The 2023-24 SDA season runs from August 1st, 2023 to July 31st, 2024. Expired members will remain on the ranking list until they have zero points. Players can email the Tour CEO to request their name be tagged with “(Inactive)” or “(Injured)” to explain a drop in points over an extended period.

SDA membership is limited to elite internationally recognized squash players. Membership dues of both players in a team must be paid before a player can enter a tournament. Both players must pass the SDA rules exam every year in order to register for events (beginning early 2024). Tournament registration must be completed online, through Club Locker. Email or late entries will not be accepted unless specified in writing by the Tour CEO in advance of the event deadline.

 FULL MEMBER: Men’s $500 Women’s $275
(Players who have been unable to play more than one event in the season are entitled to a 50% refund)
A Full Member is entitled to:

• Enter SDA sanctioned tournaments and be awarded world-ranking
• An SDA World Ranking
• Receive prize
• Two votes at any meeting of members of the association

PLAYING MEMBER: $250
A Playing Member is entitled to:

• Enter SDA sanctioned tournaments and be awarded world-ranking
• An SDA World Ranking
• One vote at any meeting of members of the association

A Playing Member cannot:

• Receive main draw or pro-am prize Any unclaimed prize money is returned to the SDA. To receive prize money, a Playing Member must upgrade to Full Membership as soon as he reaches his first main draw in a Pro Ranking Tournament.

WILD CARD ENTRY: $0

If a Wild Card entrant wishes to receive any ranking points for that event, they must upgrade to Playing Membership within seven days of the completion of the event. If they wish to receive prize money and ranking points, they must upgrade to Full Membership before receiving their check. If a Wild Card entrant wishes to enter a second event, they must upgrade to Playing Membership before the second tournament’s closing date.

The SDA awards a hotel bonus to events that provide hotel accommodation. Double occupancy rooms must be provided starting the night before the main draw commences through the final day a player is competing in either the pro draw or the pro-am draw. Hotel must be a reasonable distance from tournament venue as determined by the Tour CEO. Transportation must be provided if required. The following are the suggested bonus levels and must be agreed upon with the Tour CEO prior to the event:

• For 8 team draws with on-site prize money $5,000-$24,999 – 8 dual occupancy rooms for 16 players – $5,000 bonus
• For 12 team draws with on-site prize money $25,000-$39,999 – 12 dual occupancy rooms for 24 players – $10,000 bonus
• For 16 team draws with on-site prize money $40,000+ – 16 dual occupancy rooms for 32 players – $15,000 bonus

Event levels, restrictions and ranking points are based on total compensation (prize money + hotel bonus). Draw sizes and prize money payouts are based on on-site prize money.

With the exception of events in June, July, and August, SDA Players are only allowed to participate in prize money exhibitions, invitationals, pro-ams and tournaments that are sanctioned by the SDA. Players ranked 17 and lower on the men’s rankings and 9 and lower on the women’s rankings are permitted to play in all non-prize money events but two players ranked in the men’s Top 20 and the women’s top 12 cannot play together. Top 16 players on the men’s rankings and top 8 players on the women’s rankings (including ties) cannot compete in non-prize money events, except in National Events as outlined below:

• US and Canadian Nationals (excluding the Century Doubles Championships)
• National Team events such as Lapham-Grant and the Can-Am
• All Parent-Child formats and age group formats 40+ and

Top 16 Players on the men’s rankings and top 8 Players on the women’s rankings may nominate one “Home” Club (must be either a member or employee of that club to qualify) in which they can perform in any exhibition, tournament, or unsanctioned event. In the case of Canadian resident players “Home” is considered all squash venues in Canada.

Below are the recommendations for payments for players at each level:

• Players ranked in the Top 16 – $10,000 total compensation.
• Players ranked in the Top 12 – $15,000 total compensation.
• Players ranked in the Top 8 – $20,000 total compensation.
• Players ranked in the Top 4 – $25,000 total compensation.
• We encourage all players to participate in SDA Board approved Charitable Exhibitions for free.

INVITATIONAL EVENTS

Sites, by working through the Tour Director, can find a date and decide whom they want to have attend based on the SDA schedule and the vent budget. Invitational Events must pay the SDA Sanctioning Fee of $1,000 for a reserved weekend on the calendar. The SDA reserves the right to award a full ranking event a weekend that is otherwise reserved for an invitational at the Tour CEO’s discretion.

