Rules

Match Playing Formats

Players play best of three standard tie-break sets. The winner of the match is the first to win two sets. Typical scores might be:

6-4, 6-3
6-3, 4-6, 6-2
6-1, 6-7(3-7), 6-4

Unless BOTH players agree other ways, this format should be used. If both players agree to play a different format, minimum 8 games total must be finished for the match to count.

After a match is finished, one of the two players (usually the winner) will report the score to the organizer or post directly to the main Ace League Shanghai WeChat Group.

If the match is unfinished due to court time or any other reason, it’s up to the two players as to how to continue. Suggested approaches are:

1. continue to play (on the court they are playing on or a different court if available)
2. agree to meet again at a future time to finish the match
3. stop the game and award the win to the player in front e.g. someone is winning 6-1, 3-6, 4-3 (here the third set is not completed)

For a unfinished match that is impossible to continue before the deadline or mutually decided not to continue, the player who won most total number of games wins. If same number of games won, whoever won more sets wins. If still the same and players can't make an agreement, we do a dice roll. A tie-break counts as one game. At least 8 games total has to be finished for a match to count in this case.

If a player has to give up due to injury while a match is being played, the other player takes the win. In this case, the minimum 8-game rule doesn’t apply, actual games played will be used as final score.

Promotion/Relegation

After the season, players with top rankings from each box will be promoted, and players with bottom rankings will be relegated to lower level box. Example: Top 2 of 5 players in the box are promoted, bottom 2 relegated, the rest 1 stays.

Depending on total number of players signing up/number of boxes of each level/number of players in each box, the organizer will make adjustments based on the chart below. Promotion/Relegation policy will be finalized BEFORE season starts.

The organizer reserves the right to adjust players for next season if there are players dropping from the league or new players signing up.

Point Allocation

Win a match – 3 points
3 set loss – 2 points
2 set loss – 1 point

Ranking within Box

A player's ranking in a box is determined by total number of points won in a season. In the event that two or more players have the same number of points the position will be determined by:

1. Head to head result
2. Most matches won
3. Ratio of sets won to sets played %
4. Ratio of games won to games played %

Ranking Players from different boxs

Sometimes we will have more than one box for the same level, and we have to find the best runner-ups. Here is how to compare players from different boxes (of same level).

If they played the same number of matches, the position will be determined by

1. Points
2. Most matches won
3. Ratio of sets won to sets played %
4. Ratio of games won to games played %

Otherwise, the position will be determined by

1. Ratio of points to maximum points that can possibly be earned (for playing and winning all matches) %. Example, for 5-player box, maximum points is 12 points.
2. Ratio of matches won to matches played %
3. Ratio of sets won to sets played %
4. Ratio of games won to games played %

No Show Policy

The player that didn't show up will have to pay the court fee in full, and gets 3 negative points for current season. If his or her total number of points is negative when current season ends, the remaining negative points will carry on to the following season which he or she signs up for. 3 no-shows in a year, the player will be removed from the league.

The player who showed up on time gets 1 point as a match with no score played. If the 2 players rescheduled and played the match later, actual points earned will be added instead.

Protective Rankings

A player signed up for a season, but couldn't finish the required minimum 3 matches due to good reasons like injury, locked out of China, etc. In this case if this player is to be relegated according to points, a relegation slot will be filled, but this player will only be actually relegated if the level to be relegated to is no more than 2 levels down the highest level he or she ever played.

Minimum Number of Matches

All matches count for points and ranking. A player has to play at least 3 matches a season to stay for next season. The organizer reserves the right to keep a player in for reasons like injury, out of country, lack of active players, etc. A player will be removed from the league if he or she doesn't meet the minimum 3 matches requirement without a good reason for 2 seasons in a year.

Ace Box

Ace Box is the highest level of box created after March-April 2021 season. 6 players in Ace Box each season. Exceptions are when the Champion (runner-up if the Champion is already in Ace Box) of Ace League Open or the Champion (runner-up if the Champion is already in Ace Box) of Ace League Finals, or a top level new player signs up. In this case, more people will be relegated to keep 6 players in the box.

Ace Box players that don't sign up for a season will start from Box 1 the next season when he or she returns.​

If less than 6 players in Ace Box after the sign up deadline for a season, other players will be promoted to Ace Box to fill the slots in the following order(after promotion/relegation of the past season):

1. Box 1 players that played last season
2. Returning Box 1 Players
3. Box 2 players that played last season
4. Returning Box 2 players

Players relegated last season from Ace Box, Box 1 or Box 2 and new players are not eligible.

If for some reason there are still less than 6 players that can play, players from lower boxes may also be selected.

If less than 5 players left in Box 1 for the season after the move, players from lower boxes will be moved up to fill Box 1 slots in similar way.

Finals

The Finals will be a 8-player tournament. The champion of the finals will be placed in Ace Box. If the champion is already an Ace Box player, the runner-up will be promoted to Ace Box.

After the last season of this year, 8 players will compete in Finals. They are first selected from players who ever played in the top level box. These players are ranked by accumulated points from the top level box. Points earned from Box 1 till April/May 2021 season and from Ace Box after April/May 2021 season count for points from the top level box. The rest will be players with most accumulated points from the second level box(s). Points accumulates from the first season till the last season.

If for some reason there are still less than 8 players that can play, players who only played in lower boxes may also be selected.

Open Tournaments

Ace League open tournaments take place in July and December each year. Players of all levels are eligible to sign up.

If a player beats two or more players of higher level boxes, this player will be promoted. For example, if A is currently a box 3 player or a new player, A beats B (box 2) and C (box 1), A will be promoted to box 2 next season. But for a player to be promoted to Ace Box, he or she has to win the tournament. Or if the winner is already in Ace Box, the runner-up will be promoted to Ace Box.

Join or Drop the League

A player can sign up or choose not to sign up on a season basis. The organizer posts the sign up WeChat mini program to Ace League WeChat group a few days before a new season starts. Please use the mini program to sign up. If you don't have a WeChat account, please email the organizer to sign up.

The organizer will do his best to place new players into appropriate boxes, based on tennis level and availability. Sometimes it's difficult to rate a player and current players have priority to fill the slots. If you are placed into a box that is lower than your actual level, please still remain active, play the matches. Everyone has a chance to move up. Ace league rules favor strong AND active players.

If there is a huge difference between a new player and rest players of the same box, the organizer reserves the right to move this player to an appropriate box the following season.

Returning player will be placed in a box of same level, or in some rare cases one level below if no open position is available at the level where the player drops from.

Important

All players share responsibility for contacting the opponents in their box to arrange their matches.

To encourage match play, there will be no walkovers. It's recommended that players contact their opponents early to arrange matches.

A player may be relegated or removed from the league if he or she:

• has multiple no-shows for matches mutually scheduled with the opponent (refer to the no-show policy)
• doesn't contact the opponent at all or fails to respond to opponent's wechat messages, text messages etc within reasonable timeframe.
• consistantly refuses the proposed time/court to play but doesn't offer any alternative time/court.