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Welcome to the 2024 Southern Tennis Escape Invitational

Please read the following carefully – your cooperation is essential to a smooth tournament!

MATCH TENNIS APP –  we are utilizing the Match Tennis app for scheduling courts and reporting scores. Information about the app and “checking in” for the Southern Tennis Escape tournament was previously communicated. You must have the app to participate. Court assignments will be done via the Match Tennis app. Please report scores on the Match Tennis app prior to leaving the courts.

TOURNAMENT BRACKETS – Initial brackets and match times will be posted online on USTA.com or on the Match Tennis app a day prior to the tournament. Initial brackets may change due to withdrawals due to injury, so please check the finalized draws on Thursday afternoon.

ORDER OF PLAY:

• Friday will begin with Women’s Doubles, followed by Men’s Doubles, and finally Mixed Doubles.
• Saturday will begin with Men’s Doubles, followed by Women’s Doubles, and finally Mixed Doubles.
• Sunday – all final matches/times/location posted in advance. Please be sure to check your start time if you’re in the finals! Most round robins will have matches on Sunday.

CHECK-IN – Please check in via the Match Tennis app for each individual match no later than 20 minutes prior to your assigned match time. All four players must be checked in via the Match Tennis app before a court is assigned.  Courts will be made available when all four players have checked in. If you’re going to be hanging around the tennis center, check-in early so that your match gets scheduled first.

WARM-UP – All warm-ups are restricted to 10 minutes. Please, please adhere to this request which will help keep matches on schedule. We get behind when warms-up go over 10 minutes (a ten minute warm-up is ten ground strokes, ten volleys, and ten practice serves!) You can conduct additional warm-ups the day before your match.

SCORING – Scoring is regular two sets with the third set a super-tie breaker (first to 10 by 2). As always, this is subject to change.

ANNOUNCE THE MATCH SCORE – To eliminate scoring conflicts, the server must announce the score before every point. Please update the court-score at change over.

REPORTING SCORES – Teams should report their scores via the Match Tennis app immediately after the match is over and prior to leaving the court. This will help with getting the next match on that court pushed out.

TENNIS BALLS – please return all tennis balls to the tournament desk after your match.

BYES – Unfortunately, having a bye can be a part of the tournament. If you have a bye in one event on Friday, and are playing in two events, you should have a match scheduled in your second event. If this is not the case, please see Michael.

WATER – due to the resounding responses from past tournaments, we’re going “green” again this year. Please bring your own water needed for play. Water is available on all courts (beer and wine are permitted/encouraged on all courts too). Ice is available onsite.

DELAYS HAPPEN! – Even though your match time is assigned, it may be possible a court is not available or your partner/opponent is still playing in another match. Delays will occur, so please be patient and we’ll get you on as quickly as possible.

FINALS – will be held on Sunday.  LAST YEAR WE HAD DEFAULT MATCHES ON SUNDAY DUE TO PLAYERS ELECTING NOT TO PLAY OR LEAVING EARLY. IF YOU ARE A NO-SHOW, YOU WILL NOT BE INVITED BACK.

If an unscheduled circumstance requires an early departure on Sunday, please let Michael know as soon as possible.  This is a courtesy to your opponents as they WILL be affected.

THE WEATHER – If rain occurs we will postpone play and provide a time to check back for updates. We reserve the right to change the scoring system if rain or other delays shorten our available court time.

FACEBOOK – if you’re on Facebook, please “like” our page and post any tournament statuses or pictures from the tournament (why not rub it in to those who aren’t here???)  https://www.facebook.com/southerntennisescape/

RECREATIONAL TOURNAMENT – Please keep in mind that this is a fun, enjoyable, recreational tournament. Everyone wants a competitive match, but please remember sportsmanship is a top priority. No ATP or WTP points are earned as a result of this tournament. 

Thank you for attending and we hope you have a fantastic tournament! Thanks for joining us!

– Your Southern Tennis Escape Committee –