USTA Response To Our Petition

Thank you again for taking the time to sign my petition. I’ve received a response to my email urging USTA Southern to reconsider their decision for changing the mixed doubles format in 2024, and referenced our petition, along with social media comments for their review. I’m sorry to say, it does not appear as though they will be changing their minds. Chris Walling, director of USTA Southern, sent me the following response: (email contacts can be found at the bottom of the email if you’d like to reach out directly to them)

“Thank you again for your e-mail regarding the Mixed Doubles League.  As I mentioned to you in my previous response, I shared your e-mail with our Southern Adult League Committee (“ALC”) leadership, and together, we have reviewed your comments and feedback. 

In response to some of the questions we received after the announcement that the Mixed Doubles League would move to straight levels for the 2024 championship year, we developed a Q&A document, which we released to the state and local league coordinators on June 16.  This document answers and explains many of the questions and concerns you raise, so I would encourage you to review this document and distribute it to any League players who may be interested.

In reviewing the link that you sent, we also attempted to access the petition, but we were unable to see any of the names and/or verify that they were USTA Mixed Doubles League players.  For your reference, our Southern mixed participation number for 2023 was just over 38,000.  This number was down again from 2022, and based on the new numbers that we just reviewed for 2023, our “decade” decline for our Mixed Doubles League program is now almost 15% (instead of the 12% listed in the Q&A document). 

Our ALC and state league coordinators appreciate any player feedback, and we take any player comments and concerns seriously no matter how big or small the group of players.  Certainly, we also appreciate the comments on our social media platforms, but we know that thousands of our players provide feedback in other ways, and we want to share that we have received positive feedback regarding the Mixed change as well.  Many players and team captains have expressed a desire to return to the Mixed program after having not participated for several years.  

Although we were not able to access the signatures, we were able to review the specific concerns listed, and in addition to the answers provided in the attached Q&A document, we wanted to address those specifically here.  You stated that the straight level format denies lower rated players the chance to play at a higher level.  This is not accurate.  Just as in the Adult League program format, players may play “up” one-half point.  So, for example, a 3.0 player may play on both a 3.0 and a 3.5 Mixed team.  We want to note that one of the biggest complaints that we receive from players who are proponents of the straight level format is that the one-point gap in player rating is far too big of a difference to result in level-based competition.  For this reason, many of our states and local leagues cap the number of lower-level players playing in their Adult Leagues.  While we understand and appreciate the desire of players to play “up,” the opportunity still exists in the same way it does in the Adult Leagues.

As we explained in the Q&A document, most of the issues that the Southern ALC consider elicit many different viewpoints.  We understand that some League players believe that the new format may discourage growth in the short-term.  However, after seeing the Mixed Doubles League decline and considering options for several years, both our state league coordinator group and Southern ALC made the decision to change the format in the hope that we would see some long-term growth in a program that has suffered – when our other doubles programs are significantly growing.  Again, as referenced in the Q&A document, many of the players who left the Mixed League program referenced the format as a reason for leaving. 

You also indicated that the change “raises concerns about unequal treatment and a lack of consistent rules” for Southern.  Again, we’ll refer you to the attached document, but specifically, this change is contemplated by the 2024 USTA National Regulations, which provide for and allow for straight levels in the Mixed Doubles program (just like the Adult 55 & Over League).  Several players have asked if this change would disadvantage Southern at the National championships, but as you will note, our Adult 55 & Over League is also the only “straight” level in the country, and our straight level teams compete well at the National Championships, data that the Southern ALC reviewed prior to the decision. In addition, please note that the 18 and 40 & Over League programs are governed by the USTA National Regulations, and therefore, are applied fairly and consistently across the country. 

One of the concerns that you and others have raised is the lack of playing opportunities for players at our highest level.  The Southern ALC reviewed this concern and have amended our future 2024 Southern Regulations to allow for a Mixed 18 & Over 10.0 “combined” level.  This will not only allow 5.5 players more opportunities to compete in the Mixed Doubles League than they would have at the straight levels but also ensures that this approach is consistent with our Adult 55 & Over program, which uses the combined level at the top tier of play offered.

We want to note that although this format change (and this amendment) is for the 2024 championship year, and we understand that many states will not begin 2024 Mixed Doubles play until spring or summer 2024, states that participate in the early start leagues have much earlier dates.  For example, the 2024 Mixed Doubles registration in Georgia has already begun, so this format is already in effect. Alabama will begin registration in August.

The Southern ALC is comprised of experienced, dedicated and passionate volunteers, and the group includes past and current local league coordinators as well as past and current League players.  The committee is committed to making the best decisions for Southern’s League programs, and many times, the issues and decisions that come before the committee are not only difficult but also evoke many passionate responses.  The ALC has made many controversial decisions in the past, where we heard from hundreds of players about the impact of the decision on them and their teams – both negatively and positively (e.g., allowing early start league promoted players to advance to sectionals and setting a max rating level in the Combo Doubles League).

The decision to move to straight levels in Mixed Doubles is no exception, and we can assure you that the issue was discussed and debated, and many viewpoints were considered.  We understood and appreciated that we would hear from players who were unhappy about the change.  Ultimately, though, both the state league coordinator group and ALC believed it was the best course of action to take in the hopes that the change would revitalize a declining program. We certainly hope that this change will result in long-term growth, but we will continue to review participation, data, surveys and feedback. 

We encourage players to reach out to their Mixed Doubles Local League Coordinator if they have not accessed the Mixed Doubles Announcement Q&A document, which provides clarification and elaboration behind the change. 

Thanks,

Chris Walling”

The following people were all CC’d on his email response:

Chris Walling: Walling@sta.usta.com
Brett Schwartz: bcschwartz7@yahoo.com

Marty Engle: engle@louisianatennis.com

Jenifer Tucker:jeniferstucker@gmail.com

Nan Smith: scauburn79@gmail.com

Ashley Massengale: alm614@hotmail.com

Matt Olson: mattolson@sta.usta.com