Local, regional, national, professional and scholastic leagues use variations of the official rules of tennis to govern match play. In addition, the regulations under which teams must compete vary from league to league, even when two leagues fall under the jurisdiction of the same governing body, such as a state high school athletic association. Learn the rules for player eligibility, lineups, facility qualifications and other off-court rules to ensure your tennis season is fun and fair.
Player Eligibility
One of the first regulations you will want to check before playing in a league is eligibility. Some leagues have age and gender requirements, such as professional World TeamTennis and recreational U.S. Tennis Association Junior Team Tennis leagues that mandate minimum numbers of males and females per roster. Other requirements can touch on age, living in a certain geographic region or skill level. USTA leagues require a self-rating or computer-verified rating after one season. The Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, one of the largest leagues in the United States, requires professional coaches and collegiate and high school players to play at prescribed levels. Some high school leagues require players to play challenge matches to determine lineups, with the strongest players required to play at the top of the lineup.
Rosters and Lineups
To prevent cheating or teams from accidentally putting ineligible players on their rosters, many leagues have formal procedures for submitting rosters. Some leagues require that team rosters be submitted before the season begins so the league office can validate the roster. Any additions must be approved before a new player can play in a match. Leagues often require that captains exchange complete lineup cards prior to the start of the first match. Once the first point of the match is played, captains cannot change the players in the lineup.
Scoring
Depending on the number of matches and court availability, some leagues use truncated match-play formats, such as no-ad scoring, pro sets or match tie-breaks in lieu of a third set. Some leagues play tie-breaks at 7-all or 9-all in pro sets, or at 5-all or 6-all in regulation sets. Learn which of the various tie-breaks your league uses, including whether or not it uses the recently developed Coman format of rotating during a tie-break.
Private Leagues
More and more recreational singles and doubles leagues are sprouting up around the country, started by ambitious entrepreneurs who see a need in certain cities for organized play. In these leagues, rules govern who supplies the balls, who pays the court fees and what features a player's home facility must have, such as lights, drinking water and a public bathroom. These leagues also have deadlines by which matches must be played and reported, with rules outlining what player or team must default if players can't agree on a time to play.
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