Rogers First Set

Rogers First Set adopts the progressive tennis model that allows participants to try, learn, play and compete using the appropriate racquet and balls which are adapted to the rightsized court.

The proportional equipment supports the size of younger athletes and helps in the overall development of the sport’s key fundamentals. The fun and early experiences fostered through Rogers First Set will also encourage players to continue in the sport over time.

Using this approach, players will learn the fundamental skills to serve, rally and play points.

There is no single way to develop a tennis player, but Tennis Canada believes that starting with Rogers First Set helps young players establish the fundamental skills and tactics essential for long-term success on a full-sized court. This progressive approach introduces tennis in an engaging, age-appropriate way, ensuring players develop key competencies step-by-step.

To provide a holistic development experience, Tennis Canada follows the Whole Player Development Pathway and Wheelchair Player Development Pathway, which emphasizes physical, tactical, technical, and mental growth at every stage of a player’s journey.

Explore how progressive tennis can set the foundation for your child’s development, and learn more about these interconnected pathways to give them the best start in their tennis journey.

Competition teaches many aspects of the game that cannot be learned in training. Hence, regular match play, both in tournaments and practice, is an essential part of a young player’s development. Rogers First Set focuses on playing points and building an identity as a tennis player. Furthermore, regular competition will help develop mental skills such as:

• The ability to focus.
• Consistent effort and determination.
• Learning to cope with basic competitive environments.
• Learning emotional control and maintaining a positive attitude.
• Learning to display good sportsmanship.
• Developing and understanding the love of competing.
• Fostering the concept of respect for coaches, officials and other players.

Selection of competition should ideally be based on achieving a 3:1 win-loss ratio over a period of time. This ensures both the development of confidence (through winning) while still maintaining motivation to improve and train hard (through losing). In general, it is recommended that juniors compete in their proper age category and only “play up” if they are winning tournaments easily and have exhausted the competition in their age category.

Rookie Tournaments
To participate, players must:

1. Register as a Recreational Member with their Provincial/Territorial Tennis Association (PTTA).
   • For Ontario, an OTA Rookie membership is required, which includes a fee.
2. Register for a specific Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournament.

Visit the Rookie Tournaments Calendar to find events near you.

Rising Stars Tournaments
To compete, players must:

1. Register for a PTTA membership or upgrade their existing membership (if previously in Rookie tournaments).
2. Sign up for a specific Rising Stars tournament on the Tournament Software website.

Visit the Rising Stars Tournaments Calendar for event details.

1. Go to the Registration page.
2. Click the Log In/Sign Up button.
3. Select your province.
4. Agree to the rules and regulations.
5. Create a profile.
6. Select your membership type:
   • Recreational Membership (free).
   • ON-Rookie Membership (Ontario only, includes a fee).
7. Finalize your account.

Note: Registering for a membership does not automatically register you for tournaments.

1. Visit the tournament calendar:
   • Rookie Tournament Calendar
   • Rising Stars Tournament Calendar
2. Click on an event in your province and age category (e.g. U8, U10, U12).
3. Use the Enter Online button (top-right corner) to register.

Rookie Tournaments

• Format:
  • Focused on helping players transition from entry-level tennis to the junior competitive circuit.
  • Matches use progressive balls and smaller courts based on age:
    • Ages 7-8: Red ball, 1/2 court.
    • Ages 8-10: Orange ball, 3/4 court.
    • Ages 9-11: Green dot ball, full court.
    • Ages 10-18: Yellow/regular ball, full court.
• Draws: Non-elimination, with a guarantee of three matches per player.
  • Draws may combine boys and girls depending on entries.
• Scoring: Matches use modified formats to ensure shorter, beginner-friendly games.

Rising Stars Tournaments

• Format:
  • For advanced U9/U10 players looking to build competitive skills.
  • Matches are age-specific:
    • U9: Orange ball, 3/4 court, racquet size 23". Boys and girls combined.
    • U10: Green ball, full court, racquet size 23-25". Separate draws for boys and girls.
• Draws: Compass or round-robin formats ensure three matches per player.
• Scoring: Matches last 30-45 minutes, using modified scoring systems like:
  • One set, first to 6 games (with no-ad scoring).
  • 8-game pro set (first to win 8 games, margin of 2).
  • Best of 3 short sets (to 4 games each, tie-breaker at 4-4).

Yes, Rogers First Set reflects a globally recognized approach to player development.

• Programs similar to Rogers First Set have been used in Europe (e.g., France and Belgium) for decades, producing numerous professional players.
• The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and 45+ countries worldwide have adopted this model, which is now considered the best pathway for young athlete development.
• Scaled-down approaches like this are also common in other sports such as baseball, soccer, and golf to nurture young talent.

Rookie Tournaments

• Prizes are awarded at every event.
• Players can compete in multiple events to collect all available prizes.

Rising Stars Tournaments

• Players receive prizes at their first event and their fifth event of the year.
• Leaderboards track performance and participation:
  • Participation Points: 40 points per tournament.
  • Bonus Points: 200 points for playing 10+ tournaments in the same age category.
  • Match Points: 10 points per win.
  • Top 5 players on each leaderboard (Boys/Girls U9 & U10) are awarded prizes annually.

Fair Play is essential for creating a positive tournament experience. Players, parents, and officials are expected to:

• Follow the rules of the game.
• Show respect for opponents, officials, coaches, and spectators.
• Display good sportsmanship, embracing both victory and defeat with dignity.
• Avoid verbal, physical, or online abuse.

For more details, see the Tennis Canada Rules of the court.

Parents are asked to be familiar with the information available regarding the Rogers First Set Tour as well as tournament regulations before entering their child into an event.

• Tennis Match Play 101
• Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars: Player & Parent Checklist
• Consult tips and resources for Being a Sport Parent

Feedback is welcome via email at tournaments@tenniscanada.com

Rookie Pathway:

• Players should participate in at least three Rookie events before moving to Rising Stars tournaments.

Rising Stars Pathway:

• Events prepare players for the U12 provincial competitive circuit.

Explore the full Whole Player Development Pathway (WPDP) or the Wheelchair Tennis Whole Player Development Pathway (WTWPDP)

Clubs interested in hosting can:

• Review the Tournament Director Checklist.
• Contact Tennis Canada at firstset@tenniscanada.com for guidance.