Virtual Check-in and Safety Procedures:
The following are the safety protocols we have set in place
for the HSB Red Clay Open, Sept 25-27. The safety of our players, spectators
and tournament staff is our highest priority.
While we want everyone to have a great tennis weekend, we must adjust and
adhere to these guidelines in hopes that our efforts will result in both player/spectator
safety and the continuation of USTA tournaments in Texas. The following safety measures follow the
State, Local and Resort rules and regulations currently in place due to the
COVID Pandemic.
PLAYER REGISTRATION FOR VIRTUAL CHECK-IN:
· If you have not already done so, ASAP text
the tournament director, Diane Curry Asper @ (210) 999-0692, the player’s name
FROM THE PHONE YOU WILL BE USING FOR CHECK-IN THIS WEEKEND. Families/couples with multiple players please
use a separate phone when possible for each player, unless only playing doubles
together. If you have already played a
tournament and previously registered for virtual, you do not need to register
again.
VIRTUAL CHECK-IN AND SCORE REPORTING:
·
Players will
check-in for their matches and report their scores via text to this number
(210) 999-0692.
·
By setting up
this "virtual check-in", we hope to prevent players from congregating
near the tournament desk. We ask that
players wait for their match to be called in their car, resort room, or within
the resort grounds using the social distancing and congregating rules stated
below.
·
Please plan
to arrive at the Horseshoe Bay Resort 15 to 30 min prior to your scheduled
match time. If it is your first time at
the resort, please arrive 30 minutes early for your first match so you can
navigate the resort parking and become familiar with ALL court locations. Penalties for lateness to court will be
assessed.
·
Please do not
check-in until 15 min prior to your match time. If there is a court available early, the
tournament director will text you to see if you have arrived. When you arrive, please text the tournament
director that you have arrived. Most of the time we hope to text immediately
back the court number for you to report to, so please be ready. A sample text should read:
o
Joe
Tenniswinkle 10:15 here - We only need player name & scheduled
match time.
· When both players have virtually checked-in
and a court is available, the tournament director will text both players
and advise which court for the players to report to. A sample text could read:
o Tenniswinkle and Smith report to
Court # 3
· A site map of the HSB Resort is being sent to
everyone via email Wednesday night, Sept. 23.
Here is a summary of the courts and where they are located. Please use map and go along as you read
below:
o Courts are broken down into 4 separate
locations – 2 groups of clay courts and 2 groups of hard;
o 2 WhiteWater clay courts # 1 & 2 are
located above the #11 on site map – just past the 360 Grill and putt-putt;
o 4 Main clay courts # 9, 10, 11 & 12 are
located to the right of the #8 Palm Pavilion (big white tent);
o 4 lower hard courts, # 3, 4, 5 & 6 are
located above the #9 Water Gardens on map; courts are actually blue not brown as shown on map.
o 4 hard courts, # 15, 16, 17 &18 are
located to the right of # 14 Palm Villas;
o There will be no warm-up courts available on
site nor any available prior to the first morning match starts as courts will
be sanitized for the start of the first matches of the day.
· Following the text from TD to report to court,
players will have 5 min to report to court and be ready to start their 5
MINUTE warm-up (WhiteWater clay courts 1 & 2 will have 10 min to
report). Bathroom runs and making sure players have adequate water for match
should be done PRIOR to the virtual check-in 15 min prior to match time. Late penalties will be assessed if player is
not on court within 5 min of receiving text to report to court (10 min for
Whitewater).
· Due to safety regulations, there will be no
water on court or in pro-shop area to refill water bottles, so please bring
plenty of back-up water. Ice machines are located at the ends of Palm
Villa buildings # 5 and #6.
· Please text TD if
your opponent does not promptly arrive so we can help locate. A late penalty may be assessed if player has not arrived to
court within 5 min of text from tournament director (ten minutes for players at
Whitewater).
·
Baskets with
new cans of balls will be on court when the players arrive. Please limit
warm-up to 5 minutes. There will be
extra cans of balls on court to utilize if balls are lost.
·
Players will
tap rackets, “air” high five or “air” fist bump in lieu of the traditional
handshake.
·
As soon as the
match is finished, IMMEDIATELY text winner’s name and score to the tournament
director @ 210-999-0692, then leave balls in green basket or hopper of used
balls on court and exit the resort property.
Please allow 10 minutes for scores to be posted and next match times can
then be viewed online. Please text score
to TD PRIOR to leaving court so the court can turn over as quickly as
possible.
·
Players can
bring their own chair to utilize on court.
If you choose to use the player benches or chairs provided, supplies to
sanitize the player bench will be in the baskets below the player bench. Please be sure to sanitize your seating area
prior to and after use.
·
If players
have questions, please text Diane @ (210) 999-0692. There will be no official tournament desk
available. Awards will be distributed
adjacent to Court number ten near the Palm Villas following the division finals.
·
In an attempt
to limit resort personnel in the tournament area, the clay courts may not be
swept between every match – they will be swept periodically – just not between
every match.
·
Our
tournament referee, Molly Waldrop, will be roving the courts throughout the
day. Should players need an official,
please text the tournament director @ (210) 999-0692 and she will notify
official
SPECTATORS:
· We ask that each player limit the number of
spectators they bring to 1 OR 2 per player if possible. This will help limit
the number of people at the resort tennis areas at one time and help allow for
appropriate social distancing.
MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IN COMMON AREAS:
·
All players,
spectators and tournament staff are required to wear masks at ALL TIMES (except
during play) while on the resort property.
This is the rule of the resort.
Players may only remove their masks once they go on court to play. We ask that everyone also observe the 6’
social distancing regulations and limiting the number of people congregating to
no more than 10 people gathered in one area.
Tournament staff may ask groups to distance if needed.
·
Spectators
are encouraged to bring their own chairs to watch match. This will allow spectators to socially
distance from other spectators.
·
Spectators
are not allowed to remove chairs from the Palm Villas pool area OR from any of
the patios/seating areas of the Palm Villa guest suites.
MATCH FORMAT and SURFACES:
· All Singles and Doubles divisions:
o All Singles and Doubles: 2 out
of 3 sets with 10 pt. tie break in lieu of 3rd set with regular ad
scoring;
o All divisions with 5+ players will play FMLC
with all draws having consolation;
o Match format may be changed due to heat/rain/other
delays.
o It is our goal to play as many matches as
possible on clay. Currently the tournament is scheduled to allow
all main draw matches to play on Clay and two out of three round robin rounds
will be played on clay. Adjustments may be made if tournament running too far behind schedule. All consolations
rounds will be play on hard court as well as one round of round robin draws.
POTENTIAL DELAYS:
Currently the forecast does not
show any chance of rain, however in the event of a rain or other delay, tournament
communications about any delays will go out via Tournament Communications
Center message via email and text. Please check those messages and/or the
tournament page for updates
UPON REQUEST:
Separate match tennis balls will be available upon player
request. Please message tournament
director prior to start of tournament. We
will provide 6 new tennis balls per match – 2 cans with different #’s. Each
player will be assigned their ball # for their service games. This will help to
limit and possibly avoid any touching of the opponent's tennis balls. While
there are no direct medical concerns, this has been brought up as a personal
concern by some players and we will always make the best decisions for players'
safety, comfort and peace of mind.
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