Tried to Play Early, But…
We’ve scheduled our holiday match early. What happens if it rains on that date? Do we have until the default day to play the match?
Seth Appelbaum, Senior Leagues Vice President
If you schedule a match early, and inclement weather makes it impossible to play, the players involved can certainly choose another early date to play the matches. If they cannot agree on another early date, the match should be played ON THE DATE ON THE ALTA SCHEDULE. The match date does not go to the default date when an early scheduled match is rained out.
ALTA Member Handbook, page 36: Inclement Weather
- Matches Played in Advance of the Scheduled Date. If one or more positions are to be played in advance of the regularly scheduled date and have been delayed or interrupted by inclement weather, then all parties must wait one hour to determine if conditions improve. If conditions have not improved or the courts are not playable after waiting the required one hour, then the match, or matches, must be played before or on the originally scheduled date. Regular default rules will apply. (See ALTA Rule VI. E.)
Stormy Weather
Since the weather can be unpredictable, what happens if it starts thundering and lightning during our match but it does not rain?
Nicole Jennings, Mixed Doubles League Vice President
On page 154 in the USTA Friend at Court, thunder and lightning situations are addressed.
Lightning is a potential severe hazard and life-threatening consequence of an approaching storm near outdoor tennis matches. It is important to be prepared for immediate cessation of all matches or warm-up in the event of lightning. In essence, if lightning is sighted, stop all activity and direct everyone to seek appropriate shelter. A 30-30 rule may be used, which is as follows:
- If lightning is sighted and thunder then occurs in 30 seconds or less, instruct everyone on site to seek appropriate shelter. Dividing the number of seconds between lightning and thunder by 5 gives the distance of lightning in miles. (For example, a flash-to-bang count of 30 seconds means a distance of 6 miles.)
- Resume tennis activity after a minimum of 30 minutes has elapsed since the last lightning strike was seen.
