rules

the competition

• University Tennis League is a mixed gender (co-ed) competition created by SUTA (2022)

• Teams can join the competition (after meeting required conditions of SUTA and UTL)

• The league (in Switzerland) is divided into 2 conferences (West and East)​

• 4 teams compete in each conference

• teams in the same conference must meet twice during the season (one season = two semesters)

• Play-off's. After the regular season, will the 2 best teams from each conference qualify for the play-offs (first against second). Winners will meet in the final and losers will play for the third position.

• Relegation. When the season is over, the last team from each conference can be challenged by any new team interested to join the UTL.

• Schedule. Season schedule & dates for the league matches are decided by the league (UTL)  after communication with all the team captain's. Team captains shall propose their desired requests, but the league has the right to make the final decision.

• There is no age limit. Student-athletes older than 28 are not allowed to participate in UTL Playoffs.

• official surfaces allowed by UTL are red clay, carpet, hard court. 

• UTL league matches must be played at Swiss Tennis member facilities.​

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 TEAM REGISTRATION

• team must first create its Name and Logo, which must be approved by the league (SUTA/UTL). The next step is to create its own identity by starting a Club (Verein) . Clubs interested to participate in UTL must present their 1. Founding minutes 2. Statutes and 3. Bank Account (registered under the clubs name). In order to be eligible, the final step is to sign a Participation Agreement with the league (UTL).
• at least 8 boys and 4 girls are needed to register one team. In order to be prepared for possible complications such as illnesses, injuries and other unexpected situations, UTL recommends teams to prevent complications by recruiting / adding more players.

• when forming a new UTL team,  players don't necessarily have to attend the same school, but if there is enough players attending just one university, than they can represent just one particular university.

• ​​tennis playing student-athletes who are attending different schools, which are in the same metropolitan area can create one / join the same team. Example: Players of team Zurich Lions attend different universities / colleges / Hochschulen, which are located in metropolitan area of Zurich.​​​

• all the players must be able to prove, that they are full-time university / college / Hochschulen students.

• Exceptions (Jokers):

1. On-line students. One male and one female player per team taking lessons at Swiss accredited on-line institution can be registered as on-line student. Student-athletes with Swiss citizenship, who are taking credits at accredited international institutions, are also eligible.

2. Alumni. Former students up to one year after their graduation or discontinuation of their studies are eligible to play no more than 2 semesters after their graduation. There is no limit when it comes to registration, but only one male and one female Alumni is able to play in one match/tie. Alumni players can be used in Play Off's or Relegation matches.

3. Juniors. One male and female junior (student) per team with Swiss rating R1 and better are able to join the team (players shall be no younger than 15 and no older than 19). There is no limit when it comes to registration, but only one male and one female junior player is able to play in one match/tie. Juniors can not be used in Play-off's nor the Relegation matches.

4. Transfers.  Each player, that attends university in a different city, or conference, can play for another team as a transfer player. Players listed on the transfer market can be signed by another team during pre-season transfer windows (1st -29th Sep. and 1st Jan - 16th Feb). During this period, the league shall update the transfer market list on every Monday.  Players have to be listed on the transfer market by their captains. Transfer players must play for the same team for at least one semester, can be listen again / change teams no earlier than after one semester. Teams can not have more than 2 male and 2 female players listed as Transfers. Only one male and one female Transfer player can be used in a match/tie. Transfer players can be used in Play Off's or Relegation matches.

• Team registration deadline - 21.7.2024 was the deadline to register teams into next season of the competition

• Player registration deadline - Sunday 29.9. (for fall season) and Sunday 16.02. (for spring season) are the deadlines for the teams to register new players (in order to be eligible for the next semester)

• Registration fee - at the moment, there is no participation / registration fee​

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Ranking

• winning team receives 3 points and losing team receives 0 points

• when both teams won the same number of matches (9:9), games / points will decide. In this case, the winning team receives 2 points and losing team receives 1 point.

• every game / point counts into the ranking table and will be calculated as teams average % of points won. When at the end of the season two teams have the same points in the ranking table, the team with higher winning % moves up.

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SWISS TENNIS

• results from the UTL singles matches count into Swiss Tennis Ranking system (Klassierung)

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MATCH DAY RULES / regulations

• Number of players - each playing team must consist of at least 8 players (at least/no less than 5 male and 3 female). Depending on the number of available players, must Tournament Director, Referee and both Team Captains decide / agree on appropriate match format.

