Tennis Australia would like to inform all players, parents and coaches that the tournament structure of the very popular Optus Junior Tour will be changing as of 1st January 2012. Below is a list of the major changes being implemented across Australia.
Background
There has been a 81% increase in the number of Australian Ranking tournaments between 2007 and 2010. The success of this growth has seen the number of tournament entries increase by 59% over this same period. However, the overall number of entries in each tournament has declined by 11% and the average number of games per match is hovering around 16 games (i.e. 6-2 6-2 results).
Separating of player fields into two (qualifying and main draw)
In order to improve the quality of matches being played on the Optus Junior Tour, Tennis Australia will be separating players into what are called qualifying and main draw events. What this means is that in each tournament, a pre-determined number of the highest ranked players will be placed directly into the main draw, with all other entrants playing off against eachother in qualifying matches to then earn the right to move into the main draw and playoff for the title.
Tournaments will have the choice to conduct either 16 or 32 player main draw events and accept up to a maximum of 128 players into the qualifying event. The main draw can either be played using a traditional elimination draw or round-robin format. There will be consolation events for players that lose in qualifying as well as in the main draw. ‘
The objective of this separation is to ensure all players compete in matches against players of similar ability. The AR points table will be changed to award players that win matches in qualifying with points.
Main Draw Positional Playoffs (3rd to 8th)
All Optus Junior Tour tournaments will now feature an additional match for the losing semi-finalists in the main draw, which is a playoff match to determine 3rd place. The points table will be updated to reflect the additional points that can be earned by winning this playoff match.
As in 2011, all OJT Platinum and Gold tournaments will feature playoff matches for the losing quarter-finalists in the main draw to determine positions 5 to 8.
Mandatory online entry and My Tennis membership numbers
To assist all staff and volunteers to effectively manage their tournaments, it will be mandatory for all players to enter all Australian Ranking events in 2012 via the online entry system (no exceptions).
You may have noticed already that the online system only allows players enter tournaments that have a valid My Tennis membership number. These new numbers have been rolled out across the country over the past 12 months and are 11-digit numbers that start with 61. If you do not have your number, please contact your club or member association. If you are not a member of a club, click here to register for a My Tennis number.
Entry Closing Dates
All Optus Junior Tour tournaments will close their entries 14 days prior to the start of the qualifying event and will not be extending their entry closing dates in 2012. So players, parents and coaches will need to be switched on to avoid disappointment. National Junior Championships are the only exception to this and will close 28 days prior to the start of the tournament.
Acceptance Lists
Once the tournament entries have closed, each tournament will compile an acceptance list, showing the list of players that have been accepted directly into the main draw and the list of players that are required to compete in the qualifying event. There will be a withdrawal deadline (7 days prior to the start), so players will need to keep an eye on the acceptance list as it will be constantly update.
Questions, Regulations and Feedback
Tennis Australia have produced a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to help explain some questions you might have. Click here to view the document.
The 2012 Australian Ranking Tournament Regulations and updated Australian Ranking points tables and regulations will be released very soon, which will provide all the information you will need to know.
All Optus Junior Tour tournaments have been made aware of the changes that are being implemented for 2012, but we kindly ask for your patience and cooperation during this rollout. Any questions or feedback can be sent via email: tournaments@tennis.com.au