Events

We will be holding the following events for non-league players: 

• Singles
• Doubles: Enter either with a partner or if you would like to play but don't have a partner, put your name down to be paired with others looking for a partner. Doubles teams can be any combination of gender i.e. not exclusively mixed, male, female etc.
• Plate events will be held if the number of entries in an event justifies doing so.

Format: 

• All matches will be two tiebreak sets, with match tiebreak (first to 10 and clear by 2), if tied at 1 set all.
• All matches will be played using a resetting handicapping system.
• At the start of a set, the score for the first game starts at love-all as usual.
• When a player wins the first game, they start the next game one point down (in favour of the opponent) i.e. 0-15. If the same player then wins the next game, they start the next game an additional point down i.e. 0-30. An advantage can only go up to 40 - a game cannot be won without winning a point.
• If the player who started the game with an advantage wins the game, the next game begins at 0-0, resetting the advantage.
• This ensures that if the advantaged player continues to win, the game remains competitive by adjusting the starting score.
• Matches should complete within an hour. If your court becomes unavailable and you must leave the court before your match is completed, the score at the end of the scheduled court time should be used. If the result is a draw at this time, play a deciding point and award a game for it.
• Fair play is expected. Please be generous about line calls and play a let if unsure. Less than fair play should be reported to the club captains and may result in you being withdrawn form the competition.
• Minimum entry of 4 entries for event to happen (i.e. at least semi-finals and finals)
• Seeding will be entirely at the discretion of the Seedings Sub-committee.

How to Enter

• Pay, then email.
• £5 for one event and £10 total for more than one event. Use the quantity dropdown for multiples of £5 using this link.
• Send your payment confirmation email to improvers@marlboroughtennis.co.uk. Stating which events you would like to enter and your partner(s) if you have them
• No pay, no entry into the draw, and no play.

Timing:

• Entries are open now and close on Sunday 30th June at 5 pm. Seedings will then be completed and the draw posted by Sunday 7th July if possible.
• We are aiming to have deadlines for rounds, if at all possible you should keep to these. The earlier rounds may depend on number of entries and will be tweaked if necessary
• The Finals will be held on Saturday 14th September starting at 2pm. You must be available to play on finals day – please do not enter if not.
• The earlier rounds are to be arranged at mutually convenient times by the players concerned. Depending on entries it may be necessary to set deadlines for completing earlier rounds to make sure all matches can be completed ahead of Finals Day. We will advise on deadlines once final entries are known.

Admin

• Good used or new balls should be provided by the players themselves for the earlier round matches.
• New balls will be provided for each finals match
• All main finals will have umpires
• A WhatsApp Group will be set up to help with arranging matches etc.
• Only open to paid up club members who have not played league matches.
• Must be 13 years or older on 1st September 2024.

Good luck!