• Teams with less than 8 (5 male and 3 female) available players will be penalised by number of walkover's (W.O.).

• When missing 1 player (5th male or 3rd female player), the team will automatically lose 2 matches by W.O. (1 x singles + 1 x mix doubles). For every other missing player (4th male or 2nd female), the team will lose additional 3 matches by W.O. (2 x singles + 1 x doubles). If one player is listed on certain position, he/she can not try to cover the missing player by playing second / third singles match at the other position. One player is not allowed to play more than 2 singles and one doubles, or mix doubles.

• Teams have to pay penalty fee, if they will not show up, or cancel the match because not being able to organise enough players for the match day - which is no less than 3 Male and 2 Female players. More below.

• While all the teams have to agree to the League schedule already at the beginning of every season, SUTA/UTL can help, but in this case is not responsible, nor obligated to change / reschedule / organise another match date.

• Jokers. 50% rule - teams can not use more than 4 "jokers"  (per team/per match). No more than 2 Juniors (one male and one female) can participate in one match. More than 2 juniors can participate only if a junior is substituted by another junior listed as substitute (. Same rule applies for On-line students and Transfers.

• Starting the match. Players of the Home Team always serve (start the match serving) first. Consider home team always to be listed on the UTL schedule as first team (to the left).

• Changeover can be no longer than 2 minutes long.

• On-court coaching can be performed only by the team head coach, his assistant, or playing - team captain. All of them have to be listed on the match form. Other players than those listed as coach, assistant, or captain, shall not coach their teammates.

• On-court presence. Only members of the teams playing the match can be present on the court. 

• Team coach / Captain. Only 2 coaches / captains per team can be listed on the match form. It can be the head coach, assistant coach and / or team captain. Only they can make important decisions, make substitutions, perform on court coaching, and communicate with the referees and the tournament director.

• Player substitutions must be announced to referee or tournament director by the team coach / captain

• Player substitutions are allowed only once per each (no earlier than during/after 2 change-over) match due to following reasons: when injured / not performing well / not behaving well

• Player can be substituted only by someone who is listed lower on his/her team roster / this applies to both singles and doubles matches​

• Second substitution is possible only when serious injury would occur

• Third substitution is not allowed

• Matches with substitution will not count into Swiss Tennis ranking system

• Prize money scholarships. Winning teams will be financially rewarded after every regular season match and Play-off round. The set amount shall be listed in the pre season Participation Agreement made between the team and the league. Relegation matches are to be played without any financial reward.

• The league (UTL) (in the name of the home team) will organize courts and referee. The home team shall organize medical personnel being available / or on-call, if medical treatment necessary (league might, but is not responsible to help)

• The league (UTL) will provide balls for each league match (official balls are Tretorn)

• New balls shall be provided by the referee on each court after every 2 rounds. If the players want to play with used balls after second round, both player must agree. Otherwise (if one player asks for new balls) players shall start the match with new balls.

• The league (UTL) will provide one referee for each league match

 

singles match scoring 

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• Match:  first to win 9 games (tiebreak when 8:8)

• Game: regular scoring / no ad when deuce (serving always to deuce side)

• Tiebreak: first to win 5 out of 9 points (deciding point when 4:4)

• Switching sides: regular ITF rule

• Let on serve: regular ATP / WTA rule

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• On-court coaching is allowed during every changeover

• 15  seconds "coaching time out" is also allowed once during tiebreaks, when called for "coaching time-out"

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• Player substitutions during the match are allowed (not before 7 games are finished, or earlier when serious injury)

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• Calling score: Serving player is responsible to call the score out loud to his opponent before every first serve / this rule doesn't apply when the referee is present. Players can be penalised when first warned and repeatedly not calling the score.

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doubles match scoring

option for singles in case of limited time / more players / limited courts availability (both teams must agree and league must approve)

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• Match / set: first to win 25 points (long tiebreak). Deciding point when 24:24.

• Changing serves: after first point, the players change their serve after every 4 points

• Switching sides: changeover after every 9 points

• Let on serve: regular ATP / WTA rule

• On-court coaching is allowed during every changeover

• 15 seconds "coaching time out" is also allowed between the points / only once between each changeover  "coaching time out".

• Player substitution during the match is allowed ( during the 2nd changeover)

• Calling score: Serving player is responsible to call the score out loud to his opponent before every first serve / this rule doesn't apply when the referee is present

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