Frequently Asked Questions
Tennis officials in Chicago/Northern Illinois
A person who helps ensure that any given tennis match is conducted under the fairest possible conditions. So, ideally, the official is “a friend at court,” helpful to the players and the spectators.
Because you love the game, therefore have a keen interest in seeing that it is played under the best conditions. You enjoy having first-hand contact with it whereby you can make a useful contribution to the game, beyond what you may do or have done as a player.
Please visit the “How to become an official” link at –
https://www.usta.com/en/home/about-usta/who-we-are/national/Become-An-Official.htmlFriend at Court, available at the USTA Bookstore at https://usopenshop.org/
A new edition is printed each year.Each tournament fee is determined independently. Your assigner or referee will know the fee schedule. Some tournaments are staffed with volunteers, for example: a wheelchair tournament. While in training, you will be paid, but at a lower rate than when fully qualified.
Please visit the “How to become an official” link at –
https://www.usta.com/en/home/about-usta/who-we-are/national/Become-An-Official.html
Proper attire: official shirt tucked into khaki pants; mostly white tennis shoes; web or dark belt.
Do not wear Capri pants or cargo shorts.You are eligible to work any tournament in the US. You must contact the CTUC assigner for tournaments in Chicago. For other tournaments outside the boundaries of the CTUC you must contact the chief umpire or referee for each tournament. Do not attend unless notified that you have been selected to work.
You may work as much or as little as your time allows. Of course, to advance in your officiating capabilities, you should work as much as possible.
You should bring a stopwatch, tape measure, and a small notebook to keep notes. A stopwatch separate from the one available on your wristwatch is required. Some tournaments will provide food. In other cases, you must provide your own food.
You are an independent contractor. In Chicago, all tournaments are billed and paid out by the Chicago Tennis Umpires Council (CTUC). If you generate enough income during the year, you will receive a 1099-NEC from the CTUC. You will declare this as self-employment income and you may need to pay state and federal income taxes as well as social security self-employment tax.
When a tournament needs an official but has a limited number of hours of work for the official (for example: a Friday night when many courts are used and one round is completed with no more matches for the remainder of the evening or when a tournament has only the final match on the last day), then the CTUC bills the tournament for 4 hours minimum, and pays the official 4 hours of work. If the tournament has matches going on beyond 4 hours, but the official is not available to work for the whole time, when he works less than 4 hours, he is not paid the 4 hour minimum pay.
Please visit the official ITA website for additional info: https://wearecollegetennis.com/
Please visit the “How to become an official” link at –
https://www.usta.com/en/home/about-usta/who-we-are/national/Become-An-Official.htmlThe officials who work the US Open are selected from a large pool of officials who apply. They all need to have prior experience working professional lines. The US Open staff list is selected from among the best-qualified applicants.