Below are the recommendations for player payment:

• Players ranked 1-2: $2,250/player
• Players ranked 3-4: $1,600/player
• Players ranked 5-8: $1000/player
• Players ranked 9-16: $700/player
• Players ranked 17 and lower: $500/player

EXHIBITIONS

Sites, by working through the Tour Director, can decide which players they want to attend their event based on budget and player schedule.

The Tour CEO recommends the following payments for players:

• Players ranked 1-2: $1,550/player
• Players ranked 3-4: $1,100/player
• Players ranked 5-8: $700/player
• Players ranked 9-16: $500/player
• Players ranked 17 and lower: $350/player

PRO-AM ONLY EVENTS

Sites, by working through the Tour Director, can decide whom they want to attend their Pro-Am Only event.

• The site must pay pros a minimum of $100/match (for both Main and Consolation rounds).

CHARITABLE EXHIBITIONS

Sites, by working through the Tour Director, can request players for approved Charitable Exhibitions.

• All players can set their own minimums but are encouraged to play for free (or expenses only).

NON-COMPLIANCE WITH SDA EVENT RESTRICTIONS

Players who do not follow SDA guidelines for invitationals, exhibitions and non-prize money events will be referred to the disciplinary committee.

Event levels are based on total compensation (on-site prize money + hotel bonus). Draw sizes are based on total on-site prize money. Minimum of $2,500 prize money required to host a pro ranking event.

*Does not include mixed ranking tournaments

Invitational Fee: $1000 Pro-Am Only Fee:$500

Exhibition Fee: $250 (waived for clubs with ranking events)

Charitable Exhibition Fee: $0

Pro Ranking Tournament Fee: 5% fee is applied to the tournament along with 10% of Pro Draw prize money

(there is no fee on Pro-Am prize money or hotel bonus)

Players enter in the “Members Area” of the SDA website (link can be found at the bottom of the home page) using their Club Locker login. Both players, in a non-wild card team, must be SDA members before the deadline to be included. Deadline for entries is one month before the start of the event. Players must enter online prior to the entry deadline. No emailed entries will be accepted unless specified by the Tour CEO prior to the event deadline. The SDA reserves the right to extend entry deadlines until the main draw is full. A player has 48 hours after the event deadline to withdraw without penalty.

The SDA will be responsible for taking all entries, setting draws, and managing draw changes due to player withdrawal.

All SDA tournaments will have a seeded draw using the latest SDA World Rankings at the closing date for entries. Any changes to the draw will be based on the rankings on the date entries for the event closed. Teams are seeded based on combined ranking points. The draw is then made in accordance with the following schedule:

4 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 4
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 3, 2nd slot 2

6 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 6
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 3, 2nd drawn: Slot 4
• Seed #5/6 – 1^st drawn: Slot 2, 2^nd drawn Slot 5

8 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 8
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 4, 2nd drawn: Slot 5
• Seed #5/8 – Place remaining players into draw from top to bottom as they are pulled

10 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 16
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9
• Seed #5/8 – 1^st drawn: Slot 4, 2^nd drawn: Slot 5, 3^rd draw: Slot 12, 4^th draw: Slot 13
• Seed #9/10 – 1^st drawn: Slot 6, 2^nd drawn: Slot 11

12 DRAW

• As per 16 Draw (top 4 seeds automatically get a bye in the round of 16)

14 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 16
• (top 2 seeds automatically get a bye in the round of 16)
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9
• Seed #5/8 – 1st drawn: Slot 4, 2nd drawn: Slot 5, 3rd drawn: Slot 12, 4th drawn: Slot 13
• Seed #9/14 – Place remaining players into draw from top to bottom as they are pulled

16 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 16
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9
• Seed #5/8 – 1st drawn: Slot 4, 2nd drawn: Slot 5, 3rd drawn: Slot 12, 4th drawn: Slot 13
• Seed #9/16 – Place remaining players into draw from top to bottom as they are pulled

18 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 32
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 16, 2nd drawn: Slot 17
• Seed #5/8 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9, 3rd drawn: Slot 24, 4th drawn: Slot 25
• Seed #9/16 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 4,5,12,13,20,21,28,29 as they are pulled
• Seed #17/18 – 1^st drawn: Slot 11, 2^nd drawn: Slot 22

