OTC Cup Rules

1. Group-Based Series

Open Tennis Club Cup, OTC Cup in short, is a group-based, internal club competition series. The series is open for all Open Tennis Club members.

2. Groups and Game Period

Each group has 5 players, who each play against one another once in every period. One period lasts about 6 weeks.

Players can choose where they play, although we recommend arranging the match in Tali, which is our homebase. Players make the court reservation themselves and pay for the session jointly. Players also agree on the balls to be used, and how they decide to agree over costs related to balls.

The matches must be played during the period, by end of each period. A match lasts for 1 hour, and usual tennis rules are followed. Warm-up for 5 minutes after which the players toss a coin to decide the server, the receiver, and sides.

When playing indoors, sides are changed always after three games (3, 6, 9 etc.). When playing outdoors, normal side changing rules apply.

Each player judge their side of the court and events. If you’re not sure of the judgment, assume the ball was correct. Delaying the game is forbidden and unsportsmanlike. You should always adhere to fair play spirit.

The match is played as best of three sets where each set begins from 2-2 situation. Should the sets tie at 1-1, the deciding set is played as super tie-break (best of 10 points).

If the match is not completed when the buzzer rings, you will report the situation as it stood at the time of the buzzer. A ball that was interrupted will not be finished, and the game that was not finished is not included in the result.

If the tennis hall has no buzzer, you should use a timer in a mobile phone (or similar) and schedule the time of ending there. This must be done to avoid any conflicting interpretations of when the match ended.

The winner of the match (unless agreed otherwise) enters the result (e.g. 6-4, 6-3) into OTC Cup system, which then calculates the points for the match.

• Taking part in the match always gives one starting point
• A set won gives two points (thus, two sets won yields four points)

Special situations (if two sets won cannot be completed):

• If you lead the set when the buzzer rings, you receive one point from that set
• If the set is tied when the buzzer rings, both players receive half a point
• 2-2 tie (at the beginning of a set) does not qualify you for points

Examples of different results:

• Mikko vs Kalle 6-2, 6-4. Mikko gains 5 points (1+2+2), Kalle gains one point
• Mikko vs Kalle 6-2, 4-3. Mikko gains 4 points (1+2+1). Kalle gains one point.
• Mikko vs. Kalle 6-2, 4-4. Mikko gains 3,5 points (1+2+0,5), Kalle gains 1,5 pistettä (1+0,5)
• Mikko vs. Kalle 6-2, 2-6. Mikko gains 3 points, Kalle gains 3 points
• Mikko vs. Kalle 6-2, 2-6, 10-5 (tiebreak). Mikko gains 5 points (1+2+2), Kalle 3 points (1+2)

WO (walk-over)

If you cannot find a suitable time for the match, then the active player receives a WO (and enters it in to the system) – winner is awarded 4 points

NO SHOW

If your opponent does not show up at the agreed time, and you cannot find a new time, the winner is awarded 5 points (1+2+2)

RTD (retired)

Sets played by the point in time when one player was, for example, injured, are calculated normally, and sets following that time are awarded to the player receiving the RTD. E.g. Mikko vs Kalle 4-6, 2-5rtd; Mikko gains 5 points (1+0+2+2), Kalle gains 3 points (1+2+0+0)

Note!

Ranking of players who end up with the same amount of points in a group is decided based on their head-to-head match. After that the number of matches and games won and lost decides.

After the match, players agree over who enters the result into the system (good rule of thumb: winner enters the result).

When a new period begins, players are placed into groups according to their match success as follows:

• Group winner rises two groups up
• Second in a group rises one group up
• Third in a group stays put
• Fourth in a group drops one group down
• Fifth in a group drops two groups down

A special rule regarding the first and last group: Third and fourth from the first group drop down to second group, the last of the group drops down to third group.

Three players from the last group rise to the next ones, two remain in the last group. New players entering a group create an exception to the rule. The Cup Director aims to place new players to the level that equals their skills.

Groups and their results are always available online on the Cup pages.

9. Practical Tips

When the period begins, please be active and try to schedule the games over the whole six-week period so that they are not jammed into the final week of the period. We all are busy elsewhere so, please, use the entire six-week period; it’s for your benefit, too. If you reserve multiple match times on one go, make sure to jot down the dates and times, opponents and courts into your calendar so as to avoid any mix-ups.

10. Questions and Queries

Should you have any questions, please send e-mail to: