National Competitive Structure

Tennis Canada and its provincial partners feel strongly in a player’s responsibility associated with entering a tournament.

RESOURCES

• Late withdrawal and failure to complete required tournament events Policy

New ‘Playing Up’ rules have been in effect for Under 10 and Under 12 competitors as of January 1, 2016.

It is recommended, as per the Whole Player Development Pathway, that players ideally choose competition that will allow for a 3:1 win-loss ratio (see WPDP guidelines for additional details). This will help ensure that young competitors are playing in the appropriate competition for their age and stage of development and not just chasing ranking points. To help ensure that this is the case, Tennis Canada in conjunction with our Provincial Tennis Associations have agreed that each Province adopt a policy that limits the number of age groups an Under 10 and Under 12 competitor can “play up” above their official age group.

The specific recommendations are as follows:

Under 12 players are only allowed to compete up to 2 age groups above their actual playing category. In the case of Under 10 players, the same rule would apply but the specific provincial rules will prevail because of the differences in the competitive structures. This means that:

• U10 players: only be allowed to compete in the U10, U12 and in certain provinces, depending on the provincial rules, in the U14 categories
• U12 players: only be allowed to compete in the U12, U14 and U16 categories

It has also been agreed that each province will have an “exception clause” to this recommendation, which will allow players who have demonstrated results in top provincial or national level events to compete in more than two age groups above.

“PLAYING UP” RULE BY PROVINCE

Consult the “Playing Up” rule by province chart for specific details for each province.

*Note: Tennis Canada and the Provincial Tennis Associations will review this recommendation in 6 months, to ensure it is meeting the objectives mentioned above and may take additional steps if it is not.

How will this rule be enforced in the case where an out of province player, wants to enter an event, in another province?

In this case, all provinces have agreed to enforce the stricter rule that is in place. In other words, whichever rule is more limiting between the host province or the province where the player has officially registered as a competitor.

Below are some examples:

• If a U12 player from Ontario tries to enter an U18 tournament in Nova Scotia, then the Ontario rule would apply and the player would not be allowed to enter. Rationale: Although the tournament is in Nova Scotia, the Ontario rule would apply as it only allows U12 players to compete in U16 tournaments.
• If a U10 player from Ontario tries to enter an U14 tournament in Quebec, then the Quebec rule would apply and the player would not be allowed to enter. Rationale: The rules of Quebec, the tournament host would apply as Quebec rules only allow a U10 player to compete in U12 tournaments.
• If a U10 player from Quebec tries to enter an U14 tournament in Ontario, then the Quebec rule would apply and the player would not be allowed to enter. Rationale: Although the tournament is in Ontario, the Quebec rules would apply as they only allow U10 player to compete in U12 tournaments.
• If a U12 player from Newfoundland tries to enter an U18 tournament in Alberta, then the Alberta rule would apply and the player would not be allowed to enter. Rationale: The rules of Alberta, the tournament host would apply as Alberta only allows a U12 player to compete in U16 tournaments.

*Note: Players are responsible for knowing the aforementioned “Playing up Rule.” If a player enters an event/category for which he/she is ineligible based on the playing up rules and it is not caught at the time of entry, the PTA reserves the right to remove the player from the tournament draw. In the case where a player is allowed to play the event by mistake, the rankings points earned in the tournament will not be counted.

Exceptional Player Clause

(For BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba)

Tennis Canada performance levels

The Tennis Canada Rulebook: Rules of the Court 2024 is intended as a resource for officials, tournament administrators, coaches and players at all levels.

This book incorporates the rules and regulations followed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the WTA Tour, and the ATP Tour, the three international governing bodies of Tennis. The rules, regulations and procedures presented here are those that should be followed at all Tennis Canada sanctioned events.

RESOURCES

• Rules of the Court 2024

Junior Nationals U12 Player Attire Policy

Junior Nationals U14-U18 Player Attire Policy

The Junior National Championships are open to players with the following residency status:

• Canadian Citizens
• Permanent Residents

Players with any other status are ineligible to participate in the Junior National Championships.

In addition, players may need to satisfy other Provincial or National requirements to gain entry into the Junior National Championships.

Tennis Canada and our Provincial Tennis Association partners currently use the calendar year to determine age group eligibility for sanctioned national and provincial events. This process has worked very well over the years as it follows the International Tennis Federation (ITF) lead along with the majority of tennis nations.

Age group eligibility is an important process to keep an eye on as it determines the age group that a junior competitor will compete in. The following is an update on our recent review of our current practice, process and data related to age group eligibility as it relates to player results and retention rates.

RESOURCES

• Age Group Eligibility

The Code of Conduct (the “Code”) is founded on the highest ethical standards of treating all persons with fairness and respect, ensuring the full and fair participation of all persons in the sport of tennis, and facilitating the fair, equitable, transparent and timely resolution of disputes.

This Code is meant to protect all individuals and identifies the standard of behaviour Tennis Canada expects of its Personnel, Athletes and Coaches, as well as the consequences of non-compliance. It is incumbent upon every individual to voluntarily comply with the Code and all of Tennis Canada’s policies as outlined in the Cover Note that are applicable to the individual. Tennis Canada encourages the Reporting of all violations of the Code, especially incidents of alleged Neglect and Maltreatment, regardless of who the offender may be. It is aligned with Abuse Free Sport and the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) to ensure a positive tennis experience for everyone in our sport.

RESOURCES

• Tennis Canada Safesport Code of Conduct

Transgender Athlete Participation Policy