The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has restructured the junior circuit with a fresh set of rules, effective from this month to ensure proper conduct of events and sustain the enthusiasm of young players.
The under-12 players will be allowed to participate in a maximum of 18 tournaments in a season, from January to December. The under-14 players can play 25 tournaments, the under-16 players 30 tournaments, and there will be no restriction on the number of tournaments for the under-18 players.
The AITA has clarified that the qualification events will not count as a tournament. The count will be from April to December for this year.
The tournaments will also be allotted only to centres or academies registered with the AITA. In an attempt to have progressively better quality tournaments, each State will have to host a Championship series event after six Talent series tournaments. After the next six Talent series events, a Championship or Super series event, and a National series event thereafter.
Read: Prajnesh Gunneswaran defeats Saketh Myneni
Tournaments featuring two age groups will be allowed, at the discretion of the AITA, only when there are six courts with lighting.
All tournaments will be spread over a week, and the practice of three-day tournaments will be discontinued.
The top 150 ranked players in an age group will not be allowed to compete in the Talent series events. The top 75 will not be eligible to compete in Championship series events. Moreover, Talent series events in a zone will have restricted participation from the players of that zone.
While, there can be more than one Talent or Championship series event in the same week, the Super and National series events for a particular age group will be held, one event a week across the country.
No player can compete in two tournaments in the same week.
The National championship will carry the maximum of 200 points for the champion. The National series will award 75 points, the Super series 50 points and the Championship Series 25 points, for the winner. The Talent series tournaments will carry 15 points for the champion.
The participation in the National championship is mandatory for all the players if they wish to be part of the national team.
The rankings will be on the basis of best eight results in singles and 25 per cent of eight best doubles results.
Players competing in the national championship will be paid an allowance of Rs. 1000 per day, from the first day of the main draw, till the day they are eliminated from the event. The daily allowance has to be paid even if a day is lost to weather or any other reason.
For National series events, the daily allowance will be Rs.800, for Super series, Rs.600 and for Championship series, Rs.400.
The players, coaches, relatives have to be cautious and sport their best behaviour. No coaching will be entertained during matches. Any single violation of any of the disciplinary rules "shall constitute as a major offence, and a player may be defaulted from the tournament".
Comments
SHARE