League Rules

League Rules

Spin Tennis League Rules

This is a fun and friendly competition but please read the following rules to get the most out of the league and help avoid any problems that may arise.

General Information

The Spin Tennis League is a mixed-sex, singles league for friendly, competitive tennis in a flexible format:

  • Arrange to play all your matches at a time when you are free.
  • Please try and play all your matches before the season ends e.g. Aim for one match every week and you can play your matches in any order.
  • Please ensure that you reply to your messages promptly even if it is to say you cannot play.
  • All matches are best of 3 sets - 2 regular sets with a final set 10 pt. match tiebreak to be played if players are level at one set each.
  • Points are awarded for playing and winning your matches with bonus points awarded for completing all your matches and completing them early.
  • The player in each division with the most points at the end of the season will be declared the Division Winner.

Points System

Points are awarded as follows:

  • 1 point for playing a match (Match must be completed)
  • 1 point for winning a set
  • 2 points for winning the match
  • 2 bonus points for playing 3 matches by the midpoint of the season
  • 2 bonus points for playing all your matches by the end of the competition

E.g. If a player wins 2 sets to 1, they would get 5 points – 1 for playing, 1 for each set they won and 2 for winning the match. And the loser of this match would get 2 points – 1 for playing and 1 for winning a set.

Arranging Games

  1. Use the ‘Chat’ section of the app to arrange matches with the players in your division quickly and easily.

    2. It’s quicker to suggest actual dates you can play rather than simply asking if they are free to play.

  2. Use the 'My Games' section of the app to see all your upcoming games.
  3. Once you've agreed a time to play and booked a court - please set the date, time and location of the game in the app before you play so that both players can clearly see the agreed time in the app.
  4. If you arrange your matches outside of the app, please remember to set the date and time of your match in the app to ensure match reminders can still be sent and scores can still be added correctly.
  5. And finally, when you have played your match use the 'Add Result' option to submit the score which will automatically update the standings table. Please also add a brief comment about the match when you submit a score so that all players in the league can see how the match went.
  6. There is a green 'Standings' button that shows your division and the whole league standings.

League Rules

General Rules

  1. Please try and play all your matches before the season ends. If you are injured or unable to play for any reason please let the league organiser know as soon as possible by emailing hello@spintennisapp.com
  2. Please start arranging your matches as soon as the season starts. The first person to initiate the conversation has the advantage of being able to suggest match dates and courts that suit them.
  3. All matches are best of 3 sets. The first two sets are standard sets (first to 6 games, win by 2 games with a tie-break at 6-6) with a final set championship tie-break (first to 10 points, win by 2 points) to be played if players are level at a set each.

    4. However, if both players agree beforehand and there is sufficient time, a standard third set can be played instead of the championship tiebreak.

  4. Matches are self-umpired and should be conducted in the spirit of fair play. If in doubt, it’s NOT out - Players only have the right to call shots ‘In’ or ‘Out’ on their side of the net, and should always give their opponent the benefit of the doubt and assume the shot is ‘In’ if they are unsure. A ‘Let’ should never be played if there is any uncertainty and the shot should be assumed ‘In’ instead.
  5. As the matches are self-umpired, when a player calls a ball ‘Out’ for a shot on their side of the net, the call stands even if their opponent believes that they are wrong.

    6. You can challenge the call once by asking if they’re certain and if they are not, the point is yours. However, if the player is 100% sure in their mind that it was out, then it must be accepted and you need to continue the match.

    Please remember that this is just a friendly competition and to try not to let any bad line calls ruin your enjoyment of the match. You can then let the league organiser know about this after the match, and multiple reports of unsporting behaviour against a player will result in their disqualification from the league.

