Season One of Tennis Hampshire's Universal Doubles Ladder will run from January 1, 2023 until October 31, 2023

This ladder is a doubles tennis competition open to all pairing formats: men's, women's and mixed doubles pairs. The object of the ladder is to get as high a ranking as possible by the end of the season. The overall winners will be the pairs at the top of the ladder in each format at the end of the season. As this is a mixed format ladder there will be a champions for mixed, men's and women's doubles, reflecting the highest-placed pair in each category. 

All teams start a new ladder season ranked by their combined average Tencap Doubles Rating. Only Official doubles ratings are considered for the starting line up; players with a confidence rating of "less than certain" may start in line with their doubles rating if their singles rating is Official, and stronger than their doubles rating, or if their doubles rating is unanimously agreed to be appropriate by the event captains. Any new teams joining the ladder after the season begins will be placed at the bottom, but they will also have a Wild Card on joining.

Players are generally expected to play a minimum of one match every two months. There is no maximum number of matches per months, other than what players' schedules allow. 

On the first day of every second month, inactive teams will fall five places if they haven't played at all in the previous two months; they will be moved to the bottom of the ladder (and given a new Wild Card) if they haven't played in the previous four months, and will be removed from the ladder entirely if they haven't played for the previous six months (teams can always ask to come back later). 

Extended holidays and injuries may be the exception to the relegation rule. 

Teams move up the ladder by challenging higher ranked teams and winning the match. In this case they move immediately above their opponents in the rankings. When a challenger loses, they stay where they were and the successful defender moves up one position.

Teams may challenge any team above them on the ladder a max of six places above. Teams may not challenge down the ladder, except for those in the top ten, who may challenge anyone else in the top 10, with the requirement that only one "down ladder" challenge may be accepted by a fellow top 10 team. This is to ensure that at least one "up ladder" challenge can still be made, particularly for teams outside the Top 10 who may be looking to challenge into the group.

Teams can have up to two pending outgoing challenges before they can make any more, this includes outgoing challenges that have been accepted but not played.

Teams can have up to two incoming challenges before they cannot accept a new challenge, this includes incoming challenges that have been accepted but not yet played.

Teams must accept a challenge from any "same-format" team unless the above rule applies. Teams receiving challenges from another doubles type may decline the challenge by simply stating "pass" in the WhatsApp group, but the challenging team will then move above them in the ladder so long as the inter-format challenge was not a Wild Card challenge. In the event that a pair declines an inter-format Wild Card challenge, both teams stay in their respective positions. 

Teams should respond to a challenge within 48 hours. Failure to respond within a week may result in a walkover win for the challenging team, however the challenged players must have been tagged using the @ function in WhatsApp and directly messaged by the challenging players as well. 

In the case where a challenger loses a match, they must challenge two other teams before challenging the same team for a rematch, unless in the top ten, in which case it changes to one other challenge before a rematch if places have not changed.

Challenges are to be posted and accepted on the TH Challenge Doubles Ladder WhatsApp group. After being confirmed in the group, players should use using direct message after that to discuss and set an agreeable time for the match to take place. Don't negotiate the entire match in the WhatsApp group after the initial challenge is extended and accepted. Banter and chat is not allowed in the WhatsApp group, to respect all other users of the group.

Results may be entered directly into the Tencap Doubles Ladder "Schedule & Results" section by either team (the system obliges the opponent to "verify" the results before the system updates). Results may also be sent to event Captains for entry on players' behalf.

A Wild Card challenge allows a team to challenge a team much higher ranked than the normal rules allow. All teams start with one Wild Card, and all players are awarded a further Wild Card four months before the end of the season. Very active teams may apply to the event captains for a fresh wildcard after 15 matches. 

Teams may use Wild Cards to challenge anyone above them, including the top 10 players, as long as the challenged team is no more than 5 Tencap points stronger than the challenger (ie, a team with an average Tencap of 65 can challenge any team above them on the ladder whose average Tencap rating is 80-60).

Standard rules of tennis will apply. Full tennis rules can be found here – https://www.itftennis.com/en/about-us/governance/rules-and-regulations/

Challengers to supply NEW tennis balls for each match.

If a player is not able to call a shot out with 100% certainty, then it is deemed to be in and must be played, ‘lets’ can be played when mutually agreed.

All matches will be over two sets of standard tennis, first to 6 (with 2 clear games), tie break at 6 all, and a third set of a Championship Tie-Break.

Championship Tie-Break is first to 10 point by 2 clear points or by something like 13-15 if you go over. Championship Tie-Break wins should be entered into Tencap as a 1-0 win in the third set (the system will prompt you for the tie break score when it sees a 1-0 result).

Teams can by mutual agreement play a third full set to decide the winner, but this must be agreed before the match has started.

A Walkover is defined as awarding one a no-score win to the team that is awarded a walkover. When submitting results, please ensure to enter your results carefully, and be sure to submit walkovers using the "walkover" functionality in Tencap. No score should be entered.

A team may claim a walkover win if they are unable to arrange a match at any time with another team, due to the opponents being unable to play, including an injury that occurs after a challenge is accepted. To be able to claim a walkover, the challenger must have offered at least three dates to play on, and the opponent must have refused these dates, and not offered any alternative dates – if both players have suggested a date then no walkover can be claimed. 

If a match has been arranged and one player fails to turn up on the arranged date, the other team may claim a walkover. This may include a match cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice. If match dates have been arranged and agreed and then subsequently cancelled twice by the same team then the opposition may claim a walkover.

Any disputed walkover will be decided by the event captains. Captains' decisions on all ladder matters are final.

Players are requested to always play in a sporting and fair manner. Treat your opponent with respect. 

Remember tennis reveals character, please play accordingly.

This is not Wimbledon. You are not Swiatek or Nadal. 

Tennis Hampshire's Challenge Ladder is open to all tennis players 16 and over in the Tennis Hampshire WhatsApp group. 

Matches are generally expected to be played at David Lloyd West End, but alternative locations (including David Lloyd Southampton, and other clubs around Hampshire) are fine if agreed by mutual consent. 

Matches should be played indoors unless agreed otherwise by both players. In the event that a court for the match cannot be readily agreed, the final choice of indoor court surface is with the player receiving the challenge.

The rules for Tennis Hampshire's Challenge Ladder are based on originally published "Club Ladder Rules" from Brixworth Tennis Club (https://brixworthtennisclub.org.uk/club-ladder-rules/), a club in the heart of rural Northamptonshire. Brixworth Rules were been amended in 2021 to meet the needs of players in our Tennis Hampshire group, and updated for Season Two of the ladder on September 30, 2022. 

This event is organized "by members for members," and is not part of any formal club activities.

The captains of Tennis Hampshire's Challenge Ladder reserve the right to add/alter the rules and participation as the competition progresses, at any time. All decisions from the captains relating to matters on the ladder, including player participation eligibility, are final.