How does the Texas Tennis Ladder tennis ladder work?

Each month you're placed in a group of players based on your current rank. You play a match against each of the other players in your group sometime during the month, report your scores, and move up or down the ladder based on your results.

Is the tennis ladder free to join?

Yes. Texas Tennis Ladder is free for men and women 18 and over. You can join, leave, and rejoin at any time.

Do I have to play on specific days?

No. There are no required match days or weekly commitments. You coordinate dates, times, and court locations directly with the other players in your group and play on your own schedule.

What is the match format?

The default tennis format is best two of three sets, with a 10-point match tiebreaker in place of a third set. Players can agree to a different format if both prefer.

Texas Tennis Ladders

Q: How do rankings change each month?

At the start of the next month, the player with the best record in each group moves up a rung, the worst record moves down, and the middle player stays. Ties on matches won are broken by head-to-head first, then matches played, then sets won versus lost.

Texas Tennis Ladders are FREE for men and women 18 and over and are a way for local tennis players to meet and play matches on their own schedules without having to make any commitments to play regularly scheduled matches. Make sure that you read and fully understand the rules below before signing up.

How It Works

All players are ranked and listed on the ladder.
When you join you are added near others with similar tennis ratings and must work your way up.
You can leave the ladder at any time, and rejoin at any time. To leave the ladder, go to your Profile page on the website and click Leave Ladder. When you rejoin the ladder you will be added at a similar ranking to where you left, or below.
Each month players are grouped in 3's according to rank and some time during that month you schedule and play your two matches with the other two players in your group. This doesn't mean that all three have to meet at the same time and play two back to back matches. It means that if I am player 2, I get in touch with player 1 to schedule our match some time during the month and I also get in touch with player 3 to schedule a match during the month.
You have the entire month to play your 2 matches, but try not to wait until the last day. You should contact your opponents within the first week of the month. Text is best, but if you get no response don't forget about email or an actual phone call with voices.
Depending on the number of players each month, there may be groups in a month that only have one match and a bye for the second match.
Each month you do not complete a match you are charged points: 2 points for a month where nothing was reported or you forfeited, and 1 point for a month where every match was excused — a schedule problem, weather, injury, or a win you received because your opponent forfeited or was injured. Playing any match resets you to zero. At 2 or 3 points across consecutive months you get a drop warning email; at 4 points you are dropped from the ladder for the following month. You can rejoin at any time from your Profile page.

Match Locations

Players arrange the dates, times and locations of their matches. Please be respectful of other people's time. On-time for your match should be 5 minutes early.

Approved court locations are specific to each ladder. Please select a specific ladder location to see the list of approved courts.

Match Format

The match format will be the best two out of three sets, with the third set being a 10 point tiebreaker if needed. Players can agree to modify the match format for the situation, but if there is no agreement on something different, then the format mentioned above is the format. For example, if players are having a great match and are feeling good and want to do a full third set, they can agree to that.

Penalties for Late Players

The point penalty system is enforced with the late player losing toss plus 1 game for each 5 minutes late.
Penalties begin at the scheduled time of the match.
The match is a default at 15:01 minutes late & considered a 6-0, 6-0 win for the player/team present.
If the player arrives before the defaulted time, he/she is to receive a 5 minute injury prevention warm-up.
Late penalties will be imposed only when a player's late arrival is at fault for holding up the start of play. The only exception is if courts are not available at the match scheduled start time(s).

Example: Match start time is 8:00.
8:01-8:05 = loss of toss, plus 1 game.
8:06-8:10 = loss of toss, plus 2 games.
8:11-8:15 = loss of toss, plus 3 games.
8:15:01 = Match Default.

This means that you should be early for your match. If you schedule your match for 7:30 pm, then you should be there before that time.

We all know that sometimes life happens and things come up. If you know that you are not going to be on time, contact your opponent and give them as much notice as possible. If this happens and the players agree to a new time then the penalties don't start until that new time.

Time Between Points, Games, and Sets

20 seconds between points
90 seconds on changeovers (odd games)
120 seconds at the end of each set
There is no break after the first game of any set, so players change sides right away but can get a quick drink without sitting
Drinks should be taken on odd games only

Tiebreakers

USTA rules use the COMAN tiebreak both to determine the winner of a set and a match. This is the format we use unless both players would rather play a traditional tiebreaker switching sides every 6 points.

