Managing Draws
Generate brackets, assign seeds, and arrange your players into a fair and balanced draw.
Overview
After registration closes, you will generate draws for each category in your tournament. ClubChamps handles the bracket structure automatically -- you just need to decide on seedings and review the result before publishing.
Draw generation is available for every category you set up during tournament creation. You can generate, tweak, and regenerate draws until you are happy with the layout.
45+ draw types supported
ClubChamps supports over 45 draw types including veterans (35+, 45+, 55+, 65+) and juniors (U18, U16, U14, U12, U10). Each category gets its own independent bracket.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
The Riverside Tennis Club Summer Championship 2026 registration has just closed with 24 entries in Men's Singles. Time to build the bracket.
Navigate to draw management
Open your tournament's management page and click on the Draws tab. You will see a list of all draw categories with the number of registered players in each.
Select a draw category
Click on the category you want to work with -- in our example, Men's Singles (24 players).
This opens the draw management view where you can generate the bracket, assign seedings, and review the layout.
Generate the bracket
Click Generate Draw to create the bracket. ClubChamps offers two approaches:
- Automatic generation -- The system arranges players into the bracket based on the number of entries, handling byes for non-power-of-two numbers automatically. Seeded players are separated to avoid early-round meetings.
- Manual arrangement -- Place players into specific positions in the bracket yourself. Useful when you have local knowledge about player matchups or scheduling preferences.
For our 24-player Men's Singles draw, automatic generation creates a 32-slot bracket with 8 first-round byes distributed evenly.
Byes are handled automatically
When the number of entries is not a power of two (8, 16, 32, 64), ClubChamps adds byes so that seeded players receive them first. This follows standard tournament convention.
Assign seedings
Seedings ensure the strongest players are spread across the draw and receive byes in the first round.
You can assign seeds in two ways:
- Drag-and-drop -- Reorder players in the seed list by dragging them into position. The player at the top becomes seed 1, the next becomes seed 2, and so on.
- Manual entry -- Click on a player and type their seed number directly.
For the Riverside example, you might seed the top 4 players based on club rankings or recent results. Seeds 1 and 2 are placed in opposite halves of the draw, while seeds 3 and 4 go into the other two quarters.
Seed before generating
For best results, assign seedings before generating the draw. If you change seeds after generation, you may need to regenerate to apply the updated positions.
Review the bracket
Before publishing, take a close look at the bracket:
- Are seeded players properly separated across the draw?
- Are byes distributed fairly (seeded players get byes first)?
- Are there any scheduling conflicts you need to address (e.g. doubles partners meeting in singles first round)?
You can make manual adjustments by swapping player positions in the bracket if needed.
Publish the draw
When you are satisfied with the bracket, click Publish Draw. This makes the draw visible to all registered players.
Published draws appear on the tournament page where players can see their position, upcoming opponents, and match schedule.
Regenerating after publication
Regenerating a draw after it has been published resets all match results in that category. Only do this if absolutely necessary, and communicate the change to affected players.
Plate Draws
More matches for everyone
Plate draws give first-round losers a second chance to compete. This is a great way to ensure every player gets at least two matches, which is especially appreciated in club-level tournaments.
When plate draws are enabled, players who lose in the first round of the main draw are automatically entered into a separate consolation bracket. You manage plate draws the same way as main draws -- generate, seed (optional), and publish.
For the Riverside Summer Championship, enabling the plate draw means that the 8 first-round losers in Men's Singles get a second bracket to play in, keeping everyone engaged throughout the tournament.
Tips for Fair Draws
- Use local knowledge for seedings. Club rankings, recent head-to-heads, and tournament history are more valuable than guesswork. Even seeding just the top 4 players makes a significant difference.
- Check for doubles conflicts. If two doubles partners are in the same singles draw, try to keep them in separate halves so they do not meet early.
- Communicate early. Once you publish the draw, send a message to players so they know where to find it and when their first match is scheduled.
What's Next
With draws published and players knowing their matchups, it is time to start tracking results. Head over to Scoring to learn how to enter match scores, handle walkovers, and track progress through the bracket.
Want to see what the draw looks like from a player's perspective? Check out the Viewing Draws player guide.