 10U 12U 14U etc
Based on the year in which the player will reach that age so its 12 and under, 14 and under etc. Normally to make it clear, the qualifying years of birth will be listed, so to compete at 12U in 2006, players would need to have been born in 1994, 1995, 1996 and so on. Just to make it a little more complicated, the winter competitive season usually starts in October and most LTA events will apply the age group qualifications as for the new year ie to enter a 12U event in October 2006 you would need to be born in 1995, 1996 etc.
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Abbreviated scoring
Designed to shorten the length of time a match may take, abbreviated scoring has several variations. An example would be 2 sets of best of 4 games. The 3rd set if the match is tied at 1 set all could be a match deciding tie break set (see entry in Glossary).
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Blue card
No longer actually blue, this refers to the form on which players with a rating of 10.1 or 10.2 can record their wins to send in to the LTA to improve their rating. Players at this level only need to win 4 matches to automatically go up a rating. Return the form as soon as you have recorded your 4 wins as your rating can go up at any time during the year, not just at the bi-annual rating calculation runs
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Closed
There are conditions determining who may enter. For example a Club Closed event means only members of the club holding it can enter or as in the case of the County Closed, only players residing in the county may enter.
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Closing Date
The date by which your entry form must reach the organiser or entries secretary.
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Knockout Draw / Traditional Draw
Everyone plays in the first round regardless of standard.
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Main Draw
The event which acts as the final round for all the previous competitions nominated as its qualifying rounds.
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Match deciding tie break set/game or Championship tie break
Played when the score reaches 1 set all. To decide the match the third set is won by the first player to 10 points eg 10-8 or at 9-9 by 2 clear points eg. 12-10. This can be used as the final set in a 3 set match where the first 2 sets are best of 6 games or in an abbreviated match where the first 2 sets are best of 4 games.
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Match Format
There are no fixed rules about the type of format used for your match. It will vary depending on the size of the draw, the number of courts and amount of time that is available. It could be using abbreviated scoring, sudden death deuce or 3rd set a match tie break set. Its best to always check with the organiser before you play to make sure.
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Matchplay
Usually a one day event, it normally guarantees players a set number of matches (depending on number of entries) and mainly serves to give players competitive experience and allows them to earn ratings points. It is not normally played to a conclusion. Quite often nowadays ‘matchplay’ is used to describe any event which is not a full blown tournament.
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National ratings Scorecard
This is used for matches where the results are not sent in by an organiser/referee. Players can record their results and send the scorecard into the LTA themselves. These do need to be proper matches played for ratings with the advance agreement of both players.
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No rating / non rated
A player who has not yet applied for an LTA Player membership will be non rated. This will normally be a player who is under 10 or some-one new into competition. Once a player turns 10 they will need a rating to play in most competitive events.
For more information or to apply for LTA membership click here.
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Open
There are no conditions restricting who may enter the competition.
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Progressive Draw / Staggered Draw
Designed so that the more highly rated players play in later rounds thus ensuring everyone gets to play against some-one at their level in the early rounds.
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Qualifying / qualifiers
Competitions held from which the winners and/or runners up automatically get accepted into a higher standard competition (often called the Main Draw)
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Rankings
Players 10 and older playing in tournaments can earn points depending on how far they progress and the grading of the tournament. Up dated ranking lists are published online every fortnight based on a player’s best 6 performances in a rolling 12 month period. It helps players monitor how they are doing.
For more information click here
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Rating band / divison
Ratings of 10.2 and 10.1 are band or division 10, 9.2 and 9.1 are band or division 9 and so on.
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Rating Capped
A limit put on who may enter an event based on ratings. If an event is capped at 9.2 then no-one with a higher rating than that may enter.
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Ratings
At the beginning of the year a player turns 10 they can apply for an LTA rating membership (currently £3) and get a rating. A rating is a measure of a player’s standard based on match results against other rated players. A rating is necessary to enter most events for players aged 10 and over. Please visit our FAQs page for more detailed information or click here to view the LTA website.
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Round Robin
A group of players all play each other once, the winner is the player to record most wins or wins most games.
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Sanctioned Tournament
A tournament that has been authorised by the LTA, follows its guidelines is graded 3 or 4 for rankings and is on the LTA tournament search facility www.lta.org.uk/GetOnCourt/Tournaments/
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Seed
Players who are expected to progress the furthest in a tournament, usually because they have the highest rating, are seeded and placed in the draw to avoid the best players meeting in the early rounds, or to give lower rated players a chance to play similar standard players in early rounds.
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Sudden death deuce
At deuce (40-40) no advantage is played, whoever wins the next point wins the game
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Tie break
Played when the score reaches 6 games all in a set. The winner is the first to 7 points or after 6-6, the first with a 2 points difference eg 8-6, 9-7 etc
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Tournament
An event which is played over a number of days and with competition for several different age groups, Each age group event is played to a conclusion ie there is an eventual winner. Tournaments are graded and players can earn ranking and/or rating points. (For more information on entering tournaments see our Tournament Do’s and Don’t’s)
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Tournament Grade
With the new ranking points system, tournaments are graded from 1 to 6 to give an indication of the standard. Grade 1 events will have the highest points awarded right down to grade 6 which is for ratings points only.
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