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Frequently Asked Questions |
| How to make online applications |
| | How to make online applications |
| | | In
order to register for any tournament, you must have a British Tennis Membership
number. Click
here to visit the membership section of the LTA website to find out
more about this. If you are already registered but cannot remember your British
Tennis Number then you can search for it here.
If
you have a British Tennis Membership number, then you need to REGISTER with
Tennis Services UK Limited in order to make online applications. Click here if
you wish to do this now.
Once
you are registered with us, making an online application is easy:
(1)
Log on to our website using your British Tennis Membership number and your
chosen password.
(2)
From our main home page, click on the "Featured Competitions Link"
(3)
Select the tournament you wish to apply for.
(4)
From the right-hand menu click on the link which says "EVENTS AND
APPLICATIONS".
(5)
By default, the list of events will only include those which are relevant to
your age and rating. If applications are being accepted, then a link named
"Apply for this event" will be visible. Clicking on this link
will submit your application and you should receive both an on-screen message
and an email acknowledging your entry.
If
you need any assistance with registering or logging on, please contact us. |
| One-day Events (General) |
| | How long will an event take? What will be the waiting period between rounds? |
| | | This is difficult to tell as it depends on the length of matches, available courts, any other events running at the venue at the same time and the draw format used. When making an application to an event, you are committing to play all matches as arranged, until released by the referee. As a general guideline, most players can expect to be at an event for between 5 and 8 hours.
Rest periods can vary too. In some cases when an event is undersubscribed and matches progress quickly, the waiting period can be quite short. At a very busy event, the time between rounds may be 1-2 hours, or more. If a round-robin format is adopted for a particular group, as only an even number of the participants can be playing at any one time, the wait between rounds can be in excess of 2 hours, if you are scheduled to play in the first and the third match in the group.
Before submitting an application. please bear in mind that events starting in the afternoon may continue until late into the evening. Play for some participants in evening events may extend to (or occasionally beyond) 11:00pm. |
| | How many players are accepted into each FAST4 event |
| | | In normal circumstances we will accept a minimum of 8 players in each FAST4 event. We shall try to accommodate additional players nearer to the event date if this is possible, although this is dependent on a number of factors, including court availability and other events taking place on the same day.
The maximum number of players in an event is 16. |
| | Can I apply for more than one event taking place on the same day? |
| | | Yes - this is actively encouraged.
You are allowed to apply for two or more events at the same day within the TennisUK One-Day Event Programme although it is NOT possible to express a preference for a particular event/venue. You must be prepared to play at any event/venue applied for, if selected.
If a player is accepted into an event, they will be
automatically cancelled from any other event/s in the TennisUK One-Day event Programme taking place on the same day. A player exercising their option to
cancel from a FAST4 event (prior to the published cancellation deadline) will NOT
be automatically reinstated into events for which they were previously applied
taking place on the same day within the TennisUK One-Day event Programme. In
addition, if a player withdraws from an event within the programme (after the
published withdrawal deadline), then they are not eligible to take part in any
other event within the programme on the same day. This is to prevent players holding a place in more than one event to the possible exclusion of others.
Remember, it is rarely possible to accept all applications for each event. Applying for events at multiple venues (and/or applying for more than one event at the same venue on a particular day) may increase your chances of acceptance.
You should NOT enter any other LTA sanctioned event or tournament running on the same day, unless you withdraw from all bit one by the published deadlines. Sanctions will be imposed on accepted players withdrawing from an event after the published cancellation deadline. This applies even if both competitions are managed by TennisUK. |
| | I have applied for events over two or more days but only want to play on ONE day. Is this possible? |
| | |
Unfortunately, no. These are separate one-day competitions and you should only apply for events on ONE of the days if this is your preference. Selections for events taking place on consecutive days (such as events taking place on Saturdays and Sundays) are usually made simultaneously.
If you are accepted to play over more than one day and then cancel your application after acceptance to one event, then withdrawal penalties will apply and the entry fee will be forfeited. |
| | I have entered the same event as my brother/sister, friend, other players from the same club, squad or county. Can you avoid us playing each other? |
| | |
With the number of players competing in the programme we cannot undertake to segregate players from the same family, squad, county or club.
