Code of Ethics

  1. Read carefully the  PLAYERS GUIDE FOR MATCHES WITHOUT REFEREES.
  2. Procedure in case of problems during a match:
    • The players try to solve the problem by recalling the events.
    • If the players cannot solve the problem they ask the two captains to intervene.
    • If there is disagreement, the captains submit the problem to the club pro.
    • Club professionals cannot settle a conflict on the court without the permission of the captains involved.
  3. Coaches or other spectators are prohibited from coaching during a match.
  4. Complaints must be submitted by completing the Complaint's form found on the Tenniscores website under the FORMULAIRES tab.
  5. The TFIM board of Directors will only consider complaints regarding a derogation of TFIM rules or the Code of Ethics and received through Tenniscores. A sanction against the designated player, team, coach, club or spectator may result.
  6. Process:
    1. After receiving a complaint, the complainant and the accused are notified.
    2. The Board will address the issue at the next regular meeting of the Board.
    3. After said meeting, the persons concerned will be informed by letter of the decision and / or the consequence.
    4. Read Consequences

The code

GUIDELINES FOR UNOFFICIATED MATCHES

Consequences

Any situation that has occurred on or off the court and which goes against the values of TFIM and the Code of Ethics of Tennis, may result in a complaint. After analysis and according to the seriousness of the situation, the board of directors reserves the right to apply a consequence towards the person (s) or club (s) involved.

Serious complaints are divided into two categories:

  1. Lack of respect towards one or more players, a coach, a person responsible for TFIM or a club (team, establishment).
  2. Lack of respect for the Code of Regulations (TFIM, Tennis Canada)

When the Board determines that the situation is serious or grave, the following consequences will be imposed:

  1. Warning
  2. Reprimand (may be applied as a first offense, depending on the seriousness of the alleged acts)
  3. Suspension of matches
  4. Suspension of TFIM (a duration can be determined)

Process :

  • Warning and letter sent to the person responsible for TFiM, the coach, the captain and the player concerned.
  • Reprimand is a more severe consequence than a warning and letter sent to the person responsible for TFiM, the coach, the captain and the player concerned.
  • Suspension of matches (number determined by the Board of Directors) and letter sent to the person responsible for TFiM, the coach, the captain, the player concerned, and the club management.
  • Suspension of TFIM: Meeting of the Board, (Suspension for the season or prohibition for the player to be a member of TFIM). Letter sent to the person responsible for TFiM, the coach, the captain, the player concerned and the club management.

* A complaint may also be for both categories. A double sanction could then be applied.

** The captain is an example to her players and must see to the well-being and the respect of the rules by her team and her opponents. For these important reasons, if the offense charged relates to a captain, that captain could be removed from her captaincy. Another player will have to be named in her place.

*** A captain who does not fulfill her role during an altercation covered by both categories may receive a warning letter sent to her coach, the person responsible for TFiM and club management.

**** A gradation of the consequences will be made for a person when 2 or more complaints concerning the same category.

FAQ

How do we do a tie breaker especially in the decisive 3rd set?

A tie breaker is played when the score is at 6-6 and play continues WITHOUT DELAY. The player whose turn it was to serve does so on the ad side. The opponent serves next on the left side and then the ad side for the 3rd point. Each player then alternates playing 2 points each. The first team to obtain 7 points wins the set if there is a 2 points lead, otherwise the play continues until there is a 2 points lead.
Teams change side every 6 points until the end of the tie breaker.
At 11:50 or 12:20, if a match is not completed, a tie breaker begins. The way this tie breaker is played depends on the actual score in the set. Please refer to your booklet's cover page.
See also:Whose turn is it to serve after a tiebreaker?
We ask that you respect the time allowed for breaks during the match. See also: time rules

Whose turn is it to serve after a tiebreaker?

The team who served first in a normal tiebreaker will be the receiver in the first game of the next set. The team who served the first point in the tiebreaker, is deemed to have served a full game. EX: Team A began to serve in the set, it is also team A that began the tiebreaker in this set so Team B begins to serve the next set (or Tie-breaker if there is no time to start a set).
In our league, we begin a tiebreak if the match is not decided at 10 minutes prior to the end of the scheduled time. When a tiebreak is to take place, change sides when the score is odd and start the tie break at the the same score as where you are in the sets' scores. The serving order is respected. However if this tie-breaker was to decide the winner of the second set and there is another tie-breaker to be played, the team that started the second set will be the receiver in the last tie-breaker.

When we start a tie-breaker at 4-2 (total = 6), do we change sides?

What happens if we changed sides at 3-2?At 3-2, you normally switch sides in a regular set but at 4-2 you don't. This also applies in our forced tie-breaker situations. See Tie breaker in doubles. We start this tie breaker because of time constraints so when it's time to play a tie-breaker, change sides normally if it's an uneven total, then start the tie breaker. Because we do not want to waste time, it is not necessary to change sides at 3-3 or 4-2 if you just changed sides.

When does a player arriving late become a no-show?

Tardiness: The player is expected and can arrive late at any time during the scheduled 2 hours. The line-up is complete and written 10 minutes prior to the start of the match. No changes can be made after the 10 or 10:30 start time. (rule 2.2.4).
VERSUS
Default "no-show": the captain informs her opponent of an incomplete line-up at least 24 hours ahead of time. The line-up is incomplete when written 10 minutes prior to the start of the match.

Conclusion: arriving late never is a no-show; it's one or the other.

NOTE: any player written on the score sheet is expected to show; if she fails to show, she looses the match by default as does her partner. 

What happens if an injury occurs after the line-up is written?

We ask that the captain hand in her line-up 10 minutes prior to the start of a match; normally, this line-up cannot change after it is written, rule 2.2.4. If a player is written in the line-up and injurs herself in those 10 minutes before the start and there is a replacemnt available, we ask that you be compationate and go with the possibility of rewritting the line-up. However, if the line-up changes before the players are on the courts to start, the CRA rule must be respected.

How can you rectifiy a wrong call?

A new point was added in the "Guide for unofficiated matches". If a player mistakenly calls a ball “out” and then realizes that it was good: the first time that this occurs, the point shall be replayed unless it was a point-winning shot (on a point-winning shot, the player’s opponent wins the point); on each subsequent occasion, the player that made the incorrect call shall lose the point. If the mistake was made on the second serve, the server is entitled to two serves.

What to do when an error is discovered?

As a principle, when an error in respect of the Rules of Tennis is discovered, all points previously played shall stand. Errors so discovered shall be corrected as follows:

1. During a standard game or a tie-break game in doubles,

  • if there is an error in the order of receiving, this shall remain as altered until the end of the game in which the error is discovered. For the next game in which they are the receivers in that set, the partners shall then resume the original order of receiving.

2. If a player serves out of turn

  • during a standard game, the player who was originally due to serve shall serve as soon as the error is discovered. However, if a game is completed before the error is discovered the order of service shall remain as altered. If the partners of one team serve out of turn, a fault that was served before the error was discovered shall stand.
  • during a tie-break game and the error is discovered after an even number of points have been played, the error is corrected immediately. If the error is discovered after an odd number of points have been played, the order of service shall remain as altered. In doubles, if the partners of one team serve out of turn, a fault that was served before the error was discovered shall stand.