20 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 32
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 16, 2nd drawn: Slot 17
• Seed #5/8 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9, 3rd drawn: Slot 24, 4th drawn: Slot 25
• Seed #9/16 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 4,5,12,13,20,21,28,29 as they are pulled
• Seed #17/20 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 6,11,22,27

22 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 32
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 16, 2nd drawn: Slot 17
• Seed #5/8 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9, 3rd drawn: Slot 24, 4th drawn: Slot 25
• Seed #9/16 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 4,5,12,13,20,21,28,29 as they are pulled
• Seed #17/22 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 6,11,22,27,3,30 as they are pulled

24 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 32
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 16, 2nd drawn: Slot 17
• Seed #5/8 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9, 3rd drawn: Slot 24, 4th drawn: Slot 25
• Seed #9/16 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 4,5,12,13,20,21,28,29 as they are pulled
• Seed #17/24 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 6,11,22,27,3,30, 14,19 as they are pulled 

28 DRAW

• As per 32 Draw (top 4 seeds automatically get a bye in the round of 16)

32 DRAW

• Seed #1 – Slot 1
• Seed #2 – Slot 32
• Seed #3/4 – 1st drawn: Slot 16, 2nd drawn: Slot 17
• Seed #5/8 – 1st drawn: Slot 8, 2nd drawn: Slot 9, 3rd drawn: Slot 24, 4th drawn: Slot 25
• Seed #9/16 – Players into draw from top to bottom in spots 4,5,12,13,20,21,28,29 as they are pulled
• Seed #17/32 – Players into draw from top to bottom as they are pulled

Wildcards are teams included in the main draw at the discretion of the promoter and as agreed by the SDA. The number of SDA wildcards a tournament is entitled to nominate is dependent on the level of the tournament.

The SDA board expects that a tournament promoter utilizes the use of a wildcard place in a reasonable and responsible manner. The SDA reserve the right to have final discretion on any wildcard nomination. Where any Challenger tournament’s entries are not filled, the SDA will permit the inclusion of additional wildcards to avoid unnecessary byes.

SDA Wildcard Eligibility

The following conditions apply for all wildcards:

• A wildcard team member who is not already an SDA member must join the SDA as wildcard member prior to the closing date.
• A wildcard team(s) must be nominated by the tournament promoter prior to the closing deadline. If a wildcard team withdraws after the event has closed, the space will be filled by elevating teams from the tournament waitlist.
• A home team wishing to be considered for inclusion as a Wild Card team can be nominated by the tournament director. Home teams are defined as members or employees of the host club(s).
• A non-home team wishing to be considered for inclusion as a Wild Card team must enter the event and notify the SDA that they wish to be considered. Non-home teams MUST NOT contact a tournament promoter directly. Contacting a TD directly regarding a wild card is a subject to disciplinary action.
• A non-home wildcard team must enter a tournament as usual via Club Locker. WC applicants will be listed in the event details.
• A player may have 1 wildcard per 52-week rolling period.
• A wildcard may be a winner of pre-qualification competition*

*The SDA will allow a maximum of one wildcard per tournament to be chosen as a result of pre-qualification competition. To be eligible for the wildcard through this method, the other requirements outlined above for all wildcards must be met.

The tournament organizer is responsible for setting match times. SDA entries close the Thursday approximately one month prior to the event. Draws are released no later than the Tuesday after the event closes.

For all matches (except Semifinal and Final matches) players are responsible for refereeing matches according to the following schedule:

• Two players from the losing team and one player from the winning team are required to referee the match directly after their One player from the losing team is required to be the central referee. All three players must be in place and ready to start officiating the match within five minutes of completion of their match.
• For the first match of each round, the players from the last match of the day in that round are responsible for refereeing. Two players from the lower-seeded team and one player from the higher-seeded team need to be in place and ready to start officiating the match at the scheduled match time. One player from the lower-seeded team serves as Central Referee.

For main draw Semi-Final and Final matches the following schedule applies:

• First Semifinal: Central referee will be the On-Site One member from each team from the second semi-final is responsible for line judging.
• Second Semifinal: Central referee will be the On-Site The two losing players from the first semifinal are responsible for line judging.
• Final: On-Site Rep will act as center referee and is responsible for finding two line

If a tournament has requested and paid for a professional referee for any matches, then he/she will be the central referee. In this scenario, the line judges will be either:

• The two players from the losing team from the previous
• The two lower-seeded players from the last match of the day in that round (in the case of the first match of the day in that round).
• First Semifinal: The On-Site Representative and one player from the lower seeded team of the second semifinal.
• Second Semifinal: The On-Site Representative and one player from the losing team from the previous match.
• Final: The On-Site Rep and a line judge located by the On-Site

NOTE: If a player from the losing team has Pro-Am commitments immediately after their Pro match then two players from the winning team will be required to Line Judge.