  6. To avoid any confusion with the scores, the server should call out the score clearly before the start of every point.
  7. Any balls on your side of the net are your responsibility - if you are receiving, it is your job to make sure that they are returned to the server so that they have at least 2 balls to serve the next point with.
  8. It is recommended to do a good warm up before you get on court in order to reduce the chance of getting an injury. However, please keep on court warm ups before a match starts as short as possible - ideally around 5 minutes but definitely no longer than 10 minutes.
  9. If players cannot agree on the score, they should calmly discuss the points/games that are disputed. All points or games which the players agree on stand and only those in dispute should be replayed e.g. if two players cannot agree on whether the score is 40-30 or 30-40 and disagree only on who won the first point in the game - then the game shall continue from 30-30, since both players agree that they have won two points each. When the game score is in dispute the same principle applies i.e. two players cannot agree on 4-3 or 3-4 and disagree only on who won the second game. The match shall continue from 3-3, since both players agree that they won three games each. The player who received in the last game that was played will serve in the next game. Where there is a score dispute, a player must make all reasonable efforts to remember the actual score i.e. points/games played.
  10. Once you have agreed on the ‘new’ score after any dispute and continued to play on, it is not possible to then go back and change your mind later in the match.

    11. Similarly, once you have agreed to play a match in a format that is different from the recommended one eg. one set match or full third set, it is not possible to change your mind later in the match and then go back.

  11. The winner of the match is responsible for submitting the results within 3 days of the match or by the last day of the season if that is less than 3 days away.
  12. Any league matches played after the season ends will not count.
  13. The final standings for each division shall be determined by the following priority:
    1. Greatest number of points
    2. Head to head results
    3. Greatest number of wins
    4. Number of matches played
    5. Highest percentage of total sets won to sets played
    6. Highest percentage of total games won, to games played
    7. Highest average of the games won percentage for each match
    8. Draw by lot

Divisions

  1. All players are sorted into divisions based on their Spin Rating which is a measure of their skill level. Once a league has started it is not possible to move players between divisions unless a genuine mistake has been made in the allocation of their division or players are clearly mismatched after playing at least two matches.
  2. The top two players in a division at the end of the season will earn Spin Rating points and the bottom two will lose points from their rating which will affect their allocation the following season. Players can be promoted or relegated by more than one division if the number of players entered into a season changes significantly or the updated ratings determine it.
  3. New players who have self assessed their skill level, may be grouped in ‘Entry Divisions’ with other players who have self rated themselves at a similar level. This gives us a better chance to asses their ‘real’ skill level once they have played those matches and move them into the correct division the following season.

    4. As players are moved into main divisions based on their results in the entry division, it is not always possible to respect promotions and relegations especially if the difference is self assessed skill levels varies considerably.

  4. Division numbers are NOT comparable between seasons because the number of players changes every time - a 100 player season will have a different number of divisions to a 150 player season that follows it.

    5. E.g. A player might have won Division 8 the previous season and now be placed in Division 9 the following season - they were still ‘promoted’ compared to the players they played last season but because new players with a higher skill level have now joined, new divisions will be created above them.

Unfinished matches

  1. If a match is not completed due to lack of time or must be stopped part way through due to the weather, please remember to submit the score in the app and mark the match as ‘Unfinished’. The match must then be resumed from the score when it was halted.
  2. Sets won in an unfinished match still count for points so if the score is even at one set all each player would receive 1 point. The remaining points on offer for playing the match and winning the match will be awarded once the match is completed and the unfinished score is updated to the final score.
  3. Unfinished matches do not count for receiving bonus points or towards your Spin Rating as they were not completed.
  4. If a match remains unfinished due to a dispute on court, please let the league organiser know what happened as soon as possible after the match.

    5. If the dispute cannot be resolved easily e.g without getting into a he said / she said situation, then this match will remain ‘Unfinished’ with neither player winning the match.

  5. If a player is unable to arrange a time to complete the unfinished match due to the unavailability of their opponent, it may be possible to claim a walkover if there are more than 2 weeks left in the season - please see the ‘Walkovers’ section of the rules for more details on if you can make a claim.
  6. Matches that have no score recorded for them at the end of the league shall be deemed to have not been played and will not count towards any points.

Retirements

  1. If a player retires during a match e.g. through injury, they will be deemed to have lost the match and their opponent will be awarded the maximum of 5 points.

    2. If the retiring player has won 1 set however, they will still be awarded 2 points, 1 point for playing and 1 point for winning a set.

  2. Please add the score as ‘Unfinished’ and let the league organiser know so they can mark the match as a retirement.
  3. A retirement is effectively the same as a loss, even if you were winning at the time, so the match does count for bonus points and will affect your Spin Rating (This rule will begin for the Late Summer 2024 season)
  4. The retiring player will still need to cover their half of the total court booking costs incurred even if the injury was in the first 5 minutes of a 2 hour match.

