Who can play

The Singles Ladder is open to any member of a club that plays in the Leeds Tennis League, of any standard. It is a singles competition — you don’t need a partner, just register and you’ll be placed in a ladder.

Two ladders — Men’s and Ladies

• There are two separate competitions: a Men’s ladder and a Ladies ladder.
• Within each, players are grouped into tiered ladders of up to ten — Ladder 1 at the top, then Ladder 2, Ladder 3 and so on below.
• You can always see your ladder, your position and your opponents’ details on the ladder site.

The season — five two-week blocks

Each round of the competition runs for five blocks of two weeks — ten weeks in all. You play within your ladder during each block, and at the end of every block the ladders are re-sorted (see “Your ranking score” below).

The ladder picks your matches (it’s not a box league)

There are no challenges to arrange. The ladder chooses your next opponent for you, based on your ranking score and recent results — usually someone just above or just below you. You won’t play everyone in the ladder; the aim is to raise your ranking score and climb.

Arranging your match — the app does the legwork

Once you’re matched, the ladder helps you find a time — no rounds of phone-tag.

• Set your availability in the app: the days and times (morning, afternoon or evening) you can usually play. You can fine-tune it for any particular round.
• The app shows you when you and your opponent are both free, and you propose an exact time to the quarter-hour.
• Your opponent confirms, and the match is booked into the round — all in one place.

Home advantage — and booking the court

The higher-ranked player in any match has home advantage: the match is played at their home club.

Please be a good host and a good guest, and make sure there are balls for the match.

Match format — a timed hour

• A ladder match is a timed singles match of one hour (or a different length if both players agree before starting).
• Play straight games throughout; whoever is ahead on games when time is up wins. Level on games is recorded as a draw.
• Enter the final game score on the ladder site — that score is what feeds your ranking.

Your ranking score

Every player has a ranking score that goes up and down with results. The margin matters: a big win lifts your score more — and a heavy defeat costs you more — than a close result, while a draw nudges both players only slightly. Your ranking score sets your position in the ladder and decides who you’re matched with next.

How often you play, and skipping rounds

• In your profile you set a match quota — how often you’d like to play (for example two matches a round, one a round, or one every two rounds).
• Going on holiday, or carrying a knock? Turn on the pause and the app will skip you for matchmaking until you switch it back on — so you can sit out a round (or more) without being penalised.

Play your matches — or drop down

• When you’re matched, agree a time and play before the block ends.
• If a match is never arranged — no time agreed — you’ll drop a place when the block closes.
• A match you have arranged but couldn’t play in time isn’t lost: it carries over into the next block.
• Keep failing to arrange your matches and you’ll slide down the ladders — so use the pause if you know you’ll be away.

Fair play

Play in the spirit of the league’s Charter for Fair Play: call your own lines honestly, turn up on time, and sort out any disagreement courteously. The ladder only works if everyone plays fair.

Joining and questions

Registration and the live ladders will be on the ladder website (coming soon). Until then, you can register your interest or ask anything via the Contact page.