Age Group: Year 5/6 Mixed Competition. Where possible there will be Division A Competitive and Division B Social.
Field / Pitch / Ground Size & Markings: Normal Tennis Court
Duration of game: Play is between 4pm and 5pm. Each player plays one doubles match each. Each player plays one set each to six.
Number of Players: Teams of 2-4. Where there are more than 2 students in a team, players are ranked in ability level and play matches against corresponding players according to ability ie. 1 and 2 vs 1 and 2, 3 and 4 vs 3 and 4. Players not playing, should act as ball boys/girls where possible. If there are 3 players, one player plays twice.
Referee / Umpire: An adult should act as referee, standing at the net, and helping students to score themselves.
Equipment Needed: Players require a tennis racquet each. Division A: normal tennis balls. Division B: Green dot tennis balls
Rules of the game:
Scoring:
The Server should keep and call out the score after each point is played.
Players cannot call a ball out/in from the opposite end of the court.
Whenever in doubt, play the point again.
Scores start at love - all: 0-0 and progress in stages of 15 / 30 /40 where 40-40 equals deuce at which point it proceeds to either advantage server / advantage receiver. If either party wins the point, then it becomes game or if the advantage holder loses the point it reverts to deuce.
SHORT DEUCE to be played - ‘When the score reaches 40 all (deuce) for the first time, a normal deuce is played. If the game has not been decided after this first deuce and the score is back to deuce for a second time, then a sudden death point is played.'
The first point of a game must always be served to the forehand court.
Even scores must always be on the forehand/forehand court; odd scores on the backhand/backhand court. For example, 15-30 must always be on the backhand side just as deuce must always be on the forehand side.
Players should change ends every time the game score adds up to an odd number.
Serving:
Use two balls when serving (one must be in the pocket, not on the ground).
In Division B, 2nd serve can be drop/hit from the service line.
Don't hit first serves if they are a fault.
Balls are to be returned along the ground to the server.
General Rules:
Remember court etiquette: polite behaviour before, during, and after play. Wait until a point is complete before crossing or running behind a court.
No player is allowed to touch the net with any part of their body or racquet. If they do, their opponent wins the point.
If a ball is clearly travelling out but the player either catches or stops it before it bounces, the hitter wins the point.
If your serve hits the receiver or receiver's partner on the full it is your point.
If a ball rolls onto your court from another court you should stop the rally and start again.
If in a rally you lean over the net to hit the ball on the full and you hit a winner, you lose the point.
Note: The Home Team (displayed as the left-hand team in all fixtures) always carries the costs and responsibilities for hosting the game, regardless of venue.