Entry

All entries into this year's Winter Doubles league are on a first come first serve basis. In order for a team to play together, both players must be registered for play and cannot be on the wait list. If one of the players is registered and the partner is on the wait list, the WDL coordinator will contact you for options. 

Schedule

Matches are played on Sunday nights, beginning 11/9/25 and ending 3/22/26, with holiday weekends blacked out. Match times are 6:30pm and 8:30pm and will be randomly assigned. Each pair will play 7 matches, spread across that calendar. You may specify up to 3 dates on which you are not available during registration. We will do our best to honor the requested blackout dates but cannot make guarantees.

Reschedules

Policy

• Each pair is granted one free reschedule after the season schedule is posted.
• Reschedule requests must be submitted via the WDL Reschedule Request form by 6pm on the Wednesday before your originally scheduled match.
• If you cannot submit the form because you are awaiting a response from your opponents, you must still contact the WDL coordinators at wdl@metrotennisgroup.com by this deadline.

• 1. Contact Opponents: The team that needs to reschedule must contact their opponents to initiate the reschedule. You can contact your opponents though our Member Directory.
  2. Agree on Alternative Dates: Both teams agree on up to three alternative dates. Up to three dates can be selected. For available dates, go to this page on the GLTA tournament site and click on the View Regulations link..
  3. Submit the Reschedule Form: After both teams reach consensus on alternative dates, the team that is requesting the reschedule sends a reschedule request to the WDL coordinator using the WDL Reschedule Request form. This is the only accepted method to ensure fairness and consistent processing for all teams.
  4. Confirmation: The WDL coordinator will reschedule the match and confirm the new date and time via email reply with both teams. The GLTA tournament website will be updated with the new match date and time.

Key Information

• Court Availability: Reschedule requests are handled on a first come first serve basis. If no courts are available on the preferred dates, your request will be queued up in the order the reschedule request was received.
• Out of Schedule Match: If a team is unable to play a rescheduled match during one of the regular WDL Sundays, one match can be played outside of the regular WDL schedule before 4/1/2026. Players are responsible for securing their own courts and covering the court fees. Consensus from both teams is required prior to informing the WDL coordinator of this reschedule request. 
• Post-Reschedule: All standard scheduling and default rules will apply to the new match date.

Match Format

Each match is 2-of-3 sets, regular ad scoring, with a Super Tiebreak played in lieu of third set. Tiebreaks in the first and second sets are first-to-7 (by 2) and Super Tiebreaks are first-to-10 (by 2). We play traditional format tiebreaks, switching sides after every 6 points, never the Coman format that USTA uses.

Submitting Scores

The winner of each match submits the score via the WDL Score Submission Form.

Defaults

We are following standard USTA rules, which stipulate that a team is awarded a default if the opposing team is not on court 15 minutes after the designated start time. Please make sure both teams are aware of the default, especially if teams still agree to play an exhibition match in the remaining time. The defaulted team will record a 3-0, 3-0 loss. If an exhibition match is played, the default score will still be recorded as the official result. Remember, it is your responsibility to arrive by the match time, and transportation-related issues are not an acceptable excuse. We urge you to arrive 15 minutes early to avoid any issues. If there are any questions or disputes regarding a default based on a late arrival, please contact one of the coordinators.

Time Limit Rules

We use local USTA rules. Matches (including warm-ups) are timed at two hours. If 5 minutes or more remain before your 2 hours expire and the match is not complete, players must start play and attempt to complete the next game/tiebreak. If less than 5 minutes remain, do not start a new game/tiebreak.

The recommended warm-up time is 10-15 minutes to avoid running out of time.

Determining the Winner of an Unfinished Match

(A) In a Super Tiebreak: Every attempt should be made to finish a Super Tiebreak. If it is impossible to complete the Super Tiebreak, the match is a tie with split sets. An incomplete Super Tiebreak does not count at all.

(B) Split sets with no time for 10-point tiebreak: Match counts as tie.

(C) If the 2nd set is unfinished:

(i) If one pair is ahead by one or more breaks of serve in the uncompleted set, that pair gets credit for winning the set. If that pair also won the first set, that pair wins the match; if the pairs have split sets, the match is a tie.

(ii) If the second set is on-serve, no one wins the second set; the pair that won the first set wins the match.

(iii) If either case, pairs get credit for all games won or lost for purposes of breaking ties in the final standings.

Standings Points

Because ties are possible in our time-limited matches, we will use Standings Points instead of simple match win-loss records. The winner of a match receives 2 Standings Points; for a tie, each pair receives 1 Standings Point.

Determining Order of Finish

Our procedures are copied from Friend at Court, Part 3 – USTA Regulations, Section II B.6c (modified for the Standings Points procedure described above).

(A) The pair that wins the most Standings Points in each division is the winner.

(B) If two or more pairs are tied, the League shall use the following steps in the order listed to break ties. The League shall break as many ties as possible using each step before using the next step.

(i) Standings Points won in matches involving just the tied pairs;

(ii) Highest percentage of sets won (including defaults/retirements). Each match-tie-break counts as a set.

(iii) The head-to-head Standings Points in matches involving the pairs who remain tied;

(iv) Highest percentage of games won (including defaults/retirements). Each match-tie-break counts as one game;

(v) The head-to-head Standings Points in matches involving the pairs who remain tied.

Substitutes

One-time substitutes are not allowed in matches that count toward league standings. If a player is forced out of the season due to injury, illness, relocation, etc., his or her partner may seek a seasonal sub for remaining matches. Matches played with a seasonal sub count towards standings. A seasonal sub must be of comparable level to the original partner. There will be no refunds for a player who is unable to complete the season.

Withdrawals and Refunds

Refunds requests will be accepted until October 18, 2025. After that date, refunds will only be granted if a full season substitute can be found without a change to the published schedule. After the season starts, refunds will only be considered on a case by case basis.