Every format, side by side.
The rules of each format at a glance - how many players it takes, singles or doubles, how it runs, how matches are scored and what decides the winner. Pick a row to read the full guide.
| Format | Players | Singles or doubles | How it runs | Match scoring | Winner decided by | Skill mix | Complexity to run | On ClubChamps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Elimination (Knockout) | 4-128 | Singles or doubles | Lose once and you are out | Sets, organiser's choice | Last one standing | Same level best | Low | Runs on ClubChamps |
| Double Elimination | 8-64 | Singles or doubles | Lose twice and you are out | Sets, organiser's choice | Grand final | Same level best | Medium | Not offered yet |
| Consolation Draw (Plate / Bowl) | 8-128 | Singles or doubles | Main draw, plus a plate for first-round losers | Sets, organiser's choice | Main and plate champions | Same level best | Low-Med | Runs on ClubChamps |
| Compass Draw | 8 or 16 | Singles or doubles | Every loss moves you to a new bracket | Short sets or full sets | East bracket final | Can mix | Medium | Not offered yet |
| Progressive Knockout | 8, 16 or 32 | Singles or doubles | Winners play winners, losers play losers | Short sets or full sets | Every place from 1st to last | Same level best | Medium | Not offered yet |
| Full Round Robin | 4-8 | Singles or doubles | Everyone plays everyone | Sets, organiser's choice | Most matches won | Same level best | Low | Coming soon |
| Group Stage + Knockout | 12-64 | Singles or doubles | Round-robin groups, then a knockout | Short sets in groups, sets in the knockout | Knockout final | Same level best | Medium | Coming soon |
| Doubles Round Robin (Rotating Partners) | 8-16 | Doubles, rotating partners | A new partner every round | 4 games or timed rounds | Most games won | Can mix | Low | Not offered yet |
| Box League | 8+ | Singles or doubles | Boxes of 4-6, promotion and relegation | Best of 3 sets or short sets | Top of your box | Can mix (in boxes) | Low | Runs on ClubChamps |
| Challenge Ladder | 8+ | Singles or doubles | Challenge players above you | Sets, organiser's choice | Top of the ladder | Can mix | Low | Not offered yet |
| Pyramid League | 10+ | Singles or doubles | Challenge the row above you | Sets, organiser's choice | Top of the pyramid | Can mix | Low | Not offered yet |
| Americano | 4-20 | Doubles, rotating partners | Fixed rotation, new partner every round | Rally points to 16, 24 or 32 | Most individual points | Similar best | Low | Not offered yet |
| Mexicano | 8-20 | Doubles, rotating partners | Pairings follow the leaderboard | Rally points to 16, 24 or 32 | Most individual points | Great for mixed | Medium | Not offered yet |
| Mixed Americano / Mixed Mexicano | 8-16 | Mixed doubles, rotating partners | Every man partners every woman | Rally points to a fixed total | Most individual points | Can mix | Low | Not offered yet |
| Team Americano | 6-20, in pairs | Doubles, fixed pairs | Every pair plays every pair | Rally points to a fixed total | Most team points | Similar best | Low | Not offered yet |
| King of the Court | 6-12 | Doubles | Winners stay on, losers rejoin the queue | Short games to 6-16 points, or timed | Most individual points | Can mix | Very Low | Not offered yet |
| King of the Hill (Winners Court) | 8-24 | Doubles, rotating partners | Win and move up a court, lose and move down | Fixed points per round | Holding Court 1 at the whistle | Can mix | Medium | Not offered yet |
| Beat the Champion | 8-30 | Singles or doubles | One game to beat the champion, or rejoin the queue | One game at a time | Most games won | Can mix | Very Low | Not offered yet |
| Swiss System | 8-64 | Singles or doubles | Fixed rounds, paired on matching records | Sets, organiser's choice | Most wins, Buchholz tiebreak | Same level best | High | Not offered yet |
| Monrad System | 8 or 16 | Singles or doubles | Winners play winners, losers play losers | Short sets or full sets | Every place from 1st to last | Can mix | Medium | Not offered yet |
| Handicap Tournament | Any | Singles or doubles | Any format, with a points head start | Sets, with a handicap start | Depends on the format | Great for mixed | Medium | Runs on ClubChamps |
| Fast4 | Any | Singles or doubles | Drop-in scoring for any format | First to 4 games, no-ad, tiebreak at 3-3 | Depends on the format | Any | Low | Runs on ClubChamps |
| Pro Set | Any | Singles or doubles | Drop-in scoring for any format | One set, first to 8 games | Depends on the format | Any | Very Low | Not offered yet |
| Timed Matches | Any | Singles or doubles | Drop-in scoring for any format | Fixed time, most games wins | Depends on the format | Any | Very Low | Not offered yet |
| Rally-Point Scoring (Points-Based) | Any | Doubles, typically | Drop-in scoring for any format | Every rally scores, to a set total | Depends on the format | Any | Very Low | Not offered yet |
