2018 National Champions: 18 & Over 5.0+ men Southern take advantage of flawed tie-breaker!

A National Champion was decided for the 18 & Over 5.0+ men today, a little controversy on a flawed tie-breaker deciding the 4th semi-finalist.

The semi-finalists were undefeated Florida, and NorCal, and they were joined by 3-1 Caribbean and Southern. NorCal was expected to make the semis, and Florida and Caribbean were candidates to be there if someone faltered, but Southern was the surprise as they had the toughest schedule.

Southern capitalized on being there upsetting Florida in one semi 2-1, and NorCal took out Caribbean in the other 2-1.  The final was close, but Southern pulled off another 2-1 win to take the title.

But should Southern have even been there?  They and Mid-Atlantic were both 3-1 and 8-4 on courts and each had 11 sets lost, but Mid-Atlantic had 2 more sets won due to extending two of their losses to match tie-breaks while Southern had all of their losses in straight sets.  Further, Mid-Atlantic beat SoCal who handed Southern their loss, so Mid-Atlantic was 1-0 and Southern was 0-1 against common opponents.  These are the sorts of factors you would expect to be used in a tie-break procedure when teams don't play a common schedule, but no, the USTA regulations say it is just sets lost, and then games lost, and Southern lost one fewer game than Mid-Atlantic, so they advanced.

I disagree with the regulation, but it is what it is.  Perhaps it will change in the future.

Regardless, congratulations to the Southern 5.0+ men, they took the opportunity once in the semis and won it on the court.