2016 WTA OFFICIAL RULEBOOK WTA 2016 WTA - Women’s Tennis Association 100 Second Avenue South, Suite 1100-S St. Petersburg, Florida, USA 33701 TEL: +1.727.895.5000 FAX: +1.727.894.1982 www.wtatennis.com Printed in the United States of America 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 1 2016 Official Rulebook Copyright 2016 WTA Tour, Inc. All Rights Reserved WTA and WTA Tour are registered trademarks of WTA Tour, Inc. Printed in the United States of America 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS THE WTA I. INTRODUCTION 7 A. DESCRIPTION 7 B. ADMINISTRATION 7 C. RULES 7 D. TOURNAMENT ACCEPTANCES 8 E. TOUR YEARS 8 F. WORLD CHAMPION 8 G. WTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 9 II. TOP 10 PLAYER LIST 11 A. COMPOSITION AND ORDER 11 B. MINIMUM COMMITMENT REQUIREMENTS 12 C. COMPENSATION 13 D. COMMITMENT DEADLINES AND RULES 13 E. INCENTIVE PAYMENTS 16 F. SUSPENSION RULE 17 G. CALCULATION AND PAYMENT 20 H. ADDITIONAL RULES FOR TOP 10 PLAYERS 21 I. YEARS OF SERVICE 21 J. FUNDING OF BONUS POOL 22 III. ENTRIES/WITHDRAWALS/DRAWS/SCHEDULING 23 A. ENTRIES AND ACCEPTANCES 23 B. WITHDRAWING FROM A TOURNAMENT 34 C. DRAWS 45 D. SCHEDULING 82 IV. PLAYER RESPONSIBILITIES/ON-COURT RULES 91 AND PROCEDURES A. DIAMOND ACES POLICY 91 B. MEDIA/SPONSOR/PUBLIC RELATIONS 100 RESPONSIBILITIES C. CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT 112 D. TOILET/CHANGE OF ATTIRE BREAKS 120 E. WTA MEDICAL RULE 122 F. CODE OF CONDUCT 122 G. DELAY OF PLAY 122 H. HINDRANCE RULE 123 1 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. DEFAULTS 123 J. FINE APPEALS 124 V. TOURNAMENT CATEGORIES 125 A. GRAND SLAM EVENTS 125 B. WTA FINALS AND WTA ELITE TROPHY 125 C. WTA TOURNAMENTS 125 VI. PLAYER COMMITMENT AND PRIZE MONEY POLICY 129 A. PLAYER COMMITMENT FORMULAS 129 B. TOURNAMENT MISSED PLAYER COMMITMENT 130 C. TOURNAMENT NOTIFICATION OF PLAYER 130 COMMITMENT D. INTERNATIONAL PRIZE MONEY POLICY 130 VII. WTA TOURNAMENT MEMBERSHIPS 133 A. WTA CALENDAR 133 B. APPLICATION FOR A NEW TOURNAMENT 133 C. CONDITIONS OF TOURNAMENT MEMBERSHIP 135 D. ANNUAL PROCEDURES FOR AN EXISTING 136 TOURNAMENT E. REASONS FOR REJECTION 138 F. TOURNAMENT PRIORITY 139 G. NO RELEASE 140 H. TERMINATION OF TOURNAMENTS 144 I. TOURNAMENT OWNERSHIP 145 J. TOURNAMENT MINIMUM INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 156 VIII.WTA TOURNAMENT RESPONSIBILITIES/BENEFITS TO WTA 157 A. WTA SPONSOR PRODUCT CATEGORY EXCLUSIVITIES 157 B. COMMERCIAL BENEFITS GRANTED TO WTA 157 C. FAILURE TO PROVIDE COMMERCIAL BENEFITS 165 D. SPONSORSHIP RESTRICTIONS 165 E. PRE-TOURNAMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 165 IX. WTA FINALS AND WTA ELITE TROPHY 167 A. WTA FINALS 167 B. WTA ELITE TROPHY 167 2 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS X. PRIZE MONEY 169 A. DISTRIBUTION 169 B. AMATEUR EXPENSES 171 C. DEFAULTS, WITHDRAWALS AND BYES 172 D. SINGLES AND DOUBLES CANCELLATIONS 175 E. PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWNS 175 XI. PRIZE MONEY FORMULA 177 A. PRIZE MONEY FORMULA 177 B. ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION 183 C. DEFINITIONS 183 D. PMF COMMITTEE 189 E. REPORTING SYSTEM 191 F. ACCOUNTING RULES 192 G. AUDITS 195 H. COMPLIANCE 196 I. EXPIRATION 196 J. AMENDMENT 197 XII. TOURNAMENT FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS 199 A. TOURNAMENT FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS 199 B. TOURNAMENT FINANCIAL COMMITMENT 199 C. FINANCIAL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS 201 D. TOURNAMENTS PAYING PRIZE MONEY IN 203 EXCESS OF THE MINIMUM PRIZE MONEY LEVEL E. CONDITIONS 204 F. LATE PAYMENTS 204 XIII.WTA FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO TOURNAMENTS 205 A. COMMERCIAL BENEFITS PAYMENTS 205 B. PAYMENT DATES 205 XIV.WTA RANKING SYSTEM 207 A. GENERAL 207 B. GENERAL RULES 212 C. WTA SPECIAL RANKING RULE 218 D. RETIRING FROM THE WTA 224 3 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS XV. AGE ELIGIBILITY AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT 225 A. AGE ELIGIBILITY RULE 225 B. PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS 236 C. PLAYER PENALTIES 244 XVI. CODE OF CONDUCT 245 A. GENERAL PRINCIPLES 245 B. DEFINITIONS 246 C. APPLICABILITY AND AVAILABILITY 247 D. RULES AND PENALTIES – PLAYERS 248 E. EXHIBITION/NON-WTA EVENT RULE 259 F. DISHONORABLE OR UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT 261 OF TOURNAMENT SUPPORT PERSONNEL G. PROCEDURES FOR PLAYER AND TOURNAMENT 262 SUPPORT PERSONNEL VIOLATIONS H. PROCEDURES FOR PLAYER SUPPORT TEAM 267 MEMBERS AND CREDENTIALED PERSONS XVII. STANDARDS 273 A. TOURNAMENT STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE 273 B. WTA REPRESENTATIVES 315 C. MEDICAL SECTION 319 D. ON-COURT SIGNAGE 342 E. COURT MEASUREMENTS 347 F. LIGHT MEASUREMENTS 348 G. ELECTRONIC REVIEW 349 H. ON-COURT COACHING 352 I. INTERNATIONAL MEDIA RIGHTS POOL 356 J. WTA TELEVISION BROADCAST STANDARDS 365 K. