and added to the ‘Add comment’ box when
entering the result online. The only exception to this finish time is where two rounds need to
be completed to avoid players having to return to complete the match. In this instance,
captains’ discretion should be used to decide if conditions are playable beyond 10 pm.
(b) enter on that sheet their pairs in order of playing strength (1 being the strongest);
(c) make the draw as required except in two-couple leagues where the order of
play is fixed as
1v1 on Court 1 and 2v2 on Court 2
then 1v2 and 2v1
(d) ensure that play commences by the starting time detailed in paragraph 4.2 hereafter, i.e. that warm-up
procedures have ended by that time.
4.2 Match play commences not later than 6.15 pm or, if requested in advance by either captain, not later than 6.30 pm
on weekdays and 2.30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays with Junior match play, if different, starting at times agreed and
previously notified by the JMC via its separate rules – see appendix. If a player has not arrived one quarter of an hour
after the agreed starting time, they will start the match as normal but must concede any remaining sets as soon as the other matches in the 1st round are complete.

5. ALL LEAGUES:
5.1 The rules governing the playing of the Scottish Inter-Club Challenge Cup, as detailed on the TS website, apply to TB
league matches, together with the exceptions and conditions detailed herein.
5.2 The order of play must be strictly adhered to – please check 
5.3 A normal tie-break to seven points (or more) winning by at least two clear points is played at 6-6 in all sets of Adult
matches.
5.4 Two points are awarded for a team’s win and one point awarded to each team if a draw is declared. Additionally, a bonus point is awarded for each team producing a full complement of players.

At the end of the season, in the event of a tie on points in Adult leagues, sets are counted and the team with the highest proportion of sets(/games) won out of sets(/games) actually played is awarded the highest place: if still even, games count thus towards higher and lower league placings. See the appendix for the rule relating to Junior leagues.
5.5 Playing of league matches is not permitted during annual TB tournaments.

6. TOP/FIRST DIVISIONS OF MEN’S AND WOMEN’S LEAGUES:

6.1 The Men and Ladies top division is comprised of 6 teams with 6 players in each team. Each match has two rounds. The first round involves playing 2 normal sets and if necessary a 3rd set 10pt tiebreaker against your opposite number. The second round involves playing matches 2v1, 3v2, 1v3.

6.2 Rubbers are scored 2-0 unless a champs tb has been played in which case it will be 2-1.

6.3 The above applies to three court venues. At a two court venue, or whenever onkly two courts are available elsewhere, a different format will be employed - please see the score sheet.

6.4 In the event of teams being tied for places at the end of the season the number of rubbers won, sets won, games difference will be taken into account to finalise placings.

6.5 The lowest team in the league will be relegated to Division 2

7. OTHER ADULT LEAGUES:
7.1 Each competing club is represented by a team of two couples, who, for Senior (formerly known as Veterans) leagues,
each are or will be 40 years or over in the year in which the league matches are being played.
7.2 Play proceeds as detailed in paragraph 4.1(c), with each rubber consisting of two normal tie-break sets (see Rule 5.3),
and if required the third set shall consist only of a match tie-break, i.e. first to 10 points (or more) winning by at least
two clear points.
7.3 Men’s and Women’s second division leagues consist of only six teams, each playing the others home and away each
season. Third divisions contain the remaining competing clubs which play each other home and away unless there
are seven or more teams, in which case each team plays each other only once in a season. The highest finishing team in either division will gain promotion, the lowest team in Division 2 will be relegated to Division 3

8. ADULT MIXED DOUBLES LEAGUES
Each competing team is composed of three couples in Division 1 and two couples in Division 2.

Division 1 plays three rounds of 2 normal sets  (no champs tb).  Division 2 plays two rounds of 2 normal sets plus a 10pt champs tiebreaker if required.

A completed set in an unfinished rubber will count as 1 point towards the result on the night. Completed games in an incomplete set will only count towards league placings at the end of the season.

9. JUNIORS PLAYING IN ADULT LEAGUES

Any player under 18 years wishing to play in the adult leagues must, in conjunction with their parent or guardian, coach and club safety officer, agree to the LTA pledges provided. A document must be signed and presented to the match secretary to this effect.

10. CLUBS WITH MULTIPLE TEAMS

10.1 The 1st team must always take priority and field a full team to the detriment of the 2nd or 3rd teams if necessary. Failure to produce a full 1st team, or 1st and 2nd team for three team clubs, will be penalised. The 1st team would receive a penalty point and the other team(s) would have their first couples matches conceded.

10.2 Before the start of the season clubs must produce a full list of their squad of players in ranking order. The top players will be locked into the 1st team and the next appropriate number locked into the 2nd team if the club has more than one team. These players can not play for a lower team. Lower team players can play up to replace a missing player. These will normally come from the usual first couple in the next lower team but if this is not possible and a lower ranked player plays then the match secretary must be informed as to the reason.

10.3 In all cases couples must be played in order of strength, not only just in one team but also throughout the teams as a whole if a club has more than one team entered.

10.4 Note that in the event of a match being rearranged where a club has multiple teams entered, the captain must take into account which players played for their other teams on the scheduled match night as these players may not play in the rearranged match. This is to prevent teams being strengthened by rearranging matches.

Note that if a named player is going to be out for the season because of injury etc., then the captain should inform the Match Secretary as soon as possible and replace the player with another named player. This will avoid any potential penalty points.

TENNIS BALLS - the home team will provide new tennis balls. These must be ITF approved ones.