10 short Tennis Rules

The short set format
We are experimenting with a different match format at Regents Park. In this busy centre, courts are bookable for only an hour at a time. To make it easier to complete matches, we are using short set tennis.

Matches are .

A short set is played to four games instead of six.

A set is therefore won at 4-0, 4-1, 4-2, etc.
At 4-3 the player with the four game advantage needs to win one more game to win the set (ie 5-3).
At 4-4, the next game is sudden death - the set is won 5-4.

If the matches goes to is played. A match tie break is played like a normal tiebreak, but is played to 10 points rather than 7)
The player who received serve at the end of the previous set serves first in the tie-break.

Points
You get one point for completing a match
You get one point for every set you win (the tie break counts as a set as far as points are concerned)
So the player winning the match on a tie-break gets a total of 3 points (one for each set, one for completing the match; the loser gets 2 points (one for the set, one for completing the match)

Typical final scores might be:

Roger Federer bt Andy Murray (Feb 5) 4-0, 4-2
(Federer 3 points; Murray 1)

Andy Murray bt Roger Federer (Feb 6) 2-4, 5-3, (10-7)
(Murray 3 points, including one for the third set tie-break; Federer 2 points)

Players who complete three or more matches by the mid-point of the round receive 2 bonus points, and a free can of balls which we will post to you.

Please note

• Players are asked to keep the warm ups as short as possible to make it easier to complete matches in one hour.
• If a match can't be concluded in the hour and can't be continued as a court is unavailable, the match should be completed at a later date.
• Please do respect waiting players' court time and finish playing promptly even if a match is unfinished
• MATCHES

  Matches must start by at least 10 past each hour (but can start earlier if both players agree

  If one player is more than 20 minutes late, they forfeit the match (unless their opponent is still willing to play)

  If a game is unfinished at the end of the hour, it can be completed if both players agree, subject to court availability – please don’t hold up other games!

  Matches are played as one continuous set, with a change of ends as usual, when the number of games add up to an odd number (including after the first game)

  Time at changeovers is limited to two minutes

  If one player is injured or ill mid-match, the other player wins

  The winner is whoever wins the most completed games

  Players get two points for a win, one point for a loss and one point each for a tie