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR OFFICIALS 380 XVIII. FINAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION 385 A. ARBITRATION 385 B. CONFIDENTIALITY 385 C. INVALIDITY 385 4 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDICES 387 A. WTA PLAYER MEMBERSHIP 387 B. 2016 WTA CALENDAR 395 C. WTA CONTACT INFORMATION 397 D. ROOF POLICY 399 E. WTA PLAYER FINES 401 F. GLOSSARY 403 G. ITF RULES OF TENNIS 407 H. ANTI-DOPING CONTROL STATION 444 I. TENNIS ANTI-CORRUPTION PROGRAM 446 INDEX 464 5 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 7 INTRODUCTION THE WTA I. INTRODUCTION A. DESCRIPTION The Women’s Tennis Association or WTA is an international award compe- tition open to all female players. The tournaments comprising the WTA (“WTA Tournaments”) are connected by a points system in which players earn ranking points based on a tour- nament’s category and the player’s performance. B. ADMINISTRATION The WTA is administered and governed by the WTA Tour, Inc. (referred to herein as “WTA Tour” or “WTA”), a US registered corporation whose mem- bers are the players, its recognized Premier and International tournaments worldwide, and the International Tennis Federation (“ITF”). The Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the WTA Tour is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the WTA. The Board of Directors of the WTA Tour is com- prised of three (3) Player Board Representatives, three (3) Tournament Board Representatives, one (1) ITF Board Representative and the CEO. The Board of Directors is responsible for establishing the long-term strate- gic plan for the WTA. Alternate Board Representatives for each member class may also attend Board of Directors meetings as determined by the CEO. C. RULES In accordance with the rules set forth in this WTA Official Rulebook (“Rulebook”), as amended from time to time (“Rules”), the WTA Tour selects and schedules WTA Tournaments and is responsible for the resolution of any matter of dispute pertaining to the WTA, including imposition of penal- ties on players, WTA Tournaments, tournament officials, player relatives and representatives, coaches and other credentialed persons. The ITF Rules of Tennis shall apply to all WTA Tournaments except as amended by the Rules. An excerpt of the ITF Rules of Tennis are set forth in Appendix G. For the complete and current ITF Rules of Tennis, please visit http://www.itftennis.com/officiating/rulebooks/rules-of-tennis.aspx. The Rules may be altered, amended or repealed by the WTA pursuant to the WTA By-Laws. Capitalized terms which are used but not defined in the Rulebook have the meanings set forth in the Code of Conduct - Section XVI and the Glossary appearing in Appendix F. The headings and titles to the 7 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 8 INTRODUCTION Sections contained herein are inserted solely for convenience purposes and shall not affect the meaning or construction of the Rules. Any action of the WTA Tour pursuant to these Rules or otherwise with respect to the WTA shall be deemed effective only when the parties affect- ed thereby shall have been sent notice of the action, or, in the case of any action of general applicability, notice thereof shall have been published in a manner that will ensure wide circulation. PlayerZone and TournamentZone postings and Player and Tournament Alerts shall be considered official forms of WTA communication with its members. The WTA may impose appropriate sanctions, including monetary sanctions, upon any person or entity subject to these Rules who participates in or aids and abets any violation of these Rules. Any violations of these Rules which do not specify a process for imposition of a penalty shall be decided by the CEO and such decision of the CEO may be appealed to the Board of Directors. All monetary terms are in United States dollars unless otherwise stated. English is the official language of the WTA. D. TOURNAMENT ACCEPTANCES Entries and acceptances for all Tournaments shall be the responsibility of the WTA. With the exception of the Grand Slams and unless otherwise pro- vided for in these Rules, the WTA is obligated to provide players to WTA Tournaments in accordance with the formula set forth in Section VI (“Player Commitment”). E. TOUR YEARS For the purposes of these Rules, the WTA has been organized into Tour Years. The “Tour Year” commences the day immediately following the final day of the WTA Elite Trophy and extends through the final day of the WTA Elite Trophy the following calendar year. F. WORLD CHAMPION The ITF World Champion will be determined by the ITF in consultation with the WTA. Selection will be based primarily on WTA Rankings and will take into account performances in the Fed Cup and, in a Summer Olympics year, the Olympic tennis event. 8 1-124-Intro-Players.qxp_Layout 1 12/11/15 9:54 AM Page 9 INTRODUCTION G.