This would also contravene the principle of a randomly made draw. |
| | I have entered an event along with my brother/sister/family member or a friend who is sharing transport with me. Can I withdraw if one of us does not get accepted or we get accepted for different venues? |
| | |
Each player's application is entirely separate. We cannot accept an application which is conditional on another player being selected to play. Also, if two players are accepted (either for the same or different venues) and one of them is forced to withdraw due to transportation issues, then LTA penalties will apply and the entry fee will not be refunded. |
| | What does it mean when it says that I am a reserve? Do I have to attend if I am a reserve? Can I withdraw from a reserve list? Do I still pay an entry fee if I am a reserve? |
| | |
Reserves are an important part of an event and may be called upon to play if other players withdraw for any reason.
Unless you cancel from the reserve list it is your responsibility to check the acceptance list up to and including 24 hours before the start of the event to see if you have been accepted. However, you need not attend the event unless your status changes to accepted. In normal circumstances we will try to contact you by telephone or email to inform you that you have been accepted although as a reserve it is still your responsibility to check if you have moved from the reserve list into the tournament.
You will only be charged an entry fee if you are called upon to play - the fee will be billed to your account as soon as you are accepted (and once the cancellation deadline has passed).
If you are a reserve player and no longer wish to play, then you must cancel from the reserve list PRIOR to us accepting you into an event. You will not be charged if you do this and no LTA withdrawal penalties will apply.
If you do not cancel from the reserve list and are called upon to play then you will be charged an entry fee and recorded as a "withdrawal", if you then tell us that you cannot play. The ONLY exception to this is if we contact you less than 24 hours prior to the published start time of the event. In this case you are free to decline the offer of a place. Consequently, there is no need to check the entry lists nor to call the referee ON THE DAY of an event, if you no longer wish to be considered. If an opportunity becomes available at less than 24 hours notice we will always contact you by telephone. If we are not able to reach you then we may not leave messages at short notice and contact other reserves instead - accepting the first positive response.
You may cancel from a reserve list by logging onto our website and clicking on the "Cancel From Reserve List" link against any event where your status is showing as "Reserve". You may also cancel from the reserve list by telephoning us. For events entered directly via the LTA website, it is not possible to cancel from the reserve list online and this may only be done by telephone. |
| | What is the likelihood of me being called upon as a reserve? |
| | |
This is impossible to determine. In some events, no reserves are used. In others, we may call upon many. As a general rule however, if your reserve number is very high, then the chances are smaller that if you are (say) 1st reserve.
As soon as we receive notification from another player confirming their inability to play, we shall do the following:
More than 24 hours before the start time of the event: We shall update the acceptance list on our website and include the next player on the reserve list. We shall send out a confirmation email although it is each player's responsibility to check the website up to 24 hours before the start of the event as we cannot guarantee the delivery of emails. Do remember that you must cancel from the reserve list prior to notification of acceptance if you no longer wish to play. Once the cancellation deadline has passed, you DO NOT have the option of cancelling without penalty once you are accepted from the reserve list even if you contact us immediately.
Less than 24 hours before the start time of the event: We shall telephone the next player on the reserve list and invite them to play. Players are not obliged to accept any place offered to them and may freely decline without charge or penalty. If we are not able to make direct contact by telephone then we will approach other players on the reserve list according to their reserve number. The first player to provide a positive response will be accepted. We shall not normally leave messages, particularly is a player is needed at short notice. |
| | Can I cancel an application I have made? I have entered an event in error. How do I cancel? |
| | |
You are free to cancel provided we receive your instruction to cancel prior to the published application/cancellation deadline. There is no charge or penalty for doing this and there is no limit to the number of cancellations you may make. You may view a list of all events applied for by logging on to our website and clicking on the "My Events Applications" tab within your personal profile.
You may cancel any application by clicking on the "Cancel from this event" link or by telephoning us, provided you do this BEFORE the published cancellation deadline.
Cancellations are accepted on the understanding that it is your responsibility to check that we have received and acknowledged your request prior to the cancellation deadline. We will normally send you an automated e-mail confirming your cancellation. However, we strongly recommend that players/parents do NOT communicate cancellations by e-mail, in case of delay or non-delivery.
