Fiend at Court Unplugged
The USTA decision to divide NTRP tournament play into three separate age divisions has a pretty significant side effect. I originally planned to write about the theoretical possibilities today, but the Trophy Husband alerted me a real example in an upcoming Level 5 tournament in San Angelo, Texas. Not to bury the lead, but this is proof positive that I do occasionally listen when he drones on about his own tennis life.
Registration is closed for the tournament with 2 teams entered in Mens 18+ 3.5 doubles and 5 teams entered in Mens 40+ 3.5 doubles. (The San Angelo tournament did not offer 55+ divisions.) One of the two teams entered at 18+ briefly considered not traveling to the tournament for only one match that they believe they are highly unlikely to win. They have made the noble decision to play anyway. (+10 “Fiend” points to both players.)
One option that team could have elected was to withdraw from the tournament before the draw was made. In that case the other 18+ team would be shut out of playing at all. This situation could also occur had only one team entered that division. The 5 teams in 40+ would have to have to all agree to compete at 18+ for that team to compete. It simply wouldn’t happen.
There are new rules interpretations in the rankings point system that incentivize older players to refuse to play in lower age brackets. Paradoxically, those rules do not appear in the USTA Adult and Family National tournament regulations. Players in Texas were informed of the decision via that Section’s “Know the Rules” document.
Players will ONLY receive credit and points in their “played” division. There will no longer be any way to give credit or points in an originally entered division, if merged with another division for a draw to make.
2021 Know The Rules: USTA Texas Adults, Seniors, and Super Seniors
That decision is a likely consequence of the new USTA unified ranking system and associated digital platform. It is still struggling to correctly award rankings points for tournaments without the complications that awarding crossover ranking points would bring.
Older players who understand the rules should refuse to compete at the 18+ age division. However, if the situation was reversed with 5 teams entered in 18+ and only one team at 40+, that one team would have the option to play the younger division with no negative consequence because they are not giving up rankings points.
In the original scenario in the San Angelo tournament, the team in the 18+ draw that believes that they are traveling for a match that they will lose is confronted with another rule interpretation that further disincentivizes them from competing.
A player or team who plays a tournament but does not win any matches will not receive point(s) for participation for that tournament.
2021 Know The Rules: USTA Texas Adults, Seniors, and Super Seniors
In years past, Texas awarded second place points to the losers of 2 player/team draws. That incentivized participation in those micro tournaments because everybody would receive a lot of points. I previously wrote about that exact situation in “Chasing Tournament Ranking Points.”
The USTA is desperately trying to attract more active players from the 20-39 age range. “Truth Bomb: The USTA Hates Senior Tennis” outlines a theory that the age divisions are an attempt to boost participation in that demographic by pushing the older players off to the side. If that is the case, then NTRP tournament fragmentation will ultimately have the opposite effect.
Dividing NTRP tournament play by age divisions makes it significantly less likely that 18+ divisions will make. That creates less opportunities for players who are not eligible for 40+ and 55+ to participate. It is bad for building participation for younger adult players. It is also bad for the overall tennis ecosystem.
- USTA Adult and Family Tournament, Ranking & Sanctioning Regulations, Adopted May 14, 2020 and Amended December 2020.
- 2021 Know the Rules: USTA Texas Adults, Seniors, and Super Seniors, September 1, 2020.
Have you noticed that if there is a tournament with 3 teams playing a round Robin draw, 3rd place points of 630 are awarded even if the team lost all matches? That is more points awarded for not winning a match than teams that are in the main draw, make it to the semifinals but lose. So, I guess they consider only 2 teams a main draw vs a round Robin and do not award points to loser. Side note, I was told San Angelo was not offering 55+ because they didn’t want further dilution of the draws.
Not only did I notice it, I wrote a blog post that outlined the issue and submitted it as feedback to the USTA ACC. https://fiendatcourt.com/points-illustrated-an-example-of-rankings-inequities/