3.1.5.1 Definitions
a) Missing player: For the purpose of alternates/lucky loser replacements, a player who forgets to send their picks
on the first day* of competition (qualifying or main draw) will be considered a missing player.
b) Missing team: For the purpose of alternates/lucky loser replacements, a team will be considered missing in doubles if one of its players forgets to send their picks
on the first day* of competition (qualifying or main draw).
*A player (or team) will
not be considered missing if they send picks on the first day of a two-day first round but forget to send picks on the second day.
3.1.5.2 When to replace a missing player or team by a Lucky loser: First rounds only
- Lucky loser and alternates replacements only happen in
first rounds (Main Draw or Qualifying). There’s an exception to this rule (Rule
3.1.6).
3.1.5.3 Possible replacements
a) Alternate:
- An Alternate will take the spot of a missing player (or team) in the Qualifying Draw.
- An Alternate will take the spot of a missing player (or team) in the Main Draw if no qualifying was played.
- An Alternate will take the Main Draw spot of a player (or team) who withdraws from the tournament after the qualifying draw is made but before the qualifying competition starts. In this case, the first player in the qualifying list will be the Main Draw alternate.
b) Lucky loser:
- A Lucky Loser will take the spot of a missing player (or team) n the Main Draw if the qualifying event was played.
- A Lucky Loser will take the Main Draw spot of a player who withdraws from the tournament after the qualifying competition starts.
c) Lucky Loser exception in FQR (Final Qualifying round)
- The best loser (LL1) will replace any match with 2 missing picks in the Final round of Qualifying, both singles and doubles (1 on 1 doubles matches are not permitted, these are also to be replaced by LL1)
3.1.5.4 No replacements
a) Two-day first round:
- Lucky losers or alternates will
not replace a player (or team) who sends picks on the first day of a two-day first round but forgets to send picks on the second day.
b) Second round onwards:
- No lucky losers will be placed after the first round.
- EXCEPTION: In challengers ONLY, if a player has a BYE in the first round, they can be replaced by the best first round loser if they fail to send picks for the second round. This exception is only valid for the first two TT rounds and does not continue throughout the rest of the tournament.
- If two missing players (or teams) are placed against each other, the match is decided by the TB rules - previous round(s) score(s).
3.1.5.5 Eligibility
- Alternates and Lucky Losers must send picks to be eligible to replace a missing player.
- In doubles, both players of an alternate/lucky loser team must send picks.
3.1.5.6 How to place Alternates & Lucky losers in the draw
Placement's basics:
- More or equal alt/LL than missing players: check itens a, b, c & d (flowchart:
link).
- Less alt/LL than missing players but more or equal alt/LL than matches with two missing players: check itens a, b, c, d, e & f (flowchart: link).
- Less alt/LL than matches with two missing players: check itens a, b, c, d, e, f, g & h (flowchart: link).
a) Alternates/lucky losers should be placed according to the list order: first alternate/lucky loser gets placed first, second alternate/lucky loser gets placed second etc.
b) Place the first alternates/lucky losers in matches where
neither player sends picks.
Example (basics 'b'):
Draw
#1 vs. #8 Missing picks from #8
#5 vs. #4 - Missing picks from #5 and #4 (place the first alt/LL here)
#3 vs. #7
#2 vs. #6
The first alt/LL must be placed in the second match (where both players failed to send picks).
#1 vs. #8
#5 vs. LL1
#3 vs. #7
#2 vs. #6
c) If there is more than one match with two missing players, place the first alternates/lucky losers against the lowest ranked players involved in these matches.
Example (basics 'c'):
Draw
#1 vs. #8 Missing picks from #8
#5 vs. #4 - Missing picks from #5 and #4 (place the second alt/LL here, against #5)
#3 vs. #7 - Missing picks from #3 and #7 (place the first alt/LL here, against #7)
#2 vs. #6
Since there is more than one match with two missing players (#5 vs #4 and #3 vs #7), place the first alt/LL against the lowest ranked of the players involved in these matches (#7), then place the second alt/LL against the lowest ranked player of the other match (#5).
#1 vs. #8
#5 vs. LL2
LL1 vs. #7
#2 vs. #6
d) After placing one alternate/lucky loser in each match with two missing players, place the following alternates/lucky losers (if there is any) against the
lowest ranked players (rankings from two weeks before the start of the tournament).
Example (basics 'd'):
Draw after placing one alt/LL in matches with two missing players
#1 vs. #8 Missing picks from #8 (place LL3 here)
#5 vs. LL1 - Missing picks from #5 (place LL2 here)
#3 vs. #7
#2 vs. #6
Considering that #1 is better ranked than LL1, the following alt/LL (LL2) should be placed against LL1, then the next alt/LL (LL3) should be placed against #1
#1 vs. LL3
LL2 vs. LL1
#3 vs. #7
#2 vs. #6
e) After the steps above and all the alt/LL available have been placed, if there are any alternates/lucky losers placed against a player who hasn’t sent picks, the draw should be adjusted in order to give the byes to the best ranked players who have been directly accepted into the draw (rankings from two weeks before the start of the tournament).
Example (basics 'e'):
Draw after placing one alt/LL in matches with two missing players - no alt/LL remaining
#1 vs. #8 Missing picks from #8
#5 vs. LL1 - Missing picks from #5 Alt/LL placed against a missing player - draw must be rearranged
#3 vs. #7
#2 vs. #6
LL1 is placed against a missing player, so the draw should be rearranged. The best ranked player without a bye is #2, so they should be given a bye and their opponent should be moved to play LL1.
