rules

the competition

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

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

• The league 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. 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. One alumni per team is eligible to play no more than 2 semesters after his/her graduation. Former students up to one year after graduation or discontinuation of their studies.

3. Juniors. One male and female junior (student) per team with Swiss rating R1 and better is able to join the team (players shall be no younger than 15 and no older than 19).  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 (1.-30 Sep. and 1.Jan - 10 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 transfers on their roster. Only one male and one female player can be used in a match. Transfer players can be used in Play off's or Relegation matches.

• 30.6. (15.7.2023 only) each year is the deadline to register teams into next season of the competition

• 30.9. (for fall season) and 10.02. (for spring season) are the deadlines for the teams to register new players (in order to be eligible for the next semester)

• the registration fee is 500 CHF per team / season (Sept-April) Total amount of collected prize-money will be redistributed into the league prize-money.​

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Ranking

• winning team receives 3 points and losing team 0 points

• when both teams won the same number of matches, 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 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 both teams decide / agree on appropriate match format. This provides teams with more flexibility. If both teams agree, the leagues shorter match format (tiebreaks up to 25) allows more players to be involved in one match.

• Jokers. No more than 50% (4 players per team) of all players. 

• 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. Only one of them at time 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 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)

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

 

regular 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

• 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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Faster match scoring (not enough time / more players)

option 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 games (long tiebreak)

• 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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