All pro ranking events that wish to run a Pro-Am alongside the main draw must pay pros a minimum of $100/match (for both main and consolation rounds). The SDA can assist in the creation of teams and draws if requested. If a player enters a SDA event, he is required to play in the Pro-Am if requested by the Tournament Organizer or the SDA. Players who are unable to participate in the pro-am can submit a written request to the Tour Manager no later than two weeks before the entry deadline. Requested absences must be approved by both the Tour CEO and the tournament promoter. Denied requests can be appealed to the Disciplinary Committee. Pro-Am issues must be resolved prior to the entry deadline, otherwise the player should not sign up. Any unapproved absence, lateness, withdrawal, or communication with the event promoter will result in automatic disciplinary action according to the schedule listed below.

If a player enters a professional tournament, he must make himself available for clinics if requested by the SDA. The SDA offers clinics to all ranking events. The SDA will rotate players throughout the season and advise the tournament on the best times and days to hold clinics.

Information pertaining to each tournament (Club Address, Dress Code, Hotel Information, Club Policies, Refereeing Responsibilities, Draws, Match Times, etc.) is available in the Members Section of the SDA website.

Any photographs, videotape or other audio and/or visual recordings of the event created by a spectator may be used solely for such spectator’s personal non-commercial use, and may not be broadcast, published or disseminated, or used for any commercial purposes, without the prior written consent of the SDA Pro Tour. These recording, broadcasting, publishing and disseminating restrictions apply to all media, including such outlets as YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook etc.

Eye guards are mandatory for all players at all events (including Pro-Am matches).

If a player’s partner withdraws prior to 48 hours before the start of the event, the player can find a replacement partner if he informs the SDA of their new partner 48 hours prior to the start of the first match. A player can find any replacement partner ,whose points on the date the event entries closed, do not cause them to move up or down in a seeding group (e.g. from 5-8 to 1-4, or 1-4 to 9-16). The seeding groups are 1-4, 5-8, 9-16, 17-32.

The replacement partner must have paid their relevant dues before the commencement of their first match in the event if they haven’t already done so. The SDA will reassess the point total of the new team with the replacement partner and re- shuffle the draw according to the re-draw guidelines. If a player’s partner withdraws within 48 hours of the start of the tournament, the player may not find a replacement partner and the team must withdraw. Changes to Wild Card teams will be permitted up to the start of play. The withdrawal of any seeded team up to 48 hours before the start of the first match, requires a re-draw. A re-draw is made as follows:

• In the event of the withdrawal of a team seeded 1/2, 3/4, 5-8, 9-16,17-32, teams will be moved into the relevant spot within their current bracket. The No.1 waitlist team will be offered the vacated spot in the main draw. If they are not available it goes to the No 2. waitlist team and so on. If there is not waitlist team to fill the spot, the tournament director may include a local team.

The withdrawal of any non-seeded team, not involve a re-draw. The withdrawal of a main-draw non-seeded team will result in the top team listed on the waitlist being promoted into the draw. If the first team is not available, then the second team will be promoted and so on until the draw is filled. If only one player in the waitlist team is available, they may pair with another player on the reserve list. There will be no re-draw due to the withdrawal of any main-round seeded or non-seeded team, within 48 hours of the pro matches beginning. If a main-draw team withdraws within 48 hours of the start of the first pro match then a waitlist team will be contacted to fill the vacated position in the main draw. If no team is available, it will be a bye. In the event of a top-4 seeded team withdrawing from a 12-team draw within 48 hours of the start of the first pro match, the #5 seed is moved into the vacated spot, and a waitlist team replaces the vacated round of 16 spot. If a team withdraws within 48 hours of the start of the event and there are no waitlist team available to take its place, the organizer may enter a local team. A local team is defined as two local amateur players who have not played in an SDA event that season. If no local team is entered, the vacated spot becomes a bye. Should a finalist team not be able to compete in the final for any reason, the semifinalist team beaten by the withdrawn team will be asked to play an exhibition final. The semifinalists will each be paid $500 appearance fees. Should the semifinalists be unable to play, the offer will be extended to local SDA members in order of ranking. Winners of the exhibition final will be paid an additional $500 each.