Late cancellations are dealt with as withdrawals. Entry fees are not refunded and automatic suspension points are imposed by the LTA, the accumulation of which may lead to a player being suspended from taking part in ALL LTA events and tournaments. Please note that the acceptance lists for events are compiled, immediately following the application/cancellation deadlines. |
| | I have missed the cancellation deadline. Will you accept a late cancellation? |
| | |
No! It is the responsibility of each player (or parent) to ensure that WE have received your cancellation request prior to the published cancellation deadline. In the case of PC or internet difficulties then you should telephone us prior to the deadline, if you are in any doubt over whether your cancellation request has been received. We strongly recommend that cancellations are NOT made by e-mail, in case of delay or non-delivery.
We acknowledge all cancellation requests prior to the published cancellation deadline for each event and will not consider a late cancellation request if a player has been accepted to play WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. Please remember that when cancelling via our website, you must finalise the cancellation process BEFORE the published deadline. We do not accept responsibility for slow internet connections, mistyped passwords or other delays which result in a player missing the deadline. If you are having difficulty in getting online then you should telephone us before the deadline. All late cancellations are dealt with as withdrawals. Entry fees are not refunded and LTA penalty points are AUTOMATICALLY imposed on players, if they have been accepted to play, even if you have missed the deadline by a short margin. I logged on before the cancellation deadline, but was not allowed to cancel?
You must complete the cancellation process before the deadline. As long as you click the "Cancel from this event link" prior to the deadline, then the cancellation will be permitted. Please remember that our server is synchronised to an atomic clock which is checked every hour, every day. If the site does not allow you to cancel then this means you are trying to do so after the deadline. |
| | I have been accepted for an event, but am unable to take part or no longer wish to play. What do I do? |
| | |
Under LTA regulations, once
accepted, you are expected to play and be fit enough to take part in two, three or four matches (depending on draw format). unless you are ill, injured or are unable to do so as a result of a
serious and unforeseen emergency (such as a death in the family). If you are unable to play,
you must let us know as soon as possible BY TELEPHONING (0333 247 9819).
After 4.00pm on Thursday, your call will be routed to the referee in
charge of the event. If you are taking part in more than one event, then it is
important that the referee for EACH event is informed. You must also make sure
that we receive and acknowledge your withdrawal. For this reason ask that
players/parents DO NOT communicate withdrawals by e-mail. If you
withdraw by e-mail and your communication is not read in time (or not
received), you will be penalised as a non-appearance'. E-mails are not
usually attended to at the weekends. The impact of withdrawals
can have an adverse effect on events and other players. In some cases, a
withdrawal can result in other players being cancelled from an
event. We therefore ask that withdrawals are communicated to us as soon as
possible and not left to the day of an event,
when it is often impossible to bring in reserves. All players who withdraw
from events incur LTA penalty points, the accumulation of which can lead to
suspension from all official competitions. Please visit the LTA website to find out more about this. |
| | I took part in an event but was unable to complete all matches? |
| | | Players who withdraw during
an event shall incur 3 penalty points under the LTA’s Withdrawal Points
suspension system. Any player who fails to appear for their 2nd or subsequent match
shall incur 5 penalty points. Suspension
points are NOT however incurred where a player RETIRES from a match in
progress, only where a player withdrawals from a match before it has started or
between rounds. For full details of the LTA
penalty system please refer to their website.
|
| | I was accepted for an event but did not attend (or turned up at the wrong venue) or failed to return for my 2nd/subsequent match. What happens now? |
| | | It is the responsibility of each player (or parent) to find out if they have been accepted and, if so, their reporting time. You should not rely on receiving a confirmation email - many automated emails are blocked by internet service providers or spam filters. If you apply for events at more than one venue, then it is your responsibility to be at the correct centre.
In all cases, if you are accepted for an event and do not communicate your decision to withdraw in advance, you will be recorded as a 'non-appearance' ('No show'). Non-appearances disrupt events considerably and in an extreme case, can result in up to three other players being sent home without playing. 'Communicate' means letting the event referee of your decision to withdraw in advance and making sure that he/she has acknowledged your withdrawal.
