Club tournament rules, point by point

Organization and entries

The first part says who organizes, who can play and how to enter.

• Organizer: the name of the club and of the contact person, for any question.
• Who can enter: members only or non-members too, minimum age, any maximum ranking, and whether the tournament is men's, women's, mixed or open to all.
• How and by when: how to enter, the closing date and the maximum number of places. Anyone who comes after the last place goes on the waiting list, in order of arrival.
• Fee: how much it costs, what it includes (courts, balls, prizes) and when you pay.

The format

The format depends on how many players enter and how many weeks you have.

• Round robin: everyone plays everyone. It works up to 6-8 players; with 8 that is 7 matches each.
• Knockout draw: whoever loses is out. With 16 players 4 rounds are enough; the seeds, usually 4, are placed so they cannot meet before the semifinals.
• Groups and a final stage: groups of 3 or 4, then the top two of each group go into a draw. It is the most common format in clubs with 12-32 entries.
• Also write how the draw is made, who decides the seeds and whether there is a third-place match.

The matches

The match format decides how long a tournament evening lasts.

• One set to 9 games, with a tiebreak at 8-8: it takes about an hour and it is the most common in club tournaments.
• Two sets to 6 games and, at one set all, a match tiebreak to 10 points instead of the third set.
• Best of three sets, for those who have time.
• At deuce, advantage or golden point: write it down. In padel, since 2026, also the Star Point.

Standings and tie criteria

In groups it pays to give points to the loser too: that way it always pays to show up.

• Points: 2 for a win, 1 for a loss, 0 for a walkover loss.
• On equal points, in this order: more wins, head-to-head, set difference, game difference, sets won, games won and finally drawing lots.
• Head-to-head applies between two players; between three or more, you look at the standings of the matches among them only.

Schedule, courts and postponements

• The deadline for playing each round, and who books the court.
• Who brings new balls: the club, or the player listed first in the match.
• Postponements: how many are allowed and with how much notice. If no agreement is found by the deadline, the organizer decides.
• Lateness: after how many minutes a player who does not show up loses by walkover, usually 15.

Results, retirements and walkovers

• Who reports the result and by when: usually the winner, within 24 hours, with the score set by set.
• The opponent's confirmation: if it does not arrive within a set time, the result stands as reported.
• Retirement during a match: the sets and games played stand, and the ones still missing go to the opponent.
• A player who does not show up loses by walkover with the maximum score, for example 6-0 6-0 or 9-0.
• Withdrawal from the tournament: the remaining matches are lost by walkover.

Conduct, prizes and cases not covered

• Without an umpire, each player calls the ball on their side of the court; when in doubt, the ball is in.
• Prizes: for which places, and when the prize-giving takes place.
• The organizer decides any case the rules do not cover.

With Tennis Padel Score the rules are already written

On the club platform you choose the tournament rules from a form: the format, the match format, points, tie criteria, seeds, the third-place match, how results are confirmed. The tournament's public page writes them out in words for everyone, and the schedule and standings apply them on their own. Postponements and notes stay as free text, for everything specific to your club.