RE: Guidelines for Walkovers etc

Hello Everyone

Please take a few minutes to read the following message regarding Walkovers:

With the influx of new entrants into the leagues over the past few months, I have been asked to clarify the guidelines on when walk-overs may or may not be claimed.

Firstly, the majority of the leagues are run to the calendar month so it is reasonable to expect players to organise their 4 league matches within this time. A note on the league sheets ask players to indicate (by writing on the league sheets) in the month before they drop out if they have known commitments which will prevent them from playing their games. In this way, I can re-introduce them at their ‘earned’ level when they return. They will otherwise drop two leagues for every inactive month and their playing colleagues will be denied a fully active league.

It is recognised that shiftwork and working away from home can impose constraints on availability and other players are asked to be considerate and flexible in such circumstances when trying to arrange a game. However if you offer someone three court sessions and they are unable to play any of them and are unable to offer any in return, it is not unreasonable to claim a walkover. This cannot and should not be claimed if the opponent makes counter offers of different times with courts that you cannot play.

If it is a joint 50/50 blame that the game has not been able to be arranged, then hard luck, no score should be entered.

If one player accepts responsibility for the game not to be played (eg. Due to unavailability), then a 3-0 walk-over can be claimed by the other player.

If you cannot agree on 100% responsibility, then no score should be entered.

A score of 2-2 should only be entered if that is the game score when you are knocked off the court before completion of the game, and cannot fit in a game to decide the final point

If a player is injured and has to retire during the course of a game then the partner can claim his full 3 points as if the game had continued.
The leagues rely on the trust and integrity of members and 3-2 is not an acceptable score for a game not played.

Given that there are many new members and the above add more clarity to the issue of 'walk-over'. The Club League Rules will be amended within the next month and re-issued so everyone is clear and up to date.

If anyone has any questions please speak to a committee member.

Thank you