JAM rules for Tennis - Doubles

Tennis - Doubles

There is only one format of Doubles Tennis rules under JAM Rules. It is described in its entirety below.

JAM is for Everyone – Inclusion Statement

Our program offerings are designed to be inclusive for all members of the JAM community. Our goal is to create a welcoming gender policy that uplifts and supports each player where they are at. To ensure we can offer something for everyone, our programs may be offered in the following formats: Mixed-Gender, Women's, Men's, and Open.

Many of our league rules specify gender-based roster requirements, the goal of which is to ensure that each player has an equal opportunity to be included in gameplay.

Everyone participating in a JAM program is welcome to compete based on their gender identity and gender expression; regardless of their gender assigned at birth. Members whose gender identity does not align with the binary man/woman construct are welcome to play in all our mixed-gender and open programs.

Nonbinary, trans, genderqueer, and all other players who identify as a gender minority can count towards the roster minimums for either men or women in our mixed-gender leagues.

Game Time

All Tennis matches are approximately 90 minutes in length. Please arrive early to ensure you get the full use of your allotted court time. Regardless of when your game begins your game will always end on time to allow the succeeding games to begin at their scheduled time. All games will begin at 6:30 pm but the courts are available for us as of 6:00 pm, so members are allowed to go early for a warm-up.

Time Keeping: The JAM Ambassador on site will be keeping track of time and will determine the end of your game. In this instance, you will receive a warning indicating the final five (5) minutes of your game and a final signal for the end of your game. Once the final signal occurs your game is over.

Defaults: Teams will default a match if they cannot provide a full team 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Players

Teams are comprised of two (2) players on the court at a time. If a team only has one player, a "3 person" format can be played.

Roster Numbers: There are no roster requirements for who plays at a time.

Defaults: Teams will default a match if they cannot provide a full team 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Player Rotation: The 2 players that start each game for their team are the ONLY players that can play during that particular game. Substitute players must wait until the next game before rotating.

Playing Area

All Tennis matches will take place on a regulation-sized Tennis court.

Equipment/Set Up

Players are required to bring their own racquet. No racquets will be available on site for participants to use.
Teams will be provided with 3 Tennis Balls for the season.
Players will be responsible for keeping track of their own score.

General Rules

The following outlines the basis of the rules of JAM Tennis Leagues:

All standard doubles tennis rules are to be used for every match, with the following exceptions. For standard Tennis rules, please use this link.

Players will play Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine which team serves first. The other team will choose the side of the net they wish to begin the match on.
Teams will play 2 sets and a 10 point tiebreak (if needed).
A set will be won once one team reaches 6 games (win by two), or the first to 7 games, whichever comes first.
All games will follow the standard tennis point system (i.e. love, 15, 30, 40, game).
This league will use the standard advantage format. If both teams reach three points, the score is “Deuce”. After “Deuce”, the score is “Advantage” for the player/team who wins the next point. If that same player/team also wins the next point, that player/team wins the “Game”; if the opposing player/team wins the next point, the score is again “Deuce”. A player/team needs to win two consecutive points immediately after “Deuce” to win the “Game”.
In a tiebreaker, whichever team was due to serve next begins serving. This team serves the first point, then the other team serves two points, and then service continues alternating with each team serving two points.
When submitting the score after the match, teams will use the following format:
- If a team wins both sets, the score should be inputted as a 2-0 win
- If a team loses both sets, the score should be inputted as a 0-2 loss
- If a game needs to go to the 10-point tiebreak, the score should be inputted as a 2-1 win for the winning team
There is a hard time cap of 90 minutes. If teams are in the middle of a game when the time is up, scores will revert back to the last completed game. If this means that both teams have not served the same number of completed games in the current set, the score will revert to the last completed game when both teams had served the same number of games. If this results in a tie score, the set will be declared a tie. If the hard cap is reached during the tiebreaker, if a team is leading by two or more points, they are declared the winner. If the tiebreaker is tied or within 1 point, the match is declared a tie (except for playoffs – see below).
Teams will switch sides of the court after the first game, and every second game thereafter (i.e. after every odd number of games).
Each team serves for an entire game. A single player from the team serves for the entire game. Serving must alternate between teammates for each game that their team is serving.
The server will alternate sides for each point, starting the game in the deuce court (i.e. the right side of the court from the perspective of the server). The receiving players cannot switch sides when receiving, which means the server will serve once to each receiver in an alternating pattern.
In playoffs, the format does not change. However, because matches cannot end in a tie, teams will be notified when there are 5 minutes remaining. At this point, the current game is completed. If one team is leading the current set by two or more games, they are declared winner of the set. If the score is tied or within one game, the set is declared a tie. If based on the result of the current set the match is tied at one set each, a mini-tiebreak up to 5 points (sudden death rather than win by 2) is played to determine the winner.

Discrepancies/Disputes:

This is a self-officiated league, so teams will be calling their own faults and 'in' and 'out' calls. If there are any disagreements or disputes about a particular call, the point will be replayed

Regular Season Matches

A game cannot be tied during the regular season. If teams are tied after two sets, a 10 point tiebreaker will be played to determine the winner.

Playoffs Tiebreak

There must be a winner in a playoff match. In the event that the match is tied at the end of regulation time, teams will partake in the following tie-breaker until a winner is determined:

In playoffs, the format does not change. However, because matches cannot end in a tie, teams will be notified when there are 5 minutes remaining. At this point, the current game is completed. If one team is leading the current set by two or more games, they are declared winner of the set. If the score is tied or within one game, the set is declared a tie. If based on the result of the current set the match is tied at one set each, a mini-tiebreak up to 5 points (sudden death rather than win by 2) is played to determine the winner.

Alcohol

There are absolutely no alcoholic beverages permitted on JAM property. Any offenders will be asked to leave the tournament without refund. No exceptions.