Previewing 2018 USTA League Nationals - The top men's 40 & Over 3.5 teams

Most sections and areas are now playing their USTA League regular seasons, some have even completed them and had local or state/district playoffs.  So it seems like a good time to take a look at who the top teams are and who may be vying to make it to Sectionals and Nationals.

The metric I'll be using is the top-8 average for each team using my Estimated Dynamic NTRP Ratings and for these lists include the top-40 teams and ties.  And to keep a little intrigue and anonymity, I'll be listing the area for the teams but not the team names.  Contact me if you are interested in a report with the team specifics and more details.

I started the 40 & Over division with the 4.0 men and women, now the 3.5 men.

Rank	Location	Average
1	MISSOURI VALLEY / HEART OF AMERICA / Heart Of America Leagues	3.66
2	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - DS - 1	3.62
2	NORTHERN / NORTHERN / TWIN CITIES - 2018	3.62
4	MIDWEST / CHICAGO	3.61
4	SOUTHERN / NORTH CAROLINA / NC - LAKE NORMAN	3.61
6	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - SB	3.60
6	MIDDLE STATES / NEW JERSEY	3.60
8	MIDWEST / WISCONSIN / MADISON	3.59
8	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - DN - 1	3.59
8	SOUTHERN / GEORGIA / GA - ATLANTA - 2018	3.59
11	SOUTHERN / ALABAMA / AL - BIRMINGHAM - 2018	3.57
12	SOUTHERN / NORTH CAROLINA / NC - CENTRAL CAROLINA	3.56
12	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - DN - 1	3.56
12	SOUTHWEST / NORTHERN NEW MEXICO	3.56
12	NEW ENGLAND / SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT / Southern CT	3.56
16	SOUTHERN / SOUTH CAROLINA / SC - LOW COUNTRY-LCTA	3.55
16	SOUTHERN / SOUTH CAROLINA / BEAUFORT COUNTY- CCTA	3.55
16	SO. CALIFORNIA / SO.CALIFORNIA / SAN GABRIEL VALLEY	3.55
16	EASTERN / METROPOLITAN REGION / Manhattan	3.55
20	SOUTHERN / ALABAMA / AL - BIRMINGHAM - 2018	3.54
20	NEW ENGLAND / SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT / Southern CT	3.54
20	SO. CALIFORNIA / SO.CALIFORNIA / VENTURA COUNTY	3.54
20	MIDWEST / CHICAGO	3.54
20	SOUTHERN / SOUTH CAROLINA / SC - LEXINGTON-LATA	3.54
25	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - FA	3.53
25	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - SB	3.53
25	SOUTHERN / LOUISIANA / LA - SHREVEPORT	3.53
25	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - DS - 2	3.53
25	FLORIDA / REGION_3 / PINELLAS	3.53
25	SOUTHERN / GEORGIA / GA - ATLANTA - 2018	3.53
25	MISSOURI VALLEY / HEART OF AMERICA / Heart Of America	3.53
25	MID ATLANTIC / VIRGINIA / NOVA	3.53
25	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - UP	3.53
34	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - SB	3.52
34	MIDWEST / CHICAGO	3.52
34	SO. CALIFORNIA / SO.CALIFORNIA / SAN GABRIEL VALLEY	3.52
34	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - SB	3.52
34	TEXAS / AUSTIN	3.52
39	MIDWEST / CHICAGO	3.51
39	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5	3.51
39	SO. CALIFORNIA / SAN DIEGO	3.51
39	PACIFIC NW / EASTERN WASHINGTON	3.51
39	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - DN - 1	3.51
39	SOUTHERN / NORTH CAROLINA / NC - CAPITAL AREA (Ral)	3.51
39	SOUTHERN / NORTH CAROLINA / NC - ENO RIVER (Dur)	3.51
39	NO. CALIFORNIA / Men's 3.5 - DS - 2	3.51
39	SO. CALIFORNIA / SO.CALIFORNIA / SAN GABRIEL VALLEY	3.51
39	SOUTHERN / KENTUCKY / KY - LEXINGTON	3.51
39	SOUTHERN / GEORGIA / GA - ATLANTA - 2018	3.51
39	MIDWEST / CHICAGO	3.51
39	MIDDLE STATES / DELAWARE	3.51
39	SOUTHERN / TENNESSEE / TN - KNOXVILLE	3.51
39	SOUTHERN / NORTH CAROLINA / NC - FOOTHILLS (Hky)	3.51
39	SOUTHERN / ALABAMA / AL - HUNTSVILLE - 2018	3.51

This is a very large "top-40", in fact it has 54 teams with the ties.  And the group is lead by a team from Missouri Valley, but Southern has a whopping 17 of the next 53 teams.

If you are interested in a report like the above with even more information for your local league flight or to scout any level of playoffs, a flight report will fit the bill.  Not only will you get the top-8 average for each team, but the overall average and a summary showing how each team has played their courts so you can see if they are stronger/weaker in singles vs doubles and if they tend to stack or not.  Contact me if interested.