Supporting and promoting tennis in the Ann Arbor area
HomeANN ARBOR AREA COMMUNITY TENNIS ASSOCIATION
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AAACTA is recognized by the IRS as a nonprofit organization under 501(c)(3).
Social Drop-In Tennis
AAACTA P.O. Box 2414 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 aaacta@aaacta.org
Format
Play is primarily doubles. Matches are first to three games won, with a minimum of four games played, so that all four players have served at least once. After each match:
- Winning team stays on court (or moves up a court) and splits — partners divide and play with new partners
- Losing team stays (or moves down a court) and splits similarly
This is intentionally loose. People arrive late, leave early, and numbers shift throughout the evening. Players are expected to work out the court and partner logistics on the fly.
Handling Uneven Numbers
When player count doesn’t divide evenly into doubles courts, the group adapts:
- One extra player — When there is exactly one extra player, all doubles matches switch to Server Out format. The out player waits at the net post. After you serve, you rotate out, and the waiting player comes in on your side. This keeps everyone moving and no one is sitting for long.
- Odd numbers otherwise — some players volunteer to play singles on a spare court
When numbers normalize (someone arrives or leaves), the group returns to standard first-to-three doubles.
Serving Rules
Each doubles match plays a minimum of four games, ensuring all four players serve at least once before the match concludes.
First serve of the evening: The first time a player serves in a given evening, they get “first in” — they may keep serving until one serve lands in. This acts as a warm-up serve and applies once per player per evening.
Scoring Adjustments
If too many games reach deuce, a rule is called — Next Point Wins — the next point after deuce decides the game. This prevents extended games from slowing rotation.
The goal is to maximize variety in matchups and keep play flowing for the whole group.