4 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 36%
• Finalists: 28%
• Semi-Finalists: 18%

6 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 28%
• Finalists: 22%
• Semi-Finalists: 15%
• Quarter-Finalist: 10%

8 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 24%
• Finalists: 18%
• Semi-Finalists: 11%
• Quarter-Finalist: 9%

10 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 23%
• Finalists: 16.5%
• Semi-Finalists: 10%
• Quarter-Finalist: 7.9%
• Round of 16: 4.45%

12 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 22%
• Finalists: 15.8%
• Semi-Finalists: 9.5%
• Quarter-Finalists: 7%
• Round of 16: 3.8%

14 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 21%
• Finalists: 15%
• Semi-Finalists: 9.1%
• Quarter-Finalist: 6.2%
• Round of 16: 3.5%

16 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 21%
• Finalists: 14%
• Semi-Finalists: 8.9%
• Quarter-Finalists: 6%
• Round of 16: 2.9%

18 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 20%
• Finalists: 13.5%
• Semi-Finalists: 8.4%
• Quarter-Finalists: 5.4%
• Round of 16: 2.95%
• Round of 32: 2.25%

20 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 19%
• Finalists: 13%
• Semi-Finalists: 8%
• Quarter-Finalists: 5%
• Round of 16: 3%
• Round of 32: 2%

24 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 18%
• Finalists: 12.5%
• Semi-Finalists: 7.75%
• Quarter-Finalists: 4.5%
• Round of 16: 2.75%
• Round of 32: 1.75%

28 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 17.6%
• Finalists: 12%
• Semi-Finalists: 7.5%
• Quarter-Finalists: 4.25%
• Round of 16: 2.55%
• Round of 32: 1.5%

32 MAIN DRAW

• Winners: 17%
• Finalists: 11.3%
• Semi-Finalists: 7.25%
• Quarter-Finalists: 4.1%
• Round of 16: 2.3%
• Round of 32: 1.4%

Prize money is to be paid in U.S. Dollars. Tournament organizers are required to submit all prize money to the SDA no later than two weeks after the completion of the event. Players will paid no later than three weeks after the SDA receives prize money from the event.

The SDA strictly prohibits the payment of appearance fees of any kind at any ranking SDA event.

A player’s SDA ranking is based on the points table below, which roughly correlates to 1 point per 1 dollar earned (not including player tax). Points are capped at $70,000 for ranking purposes.

The total number of points a player accumulates in any 12-month period is divided by the number of tournaments played (minimum five tournaments for men and four tournaments for women in 12 months) to give an average score.

Where a player has competed in more than the minimum number of tournaments in any 12-month period, the following formula applies:

Rankings are updated on the 1st Wednesday and 3^rd Wednesday of each month.

Player rankings at the entry deadline date will be used when seeding a tournament.

Pegged Ranking

An SDA member who has not competed for a minimum of 26 weeks in any SDA Tour tournament (but has been absent on the tour for no more than 78 weeks) may be eligible to utilize a pegged ranking (PR) based upon their ranking. Players must have competed in a minimum of 5 events for men and 4 events for women in the 12 months prior to be eligible. Players must notify the SDA as soon as possible if they wish to utilize PR.

This elevated ranking will enable a player to combine their previous points total with their partners and be placed in tournament entry lists higher than their actual ranking (AR) at the time would allow, and so be placed closer to their AR at the point at which they stopped competing. PR is only available on the basis of medical or other related situation, as approved by the SDA. The SDA may refuse an application if they feel that the medical or related criteria are not applicable or that the player has been fit enough to compete as evidenced by activity other than in SDA registered tournaments.

The 26-week minimum is pegged to start from the date the SDA receive the medical documentation for the injury which results in the prolonged absence from the SDA Tour*.

The injury period is deemed to have ended at the start of the next competition they enter.

The player concerned must have retained unbroken SDA membership during the period of inactivity.

*In the case of pregnancy, the PR may still be utilized and will be pegged to start from the end date of the last tournament in which the player participated. All other rules relating to PR apply.