#1 vs. #8
#6 vs. LL1
#3 vs. #7
#2 vs. bye
f) If there are two or more alternates/lucky losers placed against a player who hasn’t sent picks, give a bye to the best ranked direct entry and place their opponent against the lowest alternate. Then give a bye to the following best ranked direct entry and place their opponent against the second lowest alternate.
Example (basics 'f'):
Draw after placing one alt/LL in matches with two missing players - no alt/LL remaining
#1 vs. #8
#5 vs. LL1 - Missing picks from #5 Alt/LL placed against a missing player - draw must be rearranged
LL2 vs. #7 - Missing picks from #7 Alt/LL placed against a missing player - draw must be rearranged
#2 vs. #6
LL1 and LL2 are placed against a missing player, so the draw should be rearranged. The best ranked player without a bye is #1, so they should be given a bye and their opponent (#8) should be moved to play the lowest alternate (LL2).
#1 vs. bye
#5 vs. LL1 - Missing picks from #5 Alt/LL placed against a missing player - draw must be rearranged
LL2 vs. #8
#2 vs. #6
The second best ranked player without a bye is #2, so they should be given a bye and their opponent (#6) should be moved to play the second lowest alternate (LL2)
#1 vs. bye
#6 vs. LL1
LL2 vs. #8
#2 vs. bye
g) After all the steps above, if there is still a match with two missing players, the loser with the best score in the round will take this spot in the following round (rule 3.1.6.1).
Example (basics 'g'):
Draw after all the steps above - no alt/LL remaining
#1 vs. #8 Missing picks from #1 and #8 (match still has two missing players)
#5 vs. #4
#3 vs. #7
#2 vs. #6
No further changes are made. The best loser from this round takes the spot in the second round as a R1 LL
Round 2
Loser with the best score from R1 vs. #5 or #4
#3 or #7 vs #2 or #6
h) If there is more than one match with two missing players after all the steps above, place the losers with the best score against the lowest ranked players.
Example (basics 'h'):
Draw after all the steps above - no alt/LL remaining
#1 vs. #8 Missing picks from #1 and #8 (match still has two missing players)
#5 vs. #4
#3 vs. #7 Missing picks from #3 and #7 (match still has two missing players)
#2 vs. #6
Results
#5 def #4 5:4
#2 def #6 3:2
After the R1, best loser from R1 (LL1) is placed against the lowest ranked player (#5). The second loser (#6) is placed in the other match.
Round 2
(LL) LL1 vs. #5 (LL1 takes the spot from match #1 vs. #8)
(LL) #6 vs. #2 (#6 takes the spot from the match #3 vs. #7)
Examples: cases - step by step
Case #1: There are
more or equal eligible alternates/lucky losers than missing players:
a)
Step #1: identify the matches where neither player has sent picks.
b)
Step #2: insert alternates/lucky losers in each of these matches.
-> If there is only one match with two missing players: insert the first alternate/lucky loser in this match.
-> If there are two or more matches with two missing players: identify the lowest ranked player involved in these matches and place the first alternate/lucky loser against this player, then identify the second lowest ranked player involved in these matches and place the second alternate/lucky loser against this player, etc.
c)
Step #3: list every player placed against a missing opponent in ranking order (rankings from two weeks before the tournament).
d)
Step #4: place the remaining alternates/lucky losers against the lowest ranked players in the list above - the first of the remaining alternates/lucky losers should be placed against the lowest ranked player in the list, the second of the remaining alternates should be placed against the second lowest ranked player in the list, etc.
Case #2: There are
less eligible alternates/lucky losers than missing players:
a)
Step #1: identify the matches where neither player has sent picks.
b)
Step #2: insert alternates/lucky losers in each of these matches.
-> If there is only one match with two missing players: insert the first alternate/lucky loser in this match.
-> If there are two or more matches with two missing players: identify the lowest ranked player involved in these matches and place the first alternate/lucky loser against this player, then identify the second lowest ranked player involved in these matches and place the second alternate/lucky loser against this player, etc.
-> After the placement of all alternates/lucky losers, if there are still matches left with two missing players: skip to
Case #3
c)
Step #3: list every player placed against a missing opponent in ranking order (rankings from two weeks before the tournament).
d)
Step #4: place the remaining alternates/lucky losers against the lowest ranked players in the list above.
-> The first of the remaining alternates/lucky losers should be placed against the lowest ranked player in the list, the second of the remaining alternates should be placed against the second lowest ranked player in the list, etc.
e)
Step #5: if there are still alternates or lucky losers placed against a missing oppponent, skip to
Case #3.
Case #3: After the placements, there are still alternates or lucky losers placed against a missing opponent:
a)
Step #1: list the players (excluding alternates and lucky losers) placed against an opponent who has sent picks in ranking order (rankings from two weeks before the tournament).
b)
Step #2: count the number of alternates or lucky losers placed against a missing opponent.
c)
Step #3: select the same number of players in the list described on Step #1, starting from the best ranked player. Give byes to the selected players.
d)
Step #4: switch the spot of the opponents of the selected players, placing them against the alternates or lucky losers whose opponents haven't sent picks.
-> Place the opponent of the best selected player against the lowest alternate/lucky loser, then place the opponent of the second best selected player against the second lowest alternate/lucky loser, etc.
e)
Step #5: after the steps above:
-> The alternates or lucky losers who are still placed against a missing player remain with their opponents.
-> If there are still matches where neither player has sent picks, skip to
Rule 3.1.6.1.
3.1.5.7 Examples
- Examples of Alternates/Lucky Loser placements can be found
here