Announcing a new bracket format for 2012!

Introduction:

This year’s tournament will prove to be better than ever!  As the TowerTennis Championship enters its 9^th consecutive year – several lessons have been learned from previous competitions.  This year’s bracket format reflects several improvements:

The Self-Sorting Bracket-

No longer will an initial bracket placement affect a player’s advantage.  In this new self-sorting bracket – your matches get harder if you win, and easier if you lose.  As a consequence, players will naturally gravitate toward a satellite bracket with opponents of similar abilities.  Once there, you’ll find yourself competing for not only a satellite championship, but a chance to make the playoffs!

Satellite Champions-

           

The beauty of this bracket element is the opportunity for more players to experience the thrill of victory!  Even though you may have experienced one or two loses by then… all you have to do is win your satellite bracket.  In doing so, you not only claim a regional title, but you make the playoffs for a chance to see your name on the Championship trophy!

The Playoffs:

The playoffs are a culmination of the regular season -- a showdown of the best players to emerge from their respective satellite regions. 

Playoff Seeding:

As players move between different satellite brackets, and regional victors emerge – a relative order is revealed.  Players will be seeded into the Playoffs based on the region they emerge from. 

A Repeatable Schedule:

Everything has a season – and May thru September provides the most conducive weather for tennis in Iowa.  In past tournaments, the finals were conducted in December!  Thoughts of Football, and Christmas were the order of the day… not a summertime sport!  With two weeks scheduled for each round.  Players should have the flexibility to accommodate their schedules.  The TowerTennis Season needs to conclude while the weather is still reliable.  It’s important that players do all they can to complete their matches within the two week period allocated for each round.  Forfeits may be needed if matches aren’t concluded on time.

Player Guidelines:

Players coordinate with each other for a mutually agreeable time and location to compete.

Both players should bring a new can of balls to each match.  One can is used during the match, while the unopened can is awarded to the match winner (think of it as a small trophy).

All matches are best 2 out of 3 sets, with a tie-breaker played at 6-all.

After the match is complete, it is requested that each player report the match score separately.  In the past, discrepancies have existed between players.  If both reports match up – then the score will be recorded and published.  Photos and video interviews are welcome additions to the report. 

Code of Conduct:

Tennis is a game that requires cooperation and courtesy from all participants.  Although tennis has rules… there are a number of things not specifically set forth in the rules that are covered by custom and tradition.  For example, if you have doubt on a line call, your opponent gets the benefit of the doubt.  This isn’t in the rules of tennis, but it is written in: The Code – The Player’s Guide for Unofficiated Matches.  Items addressed include:

·         Principles

·         The Warm Up

·         Making Calls

·         Serving

·         Scoring

·         Hindrance issues

·         When to contact the tournament director to solve a dispute

·         Ball issues

·         Miscellaneous

More information on the code of tennis can easily be found online at:

 

http://www.usta.com/Active/The-Rules-of-Tennis/2518_The_Code_The_Players_Guide_for_Unofficiated_Matches/

I hope everyone enjoys the new bracket format this year!!!

Good luck,

SV - Tournament Director