If your withdrawal is received after the time you have been asked to attend (your reporting time), this will also be considered as a 'non-appearance'. For this reason, you must not withdraw by e-mail, as this may not be read until after the event. A player who plays his/her first match and then fails to return for the 2nd/subsequent match, without notification, shall also be recorded as a 'non-appearance'. All players must return to the control desk at the end of each match to ascertain if and when they are playing again. Entry fees are forfeited in all cases where a player fails to appear for an event or match then 5 withdrawal penalty points are automatically imposed by the LTA. |
| | I have been accepted although I have been asked to play for my county, or in an other tournament. What do I do? |
| | | You should inform the person inviting you to play that you are already committed to another event and cannot therefore accept the invitation. If you do not do this and withdraw in order to take part in the other competition you will be recorded as an withdrawal, forfeit the entry fee and incur withdrawal points.
If you are on a reserve list for another tournament, then you should contact the organiser and cancel your place as soon as you are accepted for a matchplays.com event. Withdrawing from one event to accept a place in another is unfair on other players who do commit and is not acceptable. |
| | I cannot get to the centre at the time I have been asked to report. Can you make my match(es) later? |
| | |
Reporting times are entirely dependent on a player's position in the draw and we are unable to offer any flexibility with regard to match times or accommodate scheduling requests at our one-day events. |
| | My reporting time has changed. Can I cancel without penalty? |
| | | There are many reasons why a player's report time may change and if you are informed of that you need to report at a LATER time - then this is not considered a justifiable reason for withdrawing. Do remember that when you sign up for an event you are committed to the full duration of the competition and to playing all matches as arranged. We can never guarantee what time an individual player will finish their match/es.
If you are notified of an EARLIER reporting time less than 24 hours before the start of play and cannot get to the event as a result then provided you can substantiate your reason for not being able to attend at the new time, then we shall consider your claim on its merits. |
| | Can you ensure that my son/daughter does not play late evening matches? |
| | |
Regrettably not. The programme comprises many evening events which include late play and this is one of the acceptance conditions. The events may not therefore be suitable for everyone, particularly younger players.
Where an event includes several age groups, we do aim to start the FIRST round matches for younger age groups earlier. However we cannot guarantee the starting times of 2nd/subsequent round matches which largely depend on the total number of players as a whole, the length of matches and court availability. At a very busy event there may be an interval of an hour or more, between rounds.
Younger players are advised NOT to enter Men's and Ladies Open events, especially if they have school the next day - as these can finish very late in the evening. It is not usual for final matches to finish around 11:00pm (and sometimes later). For this reason, our Open events are hidden from view when a player under the age of 14 logs onto our website. These can be shown by un-ticking the "hide open events" box within the list of events.
In fairness to all players in Open events, requests to prioritise matches involving younger players ahead of others will not be granted. |
| | (For events played at venues where outdoor courts are used) Do I still turn up if it is raining? |
| | |
Unless an event is cancelled then regardless of weather conditions - you should report for play at the time you have been asked to do so. The decision as to the playability of courts, scheduling of matches and any decision to curtail or abandon an outdoor event is at the sole discretion of the event referee. Any decision to cancel will not be made until the day of an event.
In the event of bad weather, this may involve considerable delays. Any player who is not prepared to wait or follow the directions of the event referee will receive LTA withdrawal penalty points.
If we are not able to offer you a minimum of two matches, then a proportionate refund will be made. No refund will be made to any player who fails to attend the event, withdraws at any stage or leaves without the approval of the referee, regardless of whether any play takes place or not. |
| | What happens if a match is still in progress at the expiry of the booking period? |
| | |
It may be necessary to abandon matches which have not been completed within the allotted court booking. Court bookings vary from centre to centre. Players should continue playing until directed to stop. Regrettably, unfinished matches will not count towards World Tennis Number (WTN) and rankings/recent form points are shared in such a scenario according to the round reached.
If this happens then a part refund will be made to both players involved. We will try to avoid this happening as far as possible, although the final decision rests with the event referee and the duty manager at the centre concerned.
The event referee may at his/her sole discretion decide that it is too late to start a match and there is no realistic chance of achieving a result. In this case a part refund will be made to the players concerned if they have not played two matches.
We plan the programme to minimize the risk of unfinished matches. For this reason, we must adopt a rigid approach with players arriving late and also insist that the five minute warm-up period prior to each match is strictly adhered to. |
| | What do I do if I get held up en route to an event or involved in an accident? |
| | |
Court bookings for our one-day events are sometimes very limited and we cannot offer the flexibility that some events and tournaments offer to people running late.