When the set score is 6-6, the player or team who last received will serve the first point of the tiebreaker from the deuce side.
Thereafter, each player shall serve in rotation for 2 points, starting from the ad (left) side of the court, then the deuce (right) side of the court, until a winner of the set is decided.
Players change ends of the court after the first point and every four points thereafter (1, 5, 9, 13).
The set tiebreaker is first to 7 by 2.
The game and set score is now 7-6, so players change sides and the player who received for the first point of the tiebreaker serves for the first game of the second set.

Match tiebreak (third set): The match tiebreak (after each player has won 1 set) is treated as a third set. If the previous set ended in a tiebreaker, then the player who received for the first point of that tiebreaker will serve the first point of the match tiebreaker (first to 10 points by 2). Players change ends after the first point and every four points thereafter.

Score reporting format for tiebreakers: 7-6(7-3), 4-6, 1-0(10-6)

Tennis Balls

Both players should bring a new can of balls to the match. One can will be opened to play with. The winner takes home the unopened can and the loser takes home the opened can of used balls.

Sportsmanship

Remember that this ladder is for competition, but it's for fun. When making calls you should be 100% sure, or give the benefit of the doubt to your opponent. Be open to asking for your opponent's opinion on a call, and be friendly. It's OK to lose!

Score Reporting

After the match is over, both players should report the score right away on the website under "My Group". Here are the match outcomes that can be reported:

Completed — The match was played and there was a winner and a final score.
Schedule Problem — Both players were in communication trying to figure out a match time and day but couldn't match their schedules up.
Weather Problem — The weather made it so that the match could not be played.
Lighting or Weather (Match Not Finished, Winner) — The match started but could not be finished because the lights went out or the weather turned, and you agreed between you who had won. Report the winner and the score as far as you got. It counts as a win and a loss, and both players get credit for playing.
Lighting or Weather (Match Not Finished, Tie) — The same, but with no agreed winner. Report the score as far as you got. The match counts as neither a win nor a loss, and both players get credit for playing.
Injury (match not finished) — The match was in the process of being played and one player had to retire due to an injury or sickness. The non-retiring player gets the win and the score is still reported with a comment on which player had which score.
Injury (match not played) — The match was never started due to an injury or sickness of one player. The non-injured player gets the win.
Forfeit — If one player tries hard to schedule a match and the other player makes no effort, the match is a forfeit. It's also a forfeit if one player just refuses or can't play that month unless it's due to injury. Write forfeit in for the score and the other player gets the win.

Monthly Rankings

At the beginning of the next month, the player with the best record in the group moves up to the next group, the player with the worst record moves down, and the middle player stays in the same spot. If players are tied on matches won, movement is decided first by head to head competition, then sets won vs. sets lost, then rank.

A match stopped by darkness or weather after play has begun counts as neither a win nor a loss, but both players get credit for playing it, so neither is charged for a missed match. If you want the result to count, arrange to finish the match and report it.

Top 10 and bottom 10 shuffling: The top 10 spots and the bottom 10 spots work a little differently in order to mix things up for those players. For the top 10, at the end of the month: #1 stays at the top, #2 moves to #4, #3 moves to #7, #4 moves to #2, #5 stays at #5, #6 moves to #8, #7 moves to #3, #8 moves to #6, #9 moves to #10, #10 moves to #9. The bottom 10 move in a similar way only in reverse.

Please keep in mind that the ladder is very fluid month to month. Players can quit and rejoin at any time. Adding and subtracting players when the new ladder comes out on the 1st of the month can move things around quite a bit depending on the playing levels of the new players, as players are added near their own playing level. The primary goal of this free ladder is to have 2 competitive matches each month. The secondary goal is to try to move up the ladder.

Waiver of Liability

By signing up for a Texas Tennis Ladder, you accept and agree to the following: I hereby agree to assume full and complete responsibility, risks, liabilities and hazards incidental to participation in the Texas Tennis Ladder. I agree to indemnify, release and hold harmless the Texas Tennis Ladder, its office holders, agents, employees, and all other persons and entities associated with the ladder from any and all claims, costs, causes of action and liabilities including but not limited to illness, personal injury, death and/or damage to or destruction of property arising from participation in the ladder. I agree to follow all policies and rules, its office holders, agents and employees. I understand failure to comply with Texas Tennis Ladder's policies may result in my removal from said ladder.

Safety

Remember to be safe. If you are playing someone you don't know, it's always a good idea to play on courts where there are other people around or else bring someone along with you to your match.