Adult Singles League Changes from September 2026

Hi everyone,

The Adult Singles Leagues have been revamped by the Tennis Committee to encourage greater participation, improve communication between players, and ensure more matches are completed during each league cycle.

The updated rules have been designed to promote a more active and enjoyable competition, with clearer expectations around arranging matches, responding to match requests and player commitment.

The next league cycle will commence on Tuesday 1st September and finish on Wednesday 28th October.

Some of the key changes include:

Leagues will now consist of a maximum of six players.
League cycles will be slightly shorter, allowing for more league runs throughout the year.
Players must respond to match requests within 48 hours.
Players must win at least two matches to be eligible for promotion.
Players who complete all of their scheduled matches will receive a 5 point completion bonus.
Players who do not play any matches will automatically occupy a relegation position for that league cycle and will not be eligible to enter the following league run.

Please take a few minutes to read through the updated rules below before the new league cycle begins.

If you do not wish to participate in the next league cycle, please let me know before Monday 24th August.

Adult Tennis League Rules

The Adult Singles League provides members with the opportunity to play a variety of opponents throughout the year in a competitive and enjoyable environment. Each league cycle runs for approximately two months, during which players should arrange and complete all of their scheduled matches before league positions are updated.

Match Format

Each match consists of 15 games.
If the score reaches 7–7, a 7-point tie-break will be played to decide the winner. The final score will be be recorded as 8–7.
If the tie-break reaches 6–6, a sudden-death point will determine the winner.
League standings are determined by the total number of games won, plus any bonus points awarded.

Promotion and Relegation

At the end of each league cycle:

1st place – Promoted two leagues.
2nd place – Promoted one league.
Middle positions – Remain in the same league.
2nd from bottom – Relegated one league.
Bottom place – Relegated two leagues.

League 1 & League 2 Exception

To maintain the league structure:

The bottom three players in League 1 will be relegated to make space for promoted players.
The top two players in League 2 will be promoted into League 1.

Eligibility for Promotion

To be eligible for promotion, a player must have won at least two scheduled matches during the league cycle.

Bonus Points

Players who complete all of their scheduled matches during a league cycle will receive 5 bonus points, which will be added to their overall league total.

Tied Positions

If players finish level on points, positions will be decided by:

The player who has completed the greatest number of matches.
The head-to-head result between the tied players.
If players remain tied, the Tennis Team will determine the final positions.

Arranging Matches

The success of the league depends on players arranging matches promptly and responding to requests from fellow members.

Players are expected to:

Respond to match requests within 48 hours, where possible.
Make every effort to arrange fixtures.
Offer a range of playing times, including weekdays, evenings and weekends, wherever possible.

If a player offers three reasonable dates to play a match and those dates are declined, they should offer a further three reasonable alternative dates.

If all six reasonable dates are declined without suitable alternatives being offered, the opposing player will forfeit the match and the result will be recorded as 8–0.

Players who repeatedly fail to respond to match requests or consistently fail to fulfil fixtures may be removed from future league cycles at the discretion of the Tennis Team.

Cancellations and No-Shows

League results can only be earned through matches that are played.

If a match is abandoned due to bad weather, the score at the point play stopped may be submitted if the match cannot reasonably be completed.
If a player fails to attend an agreed match without reasonable notice, they will automatically occupy a relegation position for that league cycle. The Tennis Team may also apply additional sanctions if appropriate.
Any player who fails to play any matches during a league cycle will automatically occupy a relegation position and will not be eligible to enter the following league cycle.

Injuries

If a player withdraws from the league due to injury before completing all of their matches:

All results involving that player will become void.
This ensures that all remaining players are ranked based on matches against the same opponents.
The injured player will normally be relegated one league, although the Tennis Team reserves the right to review this in exceptional circumstances.

If a player retires during a match due to injury, the remaining games will be awarded to their opponent.

New Entrants

Divisions will normally consist of five or six players.

New players will usually be placed into a division appropriate to the standard they indicate, subject to availability and the Tennis Team's assessment of their playing level.

Previous league results may also be considered when determining a player's starting position.

The Tennis Team reserves the right to adjust league positions after publication to maintain balanced and competitive leagues.

Junior Players

Junior members may only participate in the Adult Singles League with the approval of the Tennis Team.

The starting league for junior players will be determined by the Tennis Team.

General

No league system can cover every eventuality. These rules are designed to ensure the leagues remain fair, competitive and enjoyable for all members.

The Tennis Team reserves the right to exercise discretion where exceptional circumstances arise and will always endeavour to make decisions that are fair and in the best interests of the competition.

If you have any suggestions for improving the leagues, please contact the Racquets Team.

Dan Lott
Racquets Director

20/07/2026