The final decision will be made by the event referee, although in general, if a court is ready for play, we will wait no more than 15 minutes for a delayed player.
If you telephone the referee as soon as you are aware of the problem, he/she may be able to put on other matches to avoid courts sitting vacant, possibly giving you a little extra time. You should not however expect this, particularly if you are one of the first matches due on court. |
| | Can I bring along friends/family to watch? |
| | |
Yes, although you are responsible for their conduct at the venue. Please note that viewing facilities vary from venue to venue. |
| | If the draw changes, will this affect my reporting time? |
| | |
We will make every effort to contact you if your reporting time materially changes from that published. |
| | If one or more withdrawals means me playing only one match, can I cancel my entry? |
| | | No. Players will be expected to play in an event even if this means playing just one match. This is covered in our entry conditions.
We will try to avoid this scenario as far as possible and never plan an event where players only take part in a single match. In the majority of events, players will take part in two, three or four matches. However, we cannot legislate for withdrawals after the selections have been made, injuries incurred during play nor other unforeseen circumstances. It is worth bearing in mind that we may receive a late entry from a player of suitable rating which will allow us to plan two matches for each player.
Remember that a 50% refund of your entry fee is made if we are unable to offer you two matches through no fault of your own. No refunds are however made to players who withdraw regardless of how many matches they may have played in the event had they not withdrawn. |
| | Do results from The TennisUK One-Day Event Programme automatically get submitted to the LTA? |
| | | Yes, we ensure that all results are counted for ratings purposes and that they are submitted in time.
In normal circumstances, results are submitted on the MONDAY immediately following the event and will appear on the LTA's website.
Any queries regarding results from The TennisUK One-Day Event Programme should be address to ourselves and not directly to the LTA. |
| | I have accidentally cancelled from a one-day event but did not mean to. What should I do? |
| | | If the event is still accepting applications, you should immediately re-apply for the event and then email us with the name of the player, British Tennis Membership number and the event code, explaining that you cancelled in error. Normally, if you cancel and reapply for an event, your entry date and time is reset to the time that you re-apply. However, provided you re-apply IMMEDIATELY, then we may consider re-instating the entry date and time back to the date and time you originally applied. This is however entirely at our discretion and we will not likely do this if there is a delay of more than 10 minutes minutes between cancelling and re-applying or another player has applied in the intervening period.
If the event is closed for applications then we will not reinstate a player if someone else has been accepted in your place - or the reserve list has been renumbered., |
| | Will events take place if there are extreme weather conditions (such as snow)? |
| | |
Unless you
are contacted to the contrary, you should assume that the event will take
place. We do
expect players and parents to put their own safety first and if you are unable
to get to the event then please telephone the referee on 0333 247 9819 and
explain the circumstances. Do not send emails as our office is normally closed
at the weekend. If the event is cancelled, will I be
told?
If an event
is cancelled we shall firstly update the LTA website (a link to the relevant section of the site is sent to all players a few days before the event. Please avoid telephoning referees with weather related enquiries - only telephone us if you are withdrawing from an event or are unable to get to the venue in time for your match/es Decisions to cancel will be
made by the referee on an event-by-event basis in consultation with the
club/centre concerned. Players are parents should check the tournament on the LTA website, particularly before starting their journey to the event.