| Club Championship | 16+ | Singles, doubles and mixed events | Seeded knockouts across categories | Best of 3 sets | A champion per event | Categorised | Medium | Runs on ClubChamps |
| Social Mixer (Drop-In) | 4+ | Doubles, rotating partners | Drop in, the organiser assigns courts | Timed rounds or 4 games | Most games, or nobody at all | All welcome | Very Low | Not offered yet |
| Fun Day / Junior Festival | 8+ | Singles and doubles | Rapid rotation between courts and games | One game, 4 points or 5 minutes | Everyone gets an award | All welcome | Low | Not offered yet |
| Inter-Club Team Match | 4+ per team | Doubles rubbers | Rubbers played across courts, home and away | Best of 3 sets or short sets | Most rubbers won | Competitive | Medium | Not offered yet |
| Cardio Tennis / Padel Fitness Tournament | 8+ | Singles or doubles | Match rounds mixed with fitness stations | Timed or short format | Highest combined score | All welcome | Medium | Not offered yet |
Single Elimination (Knockout)
Runs on ClubChamps- Players
- 4-128
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Lose once and you are out
- Match scoring
- Sets, organiser's choice
- Winner decided by
- Last one standing
- Skill mix
- Same level best
- Complexity to run
- Low
Double Elimination
Not offered yet- Players
- 8-64
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Lose twice and you are out
- Match scoring
- Sets, organiser's choice
- Winner decided by
- Grand final
- Skill mix
- Same level best
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Consolation Draw (Plate / Bowl)
Runs on ClubChamps- Players
- 8-128
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Main draw, plus a plate for first-round losers
- Match scoring
- Sets, organiser's choice
- Winner decided by
- Main and plate champions
- Skill mix
- Same level best
- Complexity to run
- Low-Med
Compass Draw
Not offered yet- Players
- 8 or 16
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Every loss moves you to a new bracket
- Match scoring
- Short sets or full sets
- Winner decided by
- East bracket final
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Progressive Knockout
Not offered yet- Players
- 8, 16 or 32
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Winners play winners, losers play losers
- Match scoring
- Short sets or full sets
- Winner decided by
- Every place from 1st to last
- Skill mix
- Same level best
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Full Round Robin
Coming soon- Players
- 4-8
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Everyone plays everyone
- Match scoring
- Sets, organiser's choice
- Winner decided by
- Most matches won
- Skill mix
- Same level best
- Complexity to run
- Low
Group Stage + Knockout
Coming soon- Players
- 12-64
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Round-robin groups, then a knockout
- Match scoring
- Short sets in groups, sets in the knockout
- Winner decided by
- Knockout final
- Skill mix
- Same level best
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Doubles Round Robin (Rotating Partners)
Not offered yet- Players
- 8-16
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles, rotating partners
- How it runs
- A new partner every round
- Match scoring
- 4 games or timed rounds
- Winner decided by
- Most games won
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Low
Box League
Runs on ClubChamps- Players
- 8+
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Boxes of 4-6, promotion and relegation
- Match scoring
- Best of 3 sets or short sets
- Winner decided by
- Top of your box
- Skill mix
- Can mix (in boxes)
- Complexity to run
- Low
Challenge Ladder
Not offered yet- Players
- 8+
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Challenge players above you
- Match scoring
- Sets, organiser's choice
- Winner decided by
- Top of the ladder
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Low
Pyramid League
Not offered yet- Players
- 10+
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Challenge the row above you
- Match scoring
- Sets, organiser's choice
- Winner decided by
- Top of the pyramid
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Low
Americano
Not offered yet- Players
- 4-20
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles, rotating partners
- How it runs
- Fixed rotation, new partner every round
- Match scoring
- Rally points to 16, 24 or 32
- Winner decided by
- Most individual points
- Skill mix
- Similar best
- Complexity to run
- Low
Mexicano
Not offered yet- Players
- 8-20
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles, rotating partners
- How it runs
- Pairings follow the leaderboard
- Match scoring
- Rally points to 16, 24 or 32
- Winner decided by
- Most individual points
- Skill mix
- Great for mixed
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Mixed Americano / Mixed Mexicano
Not offered yet- Players
- 8-16
- Singles or doubles
- Mixed doubles, rotating partners
- How it runs
- Every man partners every woman
- Match scoring
