2008 Maryland State Junior Outdoor Championships L3

to all and especially our 2008 Sportsmanship Award winner Sam Wichlin! With 520 entrants and up to 180 matches per day, we almost finished on time and without any cancellations or format changes - thanks to your patience and understanding. As usual, if you see any mistakes in the scores, please email right away! Thanks - and see you next year! Now . . . for the last half-dozen rained out matches: Looks as if all the singles and doubles are now complete. The 18 Mixed should complete shortly. The other mixed doubles will probably not be finished.

A number of doubles players have not paid please do so Wednesday. Thanks!

Looking forward to tomorrow! As usual, if you see any mistakes in the scores (we do make them!), please email.

We've had some (annual?) problems with inputting scores. All should be in (except doubles, which we'll do shortly or in the morning). Thanks for all your patience during both the storms yesterday and the aftermath (which may be worse!) catching up today. If the weather holds, we should be able to complete all draws in regular format by Wednesday evening. Quite remarkable with a record 520 entrants (previous record 450). Whew.

Doubles are now posted. NOTE: Some draws are not started until Tuesday. Mixed Doubles draws will be posted later today/tonight. They start Tuesday.

Still working on the draws. Monday's singles matches now posted. We will work on getting Tuesday scheduled tonight (where matches are not scheduled, that means they will be played Tuesday or Wednesday). Doubles will start Monday as planned, but the draws may not be posted until noon Monday play will probably begin at around 3 p.m. Keep checking this site for updates - as we may be getting withdrawals and we may have to change some times. Sorry for the delays it may be more complicated than it looks.

We now have rain as well as lightening. We'll reschedule for Monday - and get them up in a few hours. Sorry for the weather!! :(

Draws should all be updated - we've had some computer problems with them. If you see any errors, just email and we'll fix them - tonight or tomorrow. We put out 176 matches today (a record) and finished 174. So . . . two G 14 matches will finish just before their next round matches Sunday. See you tomorrow!

Are now posted. PLEASE check the draws again Friday evening as we do get withdrawals and draws do occasionally change. Also, PLEASE read the other messages below this one and go to the tournament web site for important information you need to have before you come to the site. more info

No more late entries or special requests can now be accepted. Please read below - and check out the tournament web site as well - for information about draws, schedule, directions, format, weather, etc. It looks as if we are going to set another record for entries (over 300 singles, over 450 total) so please be patient! See you this weekend!

On-line registration has now closed. We will be accepting late entries until noon Wednesday. Please email llevy@mcdonogh.org with name, age group, and USTA number. Bring a check, made out to BTP (Baltimore Tennis Patrons) for $50, to the tournament desk when checking in for your first match.

If you need to withdraw, email us immediately - as seeding and draws will be completed Wednesday afternoon (and posted on this site by Thursday evening). Note: There are penalties for withdrawals without adequate reason, doctor's statement, etc., and USTA policy states no refund of entry fee if one withdraws within six days of start of tournament.

No notification of first round match time or draw by mail or phone. Draw will be made July 23 and will be posted by Thursday July 24 evening at the latest at USTA.com only. (It takes a LONG time to schedule large tournaments: 2007 had 450 singles and doubles entrants, some 150-175 matches per day.) The draws will be updated on line and on site regularly during the course of the tournament. Be sure to check the draw Friday night as we do get last minute withdrawals which can affect starting times.

Just to avoid some of the inevitable emails and phone calls, some of the information from our web site is being reproduced here. HOWEVER, P L E A S E click on the link to our web site for more complete information. (We will also be distributing a tournament brochure with information and draws on the first day.) 1. In singles, there is a mandatory consolation draw (which does count for ranking points) that will feed in through the quarter-finals of the main draw, and there will also be a play-off for 3rd and 4th place. 2. In singles, trophies will be awarded to sixth place. 3. Singles matches are best of three tiebreak sets with regular scoring with a 10-point match tiebreak in lieu of the third set. Doubles are an 8 game pro-set with regular scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak at 8 games all. 4. We will have USTA roving umpires, a certified trainer, a stringer, and a food concession stand (run again by the Stowers) on site. 5. As perhaps should be obvious, this tournament is a State Championship and thus is restricted to Maryland State residents. Click here for more info

Don't worry about signing up on line. Doubles sign-up is open on site until noon Sunday play begins after 11 a.m. Monday. Fee ($40 per team) due at sign-up. If you do sign up on line but decide not to play, tell us at the desk so we can remove your name (and refund your fee). Mixed Doubles sign up is on site also, by noon Monday. Mixed play begins Tuesday. NO FEE for Mixed Doubles to players entered in any event at the tournament. For more information click more info

We do try to accommodate special requests (for scheduling and the like) if we can and if within reason. If for a first round match time, you must email (llevy@mcdonogh.org) your request BEFORE the draw is made (draw will be made sometime AFTER Wednesday July 23 noon). If we can accommodate, we will if we cannot, we will remove you from the draw without penalty and will return your entry fee (if that is your wish). If your scheduling request is for a subsequent round, you must make your request at the tournament desk immediately after your match, and again we will try to accommodate - but cannot guarantee. Live far away? Email us with details BEFORE the draw is made and we will TRY to give you later start times daily, but no promises and start times can be affected by weather. NOTE: USTA policy prohibits entering more than one tournament at a time. Therefore, a conflict with another tournament's draw is not sufficient reason to alter our draw.

PLEASE be aware that the 2008 Friend At Court mandates that all matches scheduled for a particular time must be called at once as soon as that time has come and an open court exists. Even if only one court is open, ALL players are required to be ready for play, and those who are not will be put on the clock. This is a new policy for USTA which changes the manner in which we call matches. Note: You are always supposed to check in 15 minutes before your match is scheduled to be played.

Please bring a signed USTA Release Form with you when you check in. To download the form, click more info

Please update your contact information - telephone and email - when you register since we sometimes need to contact you - for changes in the draws and such. Thanks!

Call 410 581-4760 for weather and schedule updates during the tournament. If you get a busy signal, keep trying - it simply means too many people are calling at once. (On-site phone, for emergency use, is 410 935-8331.)

Our tournaments are run by the Baltimore Tennis Patrons, 1107 Kenilworth Drive, BUT our tournaments are conducted at McDonogh School, 8600 McDonogh Road, Owings Mills, MD 21117-0380. Note: If you want to use Maquest or other search engine, use the zip code 21208 -- or just click: more info

Singles are best of three tie-break sets with regular scoring with a 10-point match tie-break in lieu of a third set (unless inclement weather forces us to alter the format). Singles have a mandatory full Feed in Championship consolation with a play-off for third and fourth place. Singles trophies will be awarded through sixth place. Consolation matches DO count for rankings purposes. NOTE: Since this event is now a Level 3, we will no longer have a 7-8 play-off. Doubles and mixed doubles draws are single elimination and may be limited in size. All matches are 8-game pro-sets with a 10-point match tie-break at 8-games all. The USTA point penalty system will be in effect, and roving umpires will be used.

The Maryland State Junior Outdoor Championships is operated by the Baltimore Tennis Patrons. more info

For more great tennis actions, be sure to attend the PNC Tennis Classic, the annual Baltimore charity event hosted by McDonogh graduate and International Tennis Hall of Fame member Pam Shriver, presented by PNC. more info

Your Rights: As a player, there are things you need to know about your rights during a USTA tournament. To learn your rights, more info