Pegged Ranking System

The PR is determined by taking the player’s ranking from when it was pegged to start as above. If the pegged ranking results in a team having the same number of combined ranking points as another team, the team with the PR player will be placed lower than the team with the actual ranking in the tournament order. A player is permitted to use a maximum of two PRs to combine with any SDA member(s). The use of PRs must be completed within a period of 20 weeks, the start of which is taken from the first day of the first tournament a player competes in on their return from injury (regardless of whether the PR is used for this tournament). Eligible tournaments must be completed within 20 weeks of this start date.

Note: the first day of the tournament is taken from the first day of first round of the tournament. A completed tournament refers to the last day of the main draw of a tournament (and not the date a player gets eliminated).

Should a player withdraw from a tournament after the closing, where the PR was used for seeding purposes, that event will be counted. If a player is waitlisted for an event but does not compete, that event will not count as a PR use. If a player is waitlisted for an event and is elevated to the main draw, the event will count as a PR use. If a player is waitlisted for an event and declines to be elevated to the main draw the event will not count. A player is not obliged to use any or all available PRs. PRs and ARs may be used interchangeably but the player must notify the SDA prior to the tournament closing date and may not alter their status after the entry deadline.

A member wishing to utilize their PR must apply to the SDA office no later than seven days before the entry deadline of each tournament they wish to utilize their PR for following their lay off.

The SDA code of conduct pertains to players’ conduct both on and off court. An On-Site Representative will be at all pro ranking events to report any infractions. Anyone at a tournament (players, sponsors, spectators, members, guests, etc.) is encouraged to report any inappropriate behavior to the On-Site Rep for further investigation. All infractions reported during a tournament will be forwarded from the Tour CEO, in detail, to the Disciplinary Committee (DC – Ben Gould, Latasha Khan, Steve Scharff, and Preston Quick) within 48 hours of the completion of the event. If the involved player wishes to explain his actions, he has 48 hours to respond to the DC. After this time, the DC will send an e-mail to the player and the tour CEO outlining any necessary penalties. If the player receives a fine, they must pay the full amount within four weeks of receiving the ruling. If the fine is not received by the SDA within four weeks, the player will not be able to enter or compete in any events until the fine is paid. SDA members are expected to conduct themselves professionally both on and off court at all times. Any on-court or off-court behavior including use of social media that is determined to be damaging to the SDA Pro Tour or its partners may be subject to disciplinary action. Below are suggested guidelines for the DC to use when making its rulings. The DC may adjust at any time as its members see fit. All suggested fine listings are in U.S. Dollars.

ON-COURT CONDUCT (Including but not limited to racquet abuse, obscenities, arguing with officials, time-wasting, aggressive behavior, best efforts, etc.)

• 1st offense: $500
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $1,000
• 3rd offense within 12 months: suspension from all SDA events for 12 months NOTE: These guidelines also apply to Pro-Am play.

For all on-court offenses the Central Referee should follow the following guidelines during the match:

• 1st offense: warning
• 2nd offense: conduct point    3rd offense: conduct game     4th offense: conduct match

Note: Any on-court offense resulting in a conduct point or worse will automatically be reviewed by the disciplinary committee.

LATE MATCH ARRIVAL Late arrival for matches with communication to club/tournament director:

• 1st offense: $100
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $500
• 3rd offense and offenses thereafter within 12 months: $1000

Late arrival for matches without communication to club/tournament director within 15 minutes after scheduled match time:

• 1st offense: match default, $500
• 2nd offense within 12 months: match default and $1000
• 3rd offense within 12 months: match default, $1000 fine, and 12-month suspension

NOTE: A Tournament Organizer may re-schedule a match to accommodate travel difficulties but should only do so if the delayed player has requested a re-scheduling at least two hours prior to his match time and if, in the Tournament Organizer’s judgment, the reason for the delay is legitimate. Only in exceptional circumstances should a match be re-scheduled to start more than six hours past the original starting time. Any players affected by a match re-scheduling should be informed as soon as possible. Players are not permitted to contact tournament directors in advance of an event to request a favorable match time.

ATTENDANCE AT MANDATORY SOCIAL FUNCTIONS Sites are encouraged to arrange one mandatory social function to be held during the tournament to allow members and sponsors to meet and interact with the Pros. All players that enter the tournament must attend any mandatory social functions as advised by the SDA. If a player has been eliminated from both the Pro and Pro-Am draws the day before the social function, he is not required to attend. If he has been eliminated from both the Pro and Pro-Am draws but played in either event on the same day as the function, he is still required to attend the social function.