If I am running late for my match/es will play be delayed in view of the weather conditions? We would ask all players and parents to allow additional travelling time as it may not be possible to make allowances to players who are running late. If you are running late then please telephone us on 0333 247 9819 and discuss the matter with the referee of the event you are playing in. We cannot delay matches if this is likely to lead to an event over-running our court booking time and the referee may have to give walkovers in order to ensure that all matches are completed. Such decisions are at the entire discretion of the referee. If I withdraw after
the withdrawal deadline due to adverse weather conditions will I receive
penalty points? Yes. However players can appeal the points by emailing the
LTA – we have been told that each case will be considered on an individual
basis. You should receive an email from the LTA advising that penalty points
have been incurred by the Wednesday following the event. This email
details the appeal process. Please remember that tournament organisers have no
discretion over the imposition of LTA withdrawal points – they are beyond the
jurisdiction of event referees and TennisUK. Will I get a refund if
I withdraw (after the cancellation deadline) because of adverse weather
conditions? No. A player will
only receive a refund if the event is cancelled AND the player has not withdrawn
prior to the decision to cancel the event. If other players
withdraw and this affects the number of matches I play, will I receive a
refund? Yes. Provided you do not withdraw from an event then if we are unable to offer you the stipulated minimum number of matches through no cause of your
own, then a proportionate entry fee refund is made. If no matches are possible then the
entry fee will be refunded in full. Will cancelled events be rearranged? No. The calendar
of events is arranged several months in advance and finding a suitable alternative
date for all players to be available is not feasible. If I am entitled to a
full or part refund, do I have to apply for this? No. This will be processed automatically via your TennisUK
online account within seven days of the event date. You can check this by logging
onto your account and clicking on the “Transactions” tab |
| Withdrawals |
| | I have been accepted for a competition, but am unable to take part or no longer wish to play. What do I do? |
| | |
All competitions have a cancellation deadline up to which time players are permitted to cancel freely. To cancel an application prior to the cancellation deadline please log onto your account, click on "My Events and Applications" and then click on "Cancel from this event" next to the event for which you no longer wish to be considered. If you do not have internet access then you may cancel by telephoning us.
If you are unable to play for any reason AFTER the cancellation deadline then you must let us know as soon as possible BY TELEPHONING (0333 247 9819. You must also make sure that we receive and acknowledge your withdrawal. For this reason ask that players/parents DO NOT communicate withdrawals by e-mail or fax. If you withdraw by e-mail/fax and your communication is not read in time (or not received), you will be penalised as a non-appearance. E-mails/faxes are not usually attended to at the weekends, nor after 4:00pm on Fridays.
Withdrawals have an adverse effect on events and on other players. We therefore ask that withdrawals are communicated to us as soon as possible and not left to the day of a match, when it is often impossible to bring in reserves and could mean a wasted journey for an opponent. |
| | Will I be penalised for withdrawing from a competition or failing to arrive? |
| | | Players who withdraw from a
competition prior to the advertised cancellation deadline incur no penalty. For all LTA grade 1 - 6 tournaments (including the TennisUK Matchplays.com programme), players who withdraw after the cancellation (withdrawal) deadline (or
fail to appear for a competition without advance communication) will forfeit
their entry fee and incur automatic penalty points, the accumulation of which may
result in a suspension from ALL LTA events and tournaments. This applies to all
singles and doubles matches (including consolation events). For full details of the
penalty system, click here. In addition, players who withdraw from the TennisUK Matchplays.com programme may be less favourably considered for selection during the eight week period following the date of the event. Our "Matchplay History Grading" system assesses each player's history in the programme over an 8 week period. Players who have withdrawn are generally prioritised lower than players who have not withdrawn or have failed to get a place in previous events.
|
| | Do I have to provide evidence supporting the reason for my withdrawal (or complete a withdrawal form)? |
| | | No. As LTA withdrawal penalties are based on WHEN a player withdraws, rather than WHY, there is no need to substantiate a withdrawal, provide medical evidence or complete a withdrawal form.
|
| | I have withdrawn from an event but I now want to play. Can I change my mind? |
| | |
No. Once you have told us that you do not wish to play then you cannot be reinstated into a event from which you have withdrawn. The entry fee is forfeited in these circumstances and LTA withdrawal penalties apply. You should make absolutely sure that you wish to withdraw before confirming your decision to so do. |
| | Can I appeal against withdrawal penalty points? |
| | | Please remember that withdrawal penalty points are NOT imposed by referees, nor tournament organisers (such as TSUK). They are applied directly by the LTA once tournament results have been submitted. Shortly after the conclusion of a competition you will receive an email directly from the LTA notifying you that points have been applied. Appeals may be made directly to the LTA on the grounds of "exceptional circumstances" within 72 hours of receiving the notification email. If you receive an email from TSUK acknowledging a withdrawal this may mention LTA penalty points. This is however a courtesy notification and you should wait until you receive an email directly from the LTA before making an appeal. Please do not send appeals directly to TSUK as we are unable to deal with them as we have no jurisdiction to remove LTA penalty points. |
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