League Rules

What you need to know

Player's Handbook

Tennis is meant to be fun. The core values of DTVTennis reflect this, as we encourage all players to enjoy their matches and treat their teammates and opponents with respect, whether it's before, during or after a match.

01.Have Fun

When you're on court, enjoy yourself. Sure, we're competing to win, but we're also playing a game in our spare time.

02.One Team

You can only play for one team - no playing up, no playing down. If you play for a second team, those results won't count.

03.Weekend Warriors

Matches are played on a weekend, with each team choosing their preferred time slot for home matches. Matches will start between 10am-2pm.

04.Match Format

3 players per team, where you'll play one rubber against each opposing player. Each rubber is one short set to 4 (winning by 2 clear games) with a 7-point tiebreak at 4-4.

05.Scoring Points

Each rubber you win scores 2 points for your team, while any drawn rubber (eg. halved for bad weather) earns 1 point.

06.League Finals

Top 4 teams qualify for the leage finals - a one-day knockout event at the start of April for all the marbles.

Full Rules & Regulations

Full Rules & Regulations

  1. Clubs
    1. All clubs in the league must be registered with the LTA.
  2. Teams
    1. A club may enter multiple teams into the league.
      1. Where this happens, the A team should be the strongest team, the B team should be stronger than the C team, etc.
    2. In any given match, the number 1 player should be the strongest player on the team and the number 2 player should be stronger than the number 3 player.
  3. Player eligibility
    1. Every player must have a BTM number and have registered an the LTA website.
    2. Each player may only play for one team; playing up or down is not permitted.
    3. If an ineligible player plays a match then all their rubbers will be forfeited with scores of 0-4.
    4. If both teams field an ineligible player then both teams shall forfeit those players' rubbers with scores of 0-4.
  4. Match format
    1. Each match shall consist of 3 rounds of singles matches, where each player plays one rubber against each opposing player.
    2. Each rubber will be played as one short set to 4, winning by at least two clear games.
      1. In the event a rubber is tied 4-4, a 7-point tie-break will be played, winning by at least two clear points.
    3. Longer rubbers may be played (one regular set to 6, best-of-3 short sets, etc.) if both captains agree. If captains do not agree, the match will be played as described in rule 4.2.
    4. Rubbers within a match may be shortened for bad light or weather if both captains agree.
    5. Away team players will play all of their rubbers on the same court; home players will rotate courts in each round.
    6. Away team players will play "in order"; player 1 plays against 1-2-3, player 2 plays against 2-3-1 and player 3 plays against 3-1-2.
    7. 3 new tins of balls required per match.
      1. Any "match quality" balls may be used (eg. Wilson US Open, Dunlop ATP, Head Tour, etc).
      2. If both players agree, further tins of new balls may be introduced at any point during a match.
  5. Scheduling
    1. The season will run from 30th September 2023 through to 17th March 2022. Any matches outside of this time period shall not count towards the league results.
    2. Matches will be scheduled on a weekend, to be played at the home team's preferred day and time (between 10am-2pm).
    3. A fixture may be reversed if both captains agree.
    4. A fixture may be re-scheduled if both captains agree.
      1. In the event of a fixture being re-scheduled, the new date must be agreed within 1 week of the original fixture.
      2. A re-scheduled fixture must be replayed within 4 weeks of the original fixture.
    5. The home captain is responsible for cancelling a fixture due to bad weather. Common sense should be used to determine whether or not the fixture can be played.
      1. The away team should be given reasonable notice to avoid unnecessary travel.
      2. The away team must travel to play the fixture if the home captain believes that the match will be playable.
  6. Results
    1. The home captain must enter the result online at https://dtvtennis.co.uk
    2. The away captain should confirm the result online shortly thereafter.
  7. Scoring
    1. Each rubber is worth 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw (eg. if the last round is rained off).
    2. 4 bonus points will be awarded for an overall match win and 2 points for a draw.
    3. League standings will be determined in the following order:
      1. Most points won (rubbers and bonus points)
      2. Most matches won
      3. Highest set win percentage
      4. Highest game win percentage (ie. winning a set 4-0 is 100%, but 4-2 is 66.7%)
  8. Incomplete matches
    1. Late arrival
      1. If a player has not arrived within 15 minutes of the match's start time, the opposing team may claim their first rubber as a walkover with a score of 4-0.
      2. For subsequent rounds of matches, if a player has not arrived when the first match of that round starts, the opposing team may claim that rubber as a walkover, with a score of 4-0.
      3. If the entire away team is going to be late in extenuating circumstances (eg. road closure, heavy traffic, etc.) and has contacted the home team, a reasonable degree of flexibility on start time should be shown by the home team.
    2. Incomplete teams
      1. If a team can only field two players, the unplayed rubbers will be awarded to the opposing team and scored as 4-0.
      2. When it is known before the match that one team will be incomplete, the opposing team only needs two players present at the start of the match and rule 8.1.1 will not apply.
    3. Player retirement
      1. If a player retires during a rubber, the opponent shall be deemed to have won all remaining games necessary to win the rubber.
      2. A player retiring from a rubber is still eligible to compete in their remaining rubbers, if able.
    4. Weather delays
      1. If play is suspended after a match has started then resumed on the same day, it shall resume at the same score (rubbers, sets and games), same server in each rubber, etc.
      2. If a match cannot be started, or is stopped before half the rubbers have been completed, then the match is considered abandoned and should be re-arranged by the captains and re-played from the start.
      3. If a match is stopped after at least half of the rubbers have been completed, then all remaining incomplete rubbers will be halved and the match is considered complete.
  9. Regulations
    1. All matches in the competition shall be conducted in accordance with the ITF Rules of Tennis, the Rules and Regulations of the LTA, the LTA Competition Regulations, the LTA Code of Conduct and the DTVTL Regulations (in the event of any inconsistency, the DTVTL Regulations shall prevail).
    2. Any complaint/dispute shall be made in writing by email to the league organiser - admin@dtvtennis.co.uk - by the team captain within 48 hours of the complaint/dispute arising. Nevertheless, the league shall have the power to consider any matter coming to their attention subsequently.
  10. League finals (subject to change)
    1. At the end of the regular season, the top 4 teams will qualify for the league finals, seeded in the positions they finished the regular season.
    2. In the event of two teams being tied, each team shall nominate one player to play a single rubber against the other tied team's nominated player; winner's team qualifies for the finals.
    3. Players must have played at least 25% of their team's fixtures in order to be eligible to play in the finals.
    4. Match format and other details for the finals will be published nearer the time.
  11. Rulings
    1. The league shall have the power to decide on matters of interpretation of these regulations, to impose penalties including, but not limited to, the deduction of points and suspension for breaches of these regulations; to suspend or modify any of these regulations in appropriate circumstances. The league's decision on all matters is final.