Profile | My Tennis Leagues

Rules

Matches

1. Matches are the best of 3 sets with a Championship Tiebreak (that's a 10 point tie-break) played instead of a third set (i.e. at one set all.)

2. 1 point is scored for every set you win with an extra point awarded to both sides for completing the match.

Example 1

Andy Murray bt. Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-3

Murray receives 3 points, Djokovic receives 1 point.

Example 2

Roger Federer bt. Rafael Nadal 6-3 5-7 10-7

Federer receives 3 points, Nadal receives 2 points.

3. Matches should be arranged by contacting your opponent(s) in the league and setting a suitable date/time that is convenient for both sides.

4. All players should take responsibility for contacting their opponents and arranging suitable match dates. In certain cases, players risk conceding their matches if they have become passive or frequently reject match requests without providing a suitable alternative date (see Walkovers section).

5. Both sides should take responsibility for booking courts.

6. Scores are reported on site and should be submitted by the winning player(s)*. The league table is updated frequently.

* As the season end approaches, it is your responsibility to ensure all of your results have been submitted, win or lose, before the deadline.

7. Matches can be played at any location providing it is agreed by both sides.

8. Incomplete matches must be finished at a time suitable for both sides providing it is concluded before season end.

9. Matches that aren't completed and/or results that aren't submitted before midnight on the day of 'season end' will not be counted.

10. Both sides should bring the following to each match:

  1. A new tin of balls or £2
  2. A tin of used balls in decent condition

How you should determine which balls should be used is as follows:

  1. If both sides have a new tin, use either tin with the winner taking the un-opened tin and the loser taking the opened tin at the end.
  2. If one side has a new tin but the other side does not, it is the player with the new tin who decides whether the used balls are suitable or whether the new tin should be used at which time a £2 fee should be paid. Please respect their decision.
  3. If neither side has a new tin, please decide amongst yourselves which balls should be used.

11. Matches should be played in good spirit. Players are expected to be friendly with an emphasis on fair play.

12. Matches are self-umpired. Players should only call balls on their side of the net and should respect the calls of their opponent. If an agreement cannot be reached, the point should be replayed.

Walkovers

13. A player or team can request a walkover over their opponent(s) IF:

  1. their opponent(s) cancel with less than 2 hours notice.
  2. their opponent(s) are more than 20 minutes late.
  3. their opponent(s) fail to show up at all.
  4. their opponent(s) retire through injury or illness mid match
  5. their opponent(s) do not respond to a direct* match request within 10 days (inclusive) of correspondence being sent by the claimant
  6. their opponent(s) reject 3 direct* challenges without offering an alternative date in return.
  7. their opponent(s) cancel a scheduled match and fail to offer an alternative match date before season end.
  8. their opponent(s) cancel an agreed match twice.
  9. their opponent(s) retire from the league altogether.

* 'Direct' means an inbox message, email or text message sent directly to an opponent or a WhatsApp message where the opponent has been exclusively tagged in your message (using the '@' tag)

14. Walkovers are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and given at the club admin's discretion.

15. Walkovers yield 3 points for the winner and no points for the loser.

Important InformationIn order for a walkover to be awarded it is crucial that correspondence sent via email, text and/or WhatsApp is saved and made available to the club admin showing a timeline of dialogue between both players/teams. Decisions as to whether a walkover is awarded will be reviewed by a club admin pending consultation with both sides.

Winners

16. Typically the top 2 players/teams at the end of each season will be promoted. The top 3 players/teams will be awarded a trophy on their profile.

17. If there is a tie for first or 2nd place, placements are awarded to the player that:

  1. Won the most number of matches, then
  2. Lost the least number of matches, then
  3. Was the winner of their respective match, then
  4. Conceded the least number of games (in matches they won), and finally...
  5. Won the most number of games (in matches they lost)

In the unlikely event that a winner cannot be established, then a final match up will be played at both players' earliest convenience.

Abuse

18. Players found to be breaking the rules or knowingly exploiting the system may be disqualified from their division and/or served a ban pending a review by MTL and the club admins.

Last updated: 20/10/2020

How to play a tiebreak

A tie break is played when you reach six games all in any given set. A championship tie break should be played in the place of a 3rd set unless both sides agree to play a 3rd set as normal.

Who serves first?

The player that would have served in the next game starts the tie break.

Example:

Nadal just held serve to bring the set to 6-6. Federer will now start the tie break.

Which end of the court?

You remain the same end of the court as per the last game played.

Starting the tie break...

The player starting the tie break serves oncefrom the deuce side of the court.

Next...

Their opponent now serves twice.First from the ad side of the court, then from the deuce side of the court.

Keep rotating serve every 2 points remembering to start your first serve from the ad side. You must also swap ends after every 6 points (whether that's at 6-0, 3-3, 6-6 or whatever).

Winning a tie break

The winner of the tie break is the first to reach or surpass 7 points with a 2 point margin (i.e. 7-5, 10-8 etc).

Who serves first in the next set?

The player that didn't open the tie break will serve first in the next set.

Or in other words, the player that served first in the tie break will receive.

The server starts from the opposite end of the court from where their opponent started the tie break.

Championship Tiebreak

A Championship tie break is often played instead of a 3rd set. Particularly when there isn't enough time to start a whole new set. In this case, the same rules apply as per above BUT the winner of the Championship tie break is the first to reach or surpass 10 points with a 2 point margin (i.e. 10-3, 16-14 etc).