Fast4 tennis/playing lets

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Fast4 tennis/playing lets

wolf · Tennis legend

I'm playing a tournament with these rules on Sunday. It is an official grade 5 LTA event. Normally when I play these tournaments, if it's a tournament which is all finished on one day you have to play short sets first to 4, with a tie break at 4-4 (first to 7, two clear) and a match tie break in the 3rd set (two clear). Obviously with playing up to 4 matches on one day you can't do normal scoring.

But the rules for this tournament are:-

1. First to four games wins.

It doesnt matter how you get there, just make sure you do before your opponent does!

2. Tiebreaker at 3 games all

At 3 games all a tiebreak is played to 5 points. A deciding point will be played at 4 points all.

3. No ad scoring

If the score reaches deuce, its a sudden death point. The receiver choses which side to take the serve on. This also applies in doubles with the receiving pair deciding who receives the serve - however the pair cannot change positions. In mixed doubles the player of the same gender shall receive.

4. Play lets

If the serve clips the net and lands in the service box, theres no let and the ball is in play. If you are playing doubles either the receiver or the receivers partner can play the return.

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I'm not sure if we're playing a match tie break as the 3rd set or an actual set. But if we are playing a MTB, I think it would be a deciding point at 9-9. The deciding point at the end of the tie break rule seems crazy, and imagine if you are on the receiving end of a dead net cord off the serve on the deciding point!

I would much prefer the normal rules as this just seems like a complete lottery. Has anyone played with these rules, and if so what do you think?

christ · Futures level

Those rules appear to guarantee a speedy result, rather than attempting to ensure that the best player wins.

What about ball tosses on the serve - do you have to hit the first one?

indiana · Tennis legend

I haven't played under these rules, me nowadays playing any match would ensure a very speedy conclusion under any rules.

Following, I hate no ads with deuce point winners ( in top level competition, but maybe a time and a place? ), don't mind TBs and MTBs ( where it helps the program ), but gee yes win these by 2 clear points. There's saving time and being silly.

Not sure playing lets helps much timewise and while skimmers are OK, allowing plob downs from serves is pretty daft ( waiting for someone to master that serving art ! ) and since you clearly can't make a dividing line, don't play lets.

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 3rd of November 2016 04:36:04 PM

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

There are lots of Fast4 tournaments now, scoring as you describe with a MTB to 10 as a third set. The LTA entry rules take adults first (rating then ranking), then juniors (rating then ranking). I can see the appeal for adults who maybe want to do something competitive, limited time, unsure of fitness etc etc. BUT these are Grade 3 tournaments so a winner of 3 matches in this format will get 1000 domestic ranking points, same as a player playing up to 5 normal scoring matches in a week long tournament! And often there are not enough adults and so juniors are really boosting their rankings whilst barely breaking sweat in this format....and of course the wins count towards their rating too, making the domestic lists even more farcical than they have been over the last few years.