- Rally points to a fixed total
- Winner decided by
- Most individual points
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Low
Team Americano
Not offered yet- Players
- 6-20, in pairs
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles, fixed pairs
- How it runs
- Every pair plays every pair
- Match scoring
- Rally points to a fixed total
- Winner decided by
- Most team points
- Skill mix
- Similar best
- Complexity to run
- Low
King of the Court
Not offered yet- Players
- 6-12
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles
- How it runs
- Winners stay on, losers rejoin the queue
- Match scoring
- Short games to 6-16 points, or timed
- Winner decided by
- Most individual points
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Very Low
King of the Hill (Winners Court)
Not offered yet- Players
- 8-24
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles, rotating partners
- How it runs
- Win and move up a court, lose and move down
- Match scoring
- Fixed points per round
- Winner decided by
- Holding Court 1 at the whistle
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Beat the Champion
Not offered yet- Players
- 8-30
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- One game to beat the champion, or rejoin the queue
- Match scoring
- One game at a time
- Winner decided by
- Most games won
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Very Low
Swiss System
Not offered yet- Players
- 8-64
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Fixed rounds, paired on matching records
- Match scoring
- Sets, organiser's choice
- Winner decided by
- Most wins, Buchholz tiebreak
- Skill mix
- Same level best
- Complexity to run
- High
Monrad System
Not offered yet- Players
- 8 or 16
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Winners play winners, losers play losers
- Match scoring
- Short sets or full sets
- Winner decided by
- Every place from 1st to last
- Skill mix
- Can mix
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Handicap Tournament
Runs on ClubChamps- Players
- Any
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Any format, with a points head start
- Match scoring
- Sets, with a handicap start
- Winner decided by
- Depends on the format
- Skill mix
- Great for mixed
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Fast4
Runs on ClubChamps- Players
- Any
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Drop-in scoring for any format
- Match scoring
- First to 4 games, no-ad, tiebreak at 3-3
- Winner decided by
- Depends on the format
- Skill mix
- Any
- Complexity to run
- Low
Pro Set
Not offered yet- Players
- Any
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Drop-in scoring for any format
- Match scoring
- One set, first to 8 games
- Winner decided by
- Depends on the format
- Skill mix
- Any
- Complexity to run
- Very Low
Timed Matches
Not offered yet- Players
- Any
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Drop-in scoring for any format
- Match scoring
- Fixed time, most games wins
- Winner decided by
- Depends on the format
- Skill mix
- Any
- Complexity to run
- Very Low
Rally-Point Scoring (Points-Based)
Not offered yet- Players
- Any
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles, typically
- How it runs
- Drop-in scoring for any format
- Match scoring
- Every rally scores, to a set total
- Winner decided by
- Depends on the format
- Skill mix
- Any
- Complexity to run
- Very Low
Club Championship
Runs on ClubChamps- Players
- 16+
- Singles or doubles
- Singles, doubles and mixed events
- How it runs
- Seeded knockouts across categories
- Match scoring
- Best of 3 sets
- Winner decided by
- A champion per event
- Skill mix
- Categorised
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Social Mixer (Drop-In)
Not offered yet- Players
- 4+
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles, rotating partners
- How it runs
- Drop in, the organiser assigns courts
- Match scoring
- Timed rounds or 4 games
- Winner decided by
- Most games, or nobody at all
- Skill mix
- All welcome
- Complexity to run
- Very Low
Fun Day / Junior Festival
Not offered yet- Players
- 8+
- Singles or doubles
- Singles and doubles
- How it runs
- Rapid rotation between courts and games
- Match scoring
- One game, 4 points or 5 minutes
- Winner decided by
- Everyone gets an award
- Skill mix
- All welcome
- Complexity to run
- Low
Inter-Club Team Match
Not offered yet- Players
- 4+ per team
- Singles or doubles
- Doubles rubbers
- How it runs
- Rubbers played across courts, home and away
- Match scoring
- Best of 3 sets or short sets
- Winner decided by
- Most rubbers won
- Skill mix
- Competitive
- Complexity to run
- Medium
Cardio Tennis / Padel Fitness Tournament
Not offered yet- Players
- 8+
- Singles or doubles
- Singles or doubles
- How it runs
- Match rounds mixed with fitness stations
- Match scoring
- Timed or short format
- Winner decided by
- Highest combined score
- Skill mix
- All welcome
- Complexity to run
- Medium