League Rules

Here are a few basic league rules. Any queries should be directed to the league administrator, but please remember this league is competitive but friendly and as such not to be taken too seriously.

• As in any league, games should be played safely and in the spirit of fair play.
• Matches are played as best-of-5 games. Each game played to 9 points except in the case of a tie-break.
• Game tie-breaks are at 8-8. First player to have reached 8 points chooses to play to 9 or 10. No further tie-breaks after this point.
• Once a player reaches 3 games the match is over for the purposes of league scoring. Of course, we normally play on with friendlies to use up the allotted time.
• Scoring of matches works as follows:
  1 point for turning up +
  1 point for each game you win +
  1 extra point if you win 3 games (and thus the match).
  
  For example, 3-1 is scored as 5 points to 2 and an unfinished game left on 2-1 will be scored as 3 points to 2.
• Winner of each game serves first in the next.
• Unplayed games are subject to scoring by walkover. Please claim walkovers as necessary, but honestly! See the walkovers page for more information.
• (Rule updated 26th March 2010) If there are 6 or more players in at least half of the divisions, then a '2-up-2-down' policy will apply. Otherwise, it will be '1-up-1-down'.
  
  For example:
  -if there are 4 divisions with 6,6,5,5 players, then it will be 2-up-2-down.
  -if there are 4 divisions with 5,6,5,5 players, then it will be 1-up-1-down.
  
  Note that, in either case, promotions and relegations will depend on players joining and leaving the league. You may still be demoted even if you do not finish in the last places of the division (and you may also be promoted even if you do not finish first).
• (Rule added 26th March 2010) League sessions will be as long in weeks as there are players in the largest division. This means that everyone will have at least a week to play each player in their division (plus a spare week). The exception to this will be at Christmas, when an additional week will be added.
• The league administrator will aim to add new players in a suitable starting division, not necessarily the bottom.
• The league administrator will reorganise the league tables each session and advise on claiming walkovers.
• The league administrator will not get involved in any personal disputes that may arise on court. Please remember that this is a friendly league and be sure to resolve any disputes before leaving the court.
• (Rule added 10th May 2010) It is the player's responsibility to ensure that walkovers are claimed or the league administrator is informed as necessary before the end of the session. This is imperative as if the administrator is not aware of any walkover claims then any games left unplayed will be subject to a walkover based on the contacts system.
• Please also see the other rules pages (see tabs across the top of this page).