British Columbia Community Tennis Leagues - Getting Started

A confirmation email was sent to your inbox with your fellow group members. You can also find your group members by visiting your division page. From there, click on the players’ names in your box to get their contact information (make sure you are signed in to your account!).

Email, call, or text the player to set up your matches. We highly recommend setting up a group chat (Whatsapp/iMessage) to streamline communication. Otherwise, messages may be coming in from all platforms.

Based on valuable feedback from players, we suggest organizing your matches earlier in the session to minimize any potential setbacks. Kindly mention the courts you have access to, whether it's through a club membership or a public court you prefer best. For smooth scheduling, please remain open to the possibility of playing on alternative courts.

Please set up as many matches as you can within your group over the course of the session. Some of the boxes are slightly larger, with 6 or 7 players. This allows more opportunities for play in case a player is unavailable/injured. We recommend playing 3 or 4 matches over the session, as this is the minimum to start building your WTN, but you are most welcome to challenge all the members in your box. The last match can take place on the same day only if the score is entered before the system closes.

Players can add a note in their profile to specify their preferred playing availability and locations. This will be visible to your group members only, alongside the contact information. We encourage you to use this function to help facilitate scheduling matches with other players in your group. Please click here for further details on adding/viewing notes.

Please feel free to set up your matches on public tennis courts, club courts (if your club permits guest members), or nearby indoor tennis centres with public access. If there is a court fee, we recommend the two players to split the fee amongst yourselves. You can find a local tennis court through the Tennis Canada court finder application. Please organize your matches in the region/municipality of the league you have entered.

[2.1] Balls – Balls must be of a good quality. We encourage players to share the cost of balls.

[2.2] Courts – If applicable, please share the cost of the courts, and allow for two hours of play. Matches can be played on any court that suits both players.

[2.3] Setting up matches– Players have a joint responsibility to set up matches. Please agree on the time, location and projected time frame for the match beforehand.

[2.4] Warm-up – A 5-min warm-up before each match is recommended.

[2.5] Line Calls – Players are responsible for calling their own lines and scores. Players are expected to uphold the highest level of honesty and integrity. Community Tennis Leagues reserves the right to remove players from the league if they receive two or more complaints.

[2.6] Rain – If it rains before the match starts, the whole match should be rescheduled. Don't make assumptions about the weather; be sure to contact your opponent to discuss the situation and to reschedule. If it rains during the match or court conditions deteriorate, either player may decide to call a halt to the match, and play can continue on another day.

[2.7] Injuries & Retirement – If a player retires injured, unwell or for any other reason that constitutes a retirement, he or she loses the match, it cannot be replayed. The player who could have continued (the winner) will receive 1 point.

[2.8] No shows and Walkovers – If a player has attempted to schedule a match twice and has received no response, the player can claim a walkover and receive 3 points. If a player does not turn up at the agreed time, or is more than half an hour late, the other player can claim a walkover and receive 3 points or the match can be rescheduled.

[2.9] Cancellations & Rescheduling – If you are cancelling or rescheduling a match, make sure you get an acknowledgement from your opponent. If a player wants to cancel or reschedule a match they must give their opponent a minimum of 12 hours notice. If a player cancels a match 12 hours or more in advance of the scheduled match, it is recommend for players to reschedule the match at a later date or to simply leave the match score blank if rescheduling before the end of the session is not possible. If less than 12 hours notice is given, the match may be recorded as a walkover in favour of the opponent and points awarded, although it is still preferable to play the match if possible.

[2.10] Limited Time - Please be respectful of municipal rules for the use of public courts. If the agreed time simply runs out for a match, we encourage you to complete it at a later date.If players are unable to schedule another date to complete the match before the end of the session, both players may agree to input the score when the match was stopped or to not post the match score at all.

[2.11] Coaching & Spectators – In all matches, coaching is not allowed. Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach shall be construed as coaching. CTL players are welcome to have spectators attend the matches, however, they strictly may not interfere with matchplay. Spectators are never to make calls. No spectator has a part in the match. You should never enlist the aid of a spectator in making a call or request the opinion of a spectator to resolve a dispute. Spectators should maintain a sufficient distance from the court to prevent unnecessary interference.

Community Tennis Leagues in BC accepts a wide variety of scoring formats. This includes: Regular 3 tie-break sets, Best of 3 short sets, One Pro-set, and Fast4. Shorter formats are available to help accommodate timing restrictions on public courts. The recommended scoring format is best of 3 regular sets, with a tiebreak up to 10 in lieu of a third set. Both players should agree on the scoring format prior to the match. See more details on scoring here. 

Following the match, it is the winner's responsibility to enter the score online. To enter scores online (1) Visit the national-provincial macthplay platform and log in (2) Scroll down to the "My box ladders" section and select your division (3) Enter your scores under the "my upcoming matches" section. To adjust scores please email leagues@tenniscanada.com.

See our detailed step-guide for entering scores here.

Players in the standings are ordered by points. Points are awarded as follows: 3 points for a win, 2 points for a draw, 1 point for a loss, 3 points for a walkover win, 0 points for a walkover loss. If two players are tied based on points, the tie is determined by Head-to-Head, followed by Set-Percentage.

If a player has attempted to schedule a match twice and has received no response, the player can claim a walkover. If a player does not turn up at the agreed time, or is more than half an hour late, the other player can claim a walkover, or the match can be rescheduled. To appeal a walkover, please email leagues@tenniscanada.com.

If you can no longer participate in a session, you may withdraw yourself. To withdraw yourself from a session, click on “Manage Entry” on the top right-hand corner of the league page, then click on the red 'Withdraw' button for the session you'd like to withdraw from. Once withdrawn, please let us know  at leagues@tenniscanada.com so that we can notify your group members. Once a session has started, Community Tennis Leagues does not offer any refunds.

The ITF World Tennis Number (WTN) is a global rating system that allows tennis players to find the right playing partner or program. It is a scale between 40 and 1, with 40 being a beginner player and 1 being an elite professional. This scale is for all players, regardless of age, gender, or skill level. It will make it easier for everyone who plays tennis in Canada to organize and play against opponents of a similar skill level. See our WTN page for more information.

As this is a public league, your name and league results will be published online on the national-provincial matchplay platform. Player profile data and match results recorded on the platform will be shared with the ITF in order for you to receive a WTN and for the results to count towards your rating.

Players can opt out of this service at any point by adjusting the consent under your account settings.

For every match you complete, you will get entered into a draw for a chance to win a grand prize at the end of each session.

The grand prize draw will be conducted based on the matches recorded in the system as of the final day of the session. Winners will have their first name published on the website and will be asked to share a photo of themselves.

We have some special prizes up for grabs for this season of Community Tennis Leagues:

• Spring Session 1: 2 x $50 Racquet & Runner Gift Cards
• Spring Session 2: 2 x $50 Racquet & Runner Gift Cards
• Summer Session 1: 2 x $50 Sport Chek Gift Cards
• Summer Session 2: 2 x $50 Sport Chek Gift Cards
• Fall Session 1: 4 hours of court time at the TBC Hub @ Richmond
• Fall Session 2: 4 hours of court time at the TBC Hub @ Richmond