UK Competition Structure for Open Men

EddietheEagle · County player

RE: UK Competition Structure for Open Men

Born2WinTennis · Club Coach

Oh dear the LTA have just got back to me saying they will not sanction my Districts/Borough Championships idea for Ratings and Ranking points. Without such there is probably no way it would get off the ground, because the target market (men 16-40) are interested in getting more ratings and ranking wins.

They suggested I get support from County and District associations, however since the home counties have 9 counties and around 100 districts there is no way I can gain such support, it would tie me up in politics/red tape for about a year and I would never launch the event. I was hoping to launch something in the next few weeks.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Ummm ..... Why???? What were the reasons given for non-sanction?

Born2WinTennis · Club Coach

"If you would like to continue developing this idea and would like to test the format then you can certainly do so however at the current time we would not be able to approve the competition for ratings and rankings. As with any organisation we have priorities for our time and resources that are devolved from our strategic plan and so at present there are other key Competition areas that we are focussing on, targeting both juniors and adults.

If you continue with the idea we would suggest you proceed after gaining the support of the county and district league organisers in the relevant areas as there are a number of well-established county and district team competitions already taking place. "

EddietheEagle · County player

What earthly reason exists as to why results from your competition should not contribute to a player's rating/ranking? Bluntly, that's a pretty cr.ppy, though predictable, reply. You ought to press them on the matter and get them to spell out precisely why they won't support you. And if those clowns have put together another strategic plan, why hasn't it been published then as they did with Draper's famous Blueprint?

Born2WinTennis · Club Coach

I will press them on it, I don't think the decision came from my contact she said she was meeting colleagues about it. So at least I want to know precisely who made the decision and why, then I can escalate it. After starting a corporate tennis league in london with 100 players, a nationwide network of county singles leagues with 200 players and now a jointly organised a national tournament with 160 players, all in the last 18 months, in my spare time...I think I deserve a bit more of an excuse than "we don't have time".

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I've no idea is this is any use to you and your argument but the system in France is the following:

any club can organise a tournament, which gives national ranking/rating points, at any time, under any conditions - they don't need 'permission', although the time slot is usually agree at county committee level (which is in everyone's interests as it means not too much overlap so entry figures are higher).

This can be an internal tournament, a normal general one, one that's open but only open to only rankings up to 8.1, say, one only for seniors, a short sets tournament (the ranking points are pro-rated for short sets, according to a national formula), a junior one, etc. etc. It's 100% down to the club to decide.

However, it has to be done by a club that is affiliated to the FFT (this covers even tiny clubs but does not cover private organisations/associations).

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

But I do not see what LTA time and resources are taken up by you following the rules for sanctioned tournaments and you entering the results on the on-line tournament.software package .......

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Not coming to the LTA's defence but if Born2Win is not a recognised club or something then presumably the LTA would have to check up on the event to make sure it was actually happening, as per the regulations, and ranking matches weren't being put in ficticiously or based on a misunderstanding of the rules etc. (Although that wouldn't take a lot of manpower, just one LTA person to go along and check).

indiana · Tennis legend

As your last bit in brackets says, CD, plus B2WT's relatively easy to confirm history of organising and staging events.

Me thinks a collective heads up their own arses has rather more to do with it.

EddietheEagle · County player

Born2WinTennis wrote:
I will press them on it, I don't think the decision came from my contact she said she was meeting colleagues about it. So at least I want to know precisely who made the decision and why, then I can escalate it. After starting a corporate tennis league in london with 100 players, a nationwide network of county singles leagues with 200 players and now a jointly organised a national tournament with 160 players, all in the last 18 months, in my spare time...I think I deserve a bit more of an excuse than "we don't have time".

You shouldn't have to escalate anything. You're a promoter and need to deal with decision-makers, not pen pushers. Your time is as valuable as theirs.

In pursuing the matter, get them to inform you properly as to what their UK tournament strategy/plans are precisely. Again, you're a promoter and a potentially important aspect of that plan. You should be kept informed and be able to contribute yourself.

Like I said, these people are clowns. And the kind of negativity that hinders you ought to be exposed to a wider audience.

wimdledont · Challenger level

Born2WinTennis wrote:
"If you would like to continue developing this idea and would like to test the format then you can certainly do so however at the current time we would not be able to approve the competition for ratings and rankings. As with any organisation we have priorities for our time and resources that are devolved from our strategic plan and so at present there are other key Competition areas that we are focussing on, targeting both juniors and adults.

If you continue with the idea we would suggest you proceed after gaining the support of the county and district league organisers in the relevant areas as there are a number of well-established county and district team competitions already taking place. "

So that's "we're not going to support you, because it doesn't fit in with our "strategy", and we're not going to tell you what our "strategy" is. You have to guess."

Whereas the point of any organisation developing a strategy is that everybody knows what the strategic aim is, and can work towards that aim.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

And tell the LTA that last year, in France, there were 645,000 official team matches played (covering all categories)

And that was only the team matches. (The number for matches in individual tournaments is far higher, I know, but can't find it)

How many did the LTA manage to organise?

EddietheEagle · County player

Don't make me weep, Coup. It's bad enough watching Gilles Simon hit the ball so sweetly this week.

Born2WinTennis · Club Coach

Coup I am a registered LTA Venue and also a Grades 7-5 Referee, so I can host events and also submit them for sanctioning. I then update the tournament software website and submit results back to the LTA for processing.

Previously I believe each county was responsible for the sanctioning process, but now it lies with the Regional Competition Co-ordinators. With this example I am not even getting to sanction stage though, at a national level the competition team at Roehampton is telling me it's a no!

I agree with Optimist though I don't see what time it will take them, I am doing it under my own steam, in my spare time. I have emailed out to team captains this weekend and now have at least ten teams on board. I need 22 more to make a 32 draw.

Yes Wimbledont, they keep referring to the strategy yet have not published it, all I get is tiny dribs and drabs of what it might contain.