Supporting and promoting tennis in the Ann Arbor area
ANN ARBOR AREA COMMUNITY TENNIS ASSOCIATION
2026 City Tournament: Singles Rules and Registration Information
AGE & RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS: Except for the Open division, players must be at least 18 by the end of the calendar year. If it is necessary to limit the number of participating players, then priority shall be given to Washtenaw County residents.
ENTRY FEES: $50 per player. Tournament fees are nonrefundable. Players will receive a T-shirt. Trophies will be awarded to the finalists in each Singles division.
LEVELS OF PLAY: The Singles tournament is divided into divisions according to USTA (NTRP) ratings and age (as of end of the calendar year). Players with a USTA NTRP rating must use that rating. Players without one should self-rate using the criteria provided below. USTA players must play at or above their official USTA rating. The Tournament Committee may obtain other similar information regarding ratings and reserves the right to move players to a more appropriate division. Misrepresentation of level of play may result in disqualification. Details of criteria for each level are provided here.
Singles divisions: MW 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, Open, Senior 50+ (3.5 and below), and Senior 50+ (4.0 and above). Players in the Senior divisions must be at least 50 by December 31, 2026.
SEEDING: All seeding will be done using the ITF World Tennis Number (WTN). If you have played a USTA match within the last 5+ years, either singles or doubles, you have an ITF World Tennis Number. Click here to find your profile. For more information on how the WTN works, visit here.
CONSOLATION MATCHES: All first-match losers are invited to a First Match Consolation (FMC) Showdown on Sunday, June 14. FMC participants will play round-robin style, timed matches. Players must register for the FMC immediately after their main bracket match is completed. Depending on participation level, FMC matches may combine tournament division levels. The FMC schedule will be posted on the website on the evening of June 13. The FMC Showdown will be canceled if it rains.
FORMAT: Matches in the men's and women's 4.5 and Open divisions will be best 2 of 3 sets. A 10-minute break is allowed between the 2nd and 3rd sets. All other matches will use a Match Tiebreak (first to 10 by 2) instead of a third set. There is a 2-minute break between the 2nd set and Match Tiebreak. In all Singles divisions, at 6-6, a Set Tiebreak (first to 7 by 2) will be used. All tiebreaks (both Set and Match Tiebreaks) will use the Coman (USTA league) format.
TENNIS BALLS: A new can of USTA-approved balls will be provided by the tournament for each match.
DRAWS: Draws will be available on AAACTA's website on Monday, June 8. Players are responsible for checking the draws for their match start times and locations. Because we anticipate large numbers of players in the