Tournament Rules Overview
This section outlines essential regulations to ensure fair play and smooth operation throughout the Bolton Tennis Tournament.
1. It is the sole responsibility of EVERY COMPETITOR to report to the Referees at the control table immediately on arrival each day and it shall be solely the competitor’s responsibility to be ready for play when his/her match is called.
Any competitor not ready to play within 15 minutes of being called is liable to be defaulted.
2. No competitor must leave the ground without first ascertaining from the Referees or control table when he/she is next required. Failure to do this will re
sult in default.
3. Competitors should wear recognised tennis wear. Tracksuits should normally be removed before play commences.
4. A player shall not use an audible obscenity or make an obscene gesture of any kind.
5. A player shall not violently hit, kick or throw a tennis ball, racket or other equipment.
6. A player shall not at any time verbally or physically abuse any official, opponent or spectator.
7. A player shall at all times conduct himself in a sporting manner with due regard to the authority of officials and rights of opponents and spectators.
8. A player shall not receive coaching during a match. Communication of any kind between a player and a person off court may be construed as coaching.
9. Penalties for on-court misconduct: First Offence – Warning; Second Offence – Point Penalty; Third Offence – Game Penalty; Fourth Offence – Game Penalty of Default.
10. A player will suffer a penalty for a single violation of this code. If a player is defaulted during a match for code reasons, they shall be defaulted from all other events in the tournament. In matches where there is no chair umpire, the Referee or Assistant Referee may apply any penalties except that only the Referee may default a player.
11. On-court problems or difficulties arising during a match will be subject to the Referee’s decision and if possible an umpire will be asked to take over the control of the court.
Handicapped events in the BTL Annual Tournament are all played as the best of three short sets.
When one side has 6 games they have won the set. There are no tie breaks or long final sets.
Sudden death deuce is played throughout. However, should any set reach 5-5, full deuce will be played in the deciding game in all 3 sets.
The handicap system used is a simplified version of the full LTA system.
Handicaps can be as follows: +15, +0.3, SCR, -0.3, -15, -15.3, -30, -30.3, -40.
Exceptionally there may be a -50. If this occurs the match handicap will be explained by officials. Positive handicaps are always the start point for the team with the positive handicap.
Handicaps ending .3 indicate that the handicap alternates every game.
Matches in the BTL Tournament are played on the difference between the sides handicaps.
Some examples are in the following table:
| Team 1 | Team 2 | Match | How this is played |
| SCR | -30 | -30 | Team 2 starts every game -30, Team one starts every game at Love |
| -15 | +15 | 2 points difference | Team 2 starts every game at +15, Team one starts every game at -15 |
| -30.3 | -15.3 | -15 | Team 1 starts every game at -15, Team 2 starts every game at Love |
| -15.3 | -15 | -0.3 | Team 1 starts all odd games at -15 and even games at Love. Team 2 starts all games at Love |
| -15.3 | -15.3 | SCR | Both teams start every game at Love |
| -0.3 | -40 | -30.3 | Team 1 starts all odd games at Love. Team 2 starts all games at -40 and even games at -30 |
| -15 | -0.3 | -0.3 | Team 1 starts all odd games at -15 and even games at Love. Team 2 starts all games at Love |
| +0.3 | -0.3 | 1 point difference | Team 1 starts all odd games at +15 and even games at Love. Team 2 starts all games at Love |
| -15.3 | SCR | -15.3 | Team 1 starts all odd games at -30 and even games at -15. Team 2 starts all games at Love |
Where odd and even games are played to different handicaps this applies to every set. This means that a greater handicap is given for games 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 in all sets.
All eligibility rules follow those outlined in the tournament description on the LTA web site