Walkovers

  1. A walkover is a kind of ‘compensation’ for not being able to play a match but should only be claimed in the last resort i.e. when all attempts to play the match have been exhausted. This a friendly competition and we would much rather the match be played in the first instance.
  2. Walkovers do not count towards bonus points or your Spin Rating so it is always better to play the match if you can.
  3. Please contact the league organiser to claim a walkover so that it can be approved and reported correctly. Screenshots of your conversation may be requested to verify the situation.
  4. A player receiving a walkover will be awarded 5 points for the win, and the loser will receive 0 points, but this match will not count towards getting any bonus points.
  5. If a walkover is added but you are then able to play and complete the match before the end of the season, please let the league organiser know so that we can remove the walkover and add the correct result instead.
  6. A walkover can only be claimed in these circumstances:
    1. Unable to arrange a match after 3 attempts

      2. A player is eligible to claim a walkover if there have been 3 or more attempts to suggest playing dates over 14 days that have been declined without an alternative date being suggested.

      However, a walkover will only be awarded if this is claimed when there are still more than 2 weeks left in the season, as this gives the unavailable player a chance to find the time to play their match and overturn the walkover before the season ends.

      Please respond promptly to all requests to play your matches as failure/avoiding to play can result in a walkover being awarded instead.

      This also includes ‘Unfinished’ matches where avoiding to finish the match can result in a penalty too. However, as walkovers are only awarded for matches that have never been played, in the case of an ‘Unfinished’ match that cannot be completed, the match will be recorded as a ‘Retirement’ with the unavailable player losing the match regardless of the score at the time.

    2. No response after 3 attempts

      3. A player is eligible to claim a walkover if there have been 3 or more attempts to suggest playing dates over 14 days that have not received any reply.

      However, you must contact the league organiser if you have not received a reply after 7 days so that they can contact that player in the first instance to find out if there is any problem.

      A walkover will then be awarded if that player continues to be unresponsive.

      This walkover must also be claimed when there are still more than 2 weeks left in the season, as this gives the unresponsive player a chance to respond, play their match and overturn the walkover before the season ends.

    3. Cancellation less than 24 hours

      4. A player is eligible to claim a walkover if their opponent cancels a confirmed match without giving at least 24 hours notice.

      However, whilst a late cancellation can be extremely frustrating, please understand that a last minute emergency can happen to anyone. If the cancelling player makes a genuine attempt to rectify the situation - by refunding the full cost of any court booking incurred, and arranging and booking another time before the season ends, then this option should be taken in the first instance - a walkover will not be awarded if this offer is refused.

      Please remember a match CAN still be cancelled with less than 24 hours notice due to bad weather conditions if communicated and mutually agreed before the start of the match - most court providers will usually provide a refund or credit due to bad weather if you contact them within 24 hours of the booking to let them know it was not possible to play.

    4. No show

      5. A player is eligible to claim a walkover if their opponent doesn't turn up to a confirmed match.

    5. Over 30 minutes late

      6. A player is eligible to claim a walkover if their opponent turns up to a match more than 30 minutes late.

      However, another option is to continue to play the match but with a 1 game penalty for every 10 minutes their opponent is late - e.g if a player is more than 30 minutes late then the match would start 3-0 in favour of the player who was on time, and start 4-0 if the player was more than 40 minutes late.

    6. Withdrawal from the league

      7. A player is eligible to claim a walkover if their opponent has withdrawn from the league as they can no longer play them, but only if their opponent has played at least 1 match in the league before they were withdrawn.

      The results of other previously played matches against the withdrawn player will not be removed or amended e.g. a player who lost to the withdrawn player before they withdrew, whilst unfortunate will continue to show this loss even though players that didn’t get a chance to play them will get a win from the walkover.

Foot faults

A foot fault occurs when the server touches the baseline with their foot before or during contact with the ball. However, it’s not a foot fault if you touch the baseline or land inside the baseline after making contact with the ball whilst serving.

It is recommended to try to keep to the rule when you can but as Spin League matches are self umpired it is not possible to call a foot fault from the other side of the court - there will be no let or penalty and the match should continue as normal.

If you believe someone has foot faulted you can kindly explain the rule and ask your opponent to stop doing so but if it carries on, the match must be continued and you can then inform the league organiser about the player making these foot faults after the match.

