The Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie is a national program designed to bridge the gap between entry-level tennis and the provincial competitive junior circuit. Originally launched in 2009, the tour has reached thousands of juniors each year at tennis clubs and community venues throughout the country. Last year over 6,000 boys and girls across the country competed in over 450 events. The Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie encourages players to continue through the tennis pathway to transition to sanctioned competition or enjoy tennis for life.

Boys and girls up to the age of 18 are eligible to play in Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events. All Rookie events are non-elimination tournaments. These events offer beginner competitors a fun and exciting experience with multiple opportunities to play. Each player is guaranteed a minimum of three matches. 

Getting Started

Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie is for:

How to join & find a tournament

To be a part of the Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie, players must be registered as a RECREATIONAL MEMBER of their respective Provincial/Territorial Tennis Association. (Note: For Ontario only, to participate in OTA Rookie tournaments, players must register for a ROOKIE membership with the OTA and pay the associated membership fee.). Players must then register for a specific Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournament.

Please visit the Tournaments Calendar to find a Rookie tournament near you.

Rookie Tournaments Calendar

Step 1: How to register for a PTTA membership 

A Recreational Membership is FREE! 
(*The Ontario Rookie Membership includes a fee.) 

Register here

**Signing up for a Recreational Membership does not mean you have registered for a tournament** 

STEP 2: How to register for a tournament 

What to Expect? 

Tournament Format

It’s a lot to ask beginner players to jump from entry-level tennis to the provincial competitive junior circuit. The Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie makes that jump more of a step, allowing junior players to play competitive tennis at an introductory level suitable for their age. Depending on the age category, matches are played with progressive balls and on smaller courts:

  • 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

Draw Format

All Rookie events are non-elimination tournaments. Each player is guaranteed a minimum of three matches. Events could be combined boys and girls depending on the number of entries. 

Match Format

Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournaments use modified scoring formats to provide a friendly introduction to competition and have matches completed in a shorter period of time. Rookie events will use one of the scoring formats outlined below. Please consult your PTTA website for which match format is used in your province.

Red Ball

(1) 1 match tiebreak to 7 or 10 or
(2) 15-minute timed match

Orange Ball

(1) Best of 3 tiebreaks to 7 or
(2) Short set to 4 or
(3) Best 2 of 3 short sets, match tiebreak to 7 for 3rd set or
(4) Min. 20-minute timed match

Green Ball

(1) Best 2 of 3 short sets, match tiebreak to 7 for 3rd set or
(2) 6-game set, tiebreak at 6 all or
(3) Min. 30-minute timed match

Yellow Ball

(1) Best 2 of 3 short sets, match tiebreak to 7 for 3rd set or
(2) 6-game set, tiebreak at 6 all or
(3) Min. 40-minute timed match

Prizing

Players receive a prize at each Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie event. Players can compete in multiple events to collect all available prizes. 

FAIR PLAY 

Providing a competitive environment in which all matches are contested fairly is essential to ensuring a positive experience for all players. Everyone must work together to make this happen including Tennis Canada, the PTTAs, players, parents, and officials.

Players are expected to follow these key Fair Play elements:

  • Following the rules of the game 
  • Treating opponents, officials, organizers, coaches, parents, and spectators with respect 
  • Embracing both victory and defeat with dignity  
  • Displaying appreciation for a good performance 
  • Exercising self-control 
  • Playing a part in creating a safe and inclusive tennis environment by not engaging in any form of maltreatment or verbal, physical or online abuse towards opponents, officials, organizers, coaches, parents, and spectators

Player & Parent ResourceS

If you would like to provide feedback on the Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie, please take the time out to complete our survey. This short survey will take approximately five minutes to complete.

What’s the Next Step? 

Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events act as a bridge between Community tennis programs and competition. The program reaches thousands of players each year, encouraging them to continue along the tennis pathway whether their aspirations lean towards professional competition or a lifelong passion for tennis.

To view the Whole Player Development Pathway (WPDP) click here.

To view the next tournament steps for players who compete in the Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie, click here. We recommend that U9 and U10 players participate in a minimum of 3 Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events before progressing to the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars.

Please note that to participate in the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars or provincial sanctioned tournaments, players will have to upgrade their PTTA membership on their Tournament Software website account.

To learn more, visit the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars page.

Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars

If you have any further questions about the Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie, please email tournaments@tenniscanada.com

Resources for Tournament Directors

For more information on hosting a Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie tournament at your club, please email tournaments@tenniscanada.com