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Here at the Mixed
State League Championships the matches are all two out of three sets.
But you won’t see any third sets being played out there on any of the
courts. And no, it’s not because teams are set up to blow away the
competition.
In lieu of a third
set, a 10-point Match Tiebreak will be played. (This helps to provide
enough time and court space to get all of your matches played in just
four days, and – since a lot of us have busy lives and don’t train quite
as hard as Nadal - this will hopefully cut down on trips to the
hospital.) |
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So
just what is this “Match Tiebreak,” and what do you need to know when you
and your partner are heading right toward one? Allow me:
A
Match Tiebreak is the first team to 10 points, ahead by two.
Ruling:
It’s important to note that you are entitled to a full two-minute break
after you split sets and before the Match Tiebreak starts. Remember – this
Tiebreak is treated as a set.
Service Order:
The team whose turn it was to serve first if a full set was played starts
serving. A doubles team may choose to have their stronger server begin the
Tiebreak, regardless of whether that player was the last to serve for their
team in the previous set.
Receiving Positions:
A doubles
team may change receiving positions at the start of a Match Tiebreak.
Change of Ends:
Players change ends
at the start of a Match Tiebreak only if an odd-game changeover is due.
Example – the second set ended with a score of 6-3. During the Match
Tiebreak players change ends of the court after every six points, just like
a regular tiebreak.
Rest Periods:
After the players take the two-minute break before the start of the Match
Tiebreak, play will be continuous. There is no rest period during the
change of ends that occur during the Tiebreak. So grab that towel as you
walk by, but don’t sit down.
Recording the Tiebreak
Score: When
a Match Tiebreak is played in lieu of a third set the Tiebreak score is
recorded 1-0 (x) with “x” being the number of points won by the loser of the
Tiebreak. Example – 1-0 (9) means the Match Tiebreak score was 11-9.
That’s a tight match! I’m looking forward to seeing a few of those here this
weekend!
Courtesy Dennis Mallast
Do
you have court or tennis questions that needs clarifying? Submit your
e-mail question to:
Dennis Mallast, USTA Official -
dmallast@comcast.net
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