Hindrance

A hindrance can be intentional eg. talking loudly or waving your arms to put off your opponent, or unintentional eg. a ball from another court rolls on to your court during play, or the ball hits a passing bird.

If it was unintentional a let should be played ie. the point replayed from the first serve. However, as Spin League matches are self umpired it is not possible to call an intentional hindrance - there will be no let and the match should continue as normal.

You can kindly ask your opponent to stop the deliberate hindrance but if it carries on, the match must be continued and you can inform the league organiser about any bad behaviour after the match.

In the situation where a ball falls out of a player's pocket or a player’s hat/glasses fall off during the point - this is normally unintentional hindrance but this can only be requested by the opponent of the player that caused the hindrance who may call a let to replay the point.

If however, this unintentional hindrance happens again ie. the ball falls out of a player’s pocket a second time, this would then count as deliberate and that player would lose the point.

Playing in the league

  1. Court booking fees are not included and players are solely responsible for court hire and providing tennis balls for their matches.
  2. Players must split the cost of any court booking fees for their league matches. This can be done on the day of the match eg. by sharing bank details with your opponent at the court, so that any fees can be reimbursed as quickly as possible.

    3. Any player that doesn't cover their half of any court fees incurred within 7 days of the played match will be withdrawn from the league and suspended from playing in a Spin league again.

  3. If a player cancels the match with less than 24 hours notice or no shows for the match, and a refund of the court booking is not possible, the cancelling player must cover the total cost of the court fees incurred for that match.

    4. Respecting other people’s time and money is an important value in the Spin community and any player who cancels late / no shows but doesn't cover the full cost of any court fees incurred within 7 days of the confirmed match will be withdrawn from the league and suspended from playing in a Spin league again.

  4. If a player is more than 10 minutes late for that start of the match, the player that was on time has the option to enforce a penalty if they choose to do so, to ensure the match can still be completed on time.

    5. Please remember that unforeseen delays can happen to anyone, and this penalty option should only be used by the player that was on time as a last resort.

    A 1 game penalty may be added for every 10 minutes a player is late - e.g if a player is more than 20 minutes late then the match would start 2-0 in favour of the player who was on time, and start 4-0 if the player was more than 40 minutes late.

  5. If a player thinks the match will be unplayable due to bad weather they must let their opponent know before hand and not just assume their opponent thinks it will be unplayable too, else this could result in a no show walkover.
  6. If in the case of ‘slightly’ bad weather, one person doesn't want to play because they think it is too risky, whilst their opponent believes it is safe, then they are under no obligation to do so.

    7. However, they must then cover the full cost of the court booking incurred if the court provider does not subsequently agree the weather was bad enough to provide a credit / refund for the booking.

  7. Balls must be of a good playable quality if not new and both parties should offer a set at the start of play. If one player has provided new balls but their opponent has not brought a can of useable tennis balls, we suggest that player contributes towards the cost of the can.
  8. Ideally courts must be booked for a minimum of 2 hours to allow enough time for a best of 3 sets league match.

    9. However, if courts are difficult to book and both players agree beforehand, then it is possible to book only for 1 hour and play a one set match instead - please select the ‘One Set Match’ toggle when reporting the score.

    Alternatively, if you and your opponent would rather play a full match, then you can also just play for 1 hour and mark the game as 'unfinished' so you can complete it at a later date before the season ends.

  9. Be proactive in arranging your games - Courts are very busy right now and you may need to book a week in advance to get a court.

    10. It's often better to book the court first while it is still free and then offer it to the players in your division to see if they are available - you can normally get a refund or credit if you cancel your booking more than 24 hrs in advance (or you can always post the game on Spin to get a friendly hit with someone else instead!).

  10. Please be flexible on the court location with your opponents - the preference should always be to play in the area where the league is located in order to avoid players having to travel too far eg. A Hackney league match should be played on a tennis court in Hackney.

    11. However, players can play their matches at any court nearby if both players agree to do so beforehand.

  11. Players must play and finish a minimum of 2 matches to be considered for the next season. If they fail to complete 2 matches, they will not be eligible to play the next season but can join again the season after. (An unfinished match is not a completed match).

