Players may enter or withdraw from Tennis Leagues via the Box League area of the website or by emailing the box league organiser.

Players should play one match against each opposition in their league by 10pm on the play-by date shown. Off-Peak league matches must be played in Off-Peak hours.

A match is up to 15 games (both doubles and singles), in one hour’s play, including 5 minutes knock-up time.

Scoring

Normal rules and scoring applies. However, in order to maximize the number of games played within the hour, players should play sudden death on second Deuce.

1. If the score reaches 7-7, players should play a tiebreak.
2. In the event that fewer than 15 games are played, please enter the actual score in terms of number of games completed.
3. If a player is forced to retire during a match for any reason such as illness or injury, the player(s) is/are deemed to have forfeited the match.  The score in terms of games at the point at which the match is abandoned should be entered, unless the retiring player offers a walkover.
4. If a match is abandoned without fault (eg due to weather or court conditions), the match should be re-scheduled and re-played. If this is not possible, Rule 4 b applies – ie the score at point of abandonment should be entered.
5. If a match is not played, no score should be entered. For the avoidance of doubt, it is against the rules to enter a fictitious score (eg7-7).

Match scheduling

1. Participants are all equally responsible for arranging matches and booking courts.
2. If a player/team does not respond to multiple requests to arrange a match then, after 3 failed attempts, the other party is entitled to claim a walkover (8-0).

Cancellations and No-shows

1. If a match is cancelled less than 24 hours before playing, every effort should be made by all parties to re-schedule. If this is not possible, then the party who did not cancel is entitled to claim a walkover (8-0)
2. If a player/team does not turn up for a match that has been organised and agreed, a walkover can be claimed by the team that does turn up (8-0).

Withdrawal and re-entry

1. If you withdraw from a league prior to the start of a round, you may request to remain in the same box. This will be accommodated, subject to other factors such as new joiners and other leavers, at the discretion of the league organiser.
2. If you withdraw during a league round without completing all matches, scores for any matches played by the withdrawing party will be void and a score of 0 will be recorded for the withdrawing party.

Promotion / Demotion

1. The player(s) with the most games at the end of each period is/are promoted, and the player(s) with the least is/are relegated.  If there is a tie, the league organiser determines the outcome, taking into account the number of wins and/or the result of the match between the tied parties.
2. If a player(s) has/have not played any matches, they will go down a league. If they don’t play any matches in the following two periods then they may be removed.

Challenges

A player / pair may challenge any team up to 2 leagues above them. If challenger wins, they are promoted to that league the next month as a 5th player.  The challengee’s position will not be affected.

Administration

1. The Box leagues are run on-line from a link on the Bourne Club Booking System.
2. Scores should be entered by the players on-line.
3. League organisers are volunteers, who give their own time to organize the league. Please treat them with courtesy and respect.
4. Contact details for the league organisers are provided on-line in the contacts section following the Box League link.
5. If you wish to leave or join a box, please email the league organizer directly.
6. If you have won a challenge match, please email the league organizer to inform them before the end of the period.
7. The league organisers decisions are final.
8. If any members of the league complain in an unpleasant and unjustified manner, the organisers reserve the right to remove them from the league.