• 1st offense: $100
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $250
• 3rd offense and offenses thereafter within 12 months: $500

CLUB DRESS CODE The dress code for each social event and dress code at the tournament site will be available with the tournament information on the SDA website. If the dress code as designated is not adhered to, warning/fines may be levied:

• 1st offense: $100
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $250
• 3rd offense and offenses thereafter within 12 months: $500

ON-COURT CLOTHING DRESS CODE On-court clothing consists of matching shirts and shorts for qualifying and main-round events. Partners must have matching shirts that should be of a different color than the opposing team. If both teams arrive wearing the same colors, the lower-seeded team must change. Lower seeded teams are required to bring a white shirt and matching color shirts to all matches. If the dress code as designated is not adhered to, the following fines may be levied:

• 1st offense: $100
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $250
• 3rd offense and offenses thereafter within 12 months: $500

REFEREEING RESPONSIBILITIES For players who do not adhere to the Refereeing guidelines as outlined in the Tour Guide, the following fines may be levied:

• 1st offense: $100
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $250
• 3rd offense and offenses thereafter within 12 months: $500

LATE WITHDRAWAL A player has 48 hours after the entry deadline to withdraw from a tournament without penalty. All withdrawals after the 48-hour deadline, except the first proven medical instance or family grievance per 12-month period, result in a penalty zero. The following fines for late withdrawal may be levied: Late Withdrawal (without a doctor’s note):

• 1st offense: Automatic warning
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $250
• 3rd offense and offenses thereafter within 12 months: $500

Late Withdrawal (with a doctor’s note)

• 1st offense: no action required, no penalty zero, players remain on disciplinary report until medical note received
• 2nd offense within 12 months: $100 (at discretion of disciplinary committee) 3rd offense and offenses thereafter within 12 months: $200

PRO-AM RESPONSIBILITIES (Including but not limited to late arrival, contacting the Tournament Organizer to request not to be in the Pro-Am, contacting the Tournament Organizer to request an early departure, requesting to find the am a new pro partner, etc.):

• 1st offense: $250
• 2nd offense: $500, disciplinary zero for ranking points
• 3rd offense and offenses thereafter: $1000, disciplinary zero, 6-month suspension

NOTE: For Pro-Am on-court behavior, “On-Court Fines” guidelines should be followed.

NON-COMPLIANCE WITH SDA EVENT RESTRICTIONS Non-compliance with SDA guidelines for invitationals, exhibitions and non-prize money events is considered a major offense and is punishable by fines and/or suspension from the tour. All instances will be reviewed by the disciplinary committee and penalties will be determined on a case by case basis.

The SDA observes the following rule changes for Pro Doubles:

• THREE-REFEREE SYSTEM
  • The Three-Referee System uses a Central Referee (CR) and two Line Judges (LJ).
  • The CR, who is also the Marker, controls the
  • Where possible, the two LJs should be seated behind the back wall in line with the inside line of the service box on each side.
  • When a player requests a Let, all three referees must decide simultaneously and independently (Note: In the event of three different decisions, the final decision will be Yes Let)
  • When a player appeals against a call (or no call) of Down, Not Up, Out, or Fault by the CR, all three referees must decide simultaneously and independently.
  • If the CR or either LJ believes a ball to be down, out, or not up, they shall raise their hand. If the CR sees two of the three hands raised, they shall stop play and the call will be determined instantly using the hand signals listed below.
  • The CR announces the decision of the three referees without revealing the individual decisions or whether it was a unanimous or a majority decision.
  • The CR alone decides all other matters g. time-periods, player conduct, injury, court conditions, etc., none of which may be appealed by the player.
  • Players may not address the LJs, only the Dialogue must be kept to a minimum, and decisions may not be debated.
  • If an electronic device is available, the referees give their decision through their console and the CR announces the result.
  • Where an electronic refereeing system is not available, the following hand signals are to be used:
    • Let = Thumb and forefinger in the shape of an “L”
    • Stroke = Clenched fist
    • No Let = Hand held out flat, palm downwards
    • Ball Down/ Not Up / Out = Thumb down
    • Up/In = Thumb up
  • BALL CHANGES
    • The ball will be replaced after game 3 of every match unless the ball has already been replaced during one of the first three games.