    12. Players that are unable to play 2 matches due to injury or other extenuating circumstance must let the league organiser know as soon as possible before the season ends to allow an exemption to be made.

  12. Players must play and complete a minimum of 2 matches to qualify for a division winner or division runner up position.
  13. If you skip a season for any reason, there is no guarantee that you will be placed in the same division that you played in previously, even if you were the winner of that division.
  14. Players that have purchased an Annual pass can play in a maximum of two leagues at the same time.
  15. Annual pass members are not automatically registered for a league every season, and will need to register for free for every season they wish to play.
  16. The aim of the league is to offer a fun, friendly tennis competition to all players involved so any reports of unsporting, sexist, or racist behaviour will be taken very seriously.

    17. Profanity or foul language directed against another player on court or through the app is not acceptable. Any form of physical contact with another player, regardless of the reason, is also strictly prohibited.

    Please let the league organiser know if you have any problems with anyone as soon as possible. Multiple reports of this type of behaviour against the same player will result in automatic disqualification and a ban of that player from the league.

  17. If a player feels unsafe or is genuinely not enjoying the match eg. due to repeated bad line calls, then they should leave the court and report that player to the league organiser as soon as possible. If you feel at immediate risk of harm then you should call the police.

    18. The match will be recorded as ‘Unfinished’ with the score at the time and there won’t be any obligation to complete the match at a later date.

    The total cost of the courts should still be split when it is safe to do so.

  18. If a player can no longer play in the league eg. due to an injury or going away, then they should let the league organiser know as soon as possible so that they can be withdrawn from the league.

    19. The league organiser will let the remaining players in the division know about the withdrawal but as courtesy the withdrawn player should also message anyone they had started chatting with to let them know too.

  19. Any player that creates a duplicate account on Spin, or deletes their existing account to create a new one, in an attempt to falsify their skill rating and play in a higher division will be suspended from the league.
  20. Any player that submits a false score for a match that did not happen may be withdrawn from the league. This includes reporting a score as 6-0, 6-0 in order to record a walkover or adding a fake match result in order to ‘finish’ an unfinished match.
  21. Players compete in the league at their own risk and it is the player's responsibility to ensure any courts used are safe for play.
  22. By playing in the league, players confirm that they are not aware of any medical conditions that would prevent them from taking part in an active sport.
  23. Spin is not liable for any court bookings missed due to any technical difficulties that may arise with the app.
  24. The league is for adults only.
  25. The organiser's decision on all matters is final.

Withdrawals

  1. Players will be withdrawn from the league if:
    1. They remain unresponsive to other players in their division despite receiving 3 reminders that they have unread messages asking them to play.
    2. They do not play at least 1 match by the midpoint of the season. If there is a genuine reason why this is not possible please let the league organiser know before the midpoint so that they can make an exception.
    3. They do not pay for their half of any court booking fees within 7 days of playing their match.
    4. They do not pay the full cost of any court booking fees incurred within 7 days of their confirmed match, after a no show or cancellation of a match with less than 24 hours notice.

      5. Please note that if you are withdrawn from the league your entry free will not be refunded even if you have not played any matches.

      Players withdrawn due to a. or b. may play again in another season but a repeated offence with result in a suspension from the league.

      Players withdrawn due to c. or d may only play again if they fully reimburse any fees owed to their opponents.

Refunds

  1. No refunds after the season starts

    2. A refund of a single league entry fee can only be made if the season has not started. Please contact the league organiser before the season starts if you can no longer play and require a refund.

    A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to organise players into divisions so unfortunately a refund cannot be given after a season has started even if a player has not played any of their matches.

    For the same reason it’s also not possible to give a refund if you are withdrawn from the league or get injured after the season has started.

  2. If you have purchased an Annual pass this allows you to play in the next 5 seasons of the league at a much better price than purchasing a single entry every time.

    3. However, if you get injured or skip a season for any reason, unfortunately it is not possible to extend your pass as it is fixed for a year. If you would prefer to have the flexibility of choosing which seasons you play in, albeit at a higher price, then it would be better to purchase a single entry each time instead.

    A refund of an annual pass can only be made if it is requested before the start of the first season of its validity.

If you’re having any problems with the app or the league please email hello@spintennisapp.com and we’ll do our best to help.

← Previous

Format

Next →

Spin Rating

💠
https://spintennisapp.com