tennis, life and a few things in between

We have a good win last Friday that propelled us to #1 for the time being with three matches to play on July. However this lead might have cost me a friend.

It rained just as we were getting to the NTC for our 7pm match. Friday evening traffic plus Mets was playing at the CitiField made the traffic terrible to negotiate. USTA didn’t cancel the match till the short thunderstorm crushing down at about 6:45. At about the same time, the opposing captain called – we’re friends. Our last hang out was the previous Saturday. I was still in the traffic on College Point Blvd.
“NTC has three indoor courts available, so can we play three first? One of my players is going to be late.”
My first reaction was, either we reschedule or we play all five courts. But being friend, it made me hisetated to say thing otherwise I’d say freely. I got to NTC by 6:52. All my players were there and the NTC have 5 indoor courts for 7-9 instead only 3. The cost would be double: $130 for 2 hrs which came out to $40.625 each player ($20 each for out door court). All my girls voted to play at 7. The opposing team turned it down.

There were other dramas. Actually being a captain one often needs to wear another hat among the more than dozen I described at the beginning: arbitrator. The lord has been blessing me for all those years so I did not put this one down since I never had to deal with mediating between my mates. According to my teammates who got there early they witnessed an ugly feud between two opponents resulting one cried openly.

Making the story short, when their 8th player finally arrived at 7:26, they immediately agreed to play at 8pm. It did not sit well with me. They waited for one player on the expense of my enitre team. One of my girls has to call her boss few times to delay her going to work that night. I always thought fairness and consideration come first. Of course there isn’t a rule dictating that we have to play instead rescheduling. However, our opponents first objected to then immediatly agreed to play was based on waiting for their late player is a very selfish act. Good thing we won convincingly: 16 points out of 22.

Today the coordinator clarified the situation for future reference:

Hello Captains,

I got clarification.  If the NTC offered indoor courts at the match time, then you were free to take them right away.  In that case, Xxx’s team would have been on the clock.  However, both teams agreed to wait until 8pm to play the match.

The coordinator added on 6/27:

Yes, if the NTC offered indoor courts at 7pm, then Xxx’s team would have been on the clock and the default time would have been the same 15 minutes after the match start time (i.e., 7:15pm).

Our June 15 match at Cunningham Park.

The league has a strict rule against using mobile device on the court – can be seen as coaching. I don’t wear/bring a watch when I play tennis. So if the court/club doesn’t have a clock, it’s kind of tricky: how do you determine the time?

Our 2S was late: the traffic, she’s coming from the city, and the park is new to her, etc. When she finally finds us, it’s 18 minutes passed the starting time. How do I know? I consult my cell phone. The opposing team captain and her partner rush to the bench and check at their cell phone too.

Players arriving onto the assigned court more than 15 minutes after the match start time may be defaulted at the discretion of the opposing captain (having been so advised before the start of match play on that court.)

They decide to default us. I don’t know what I’ll do if I’ve to face such decision. Winning by default never feels good. But do I have an argument here – that you are not allowed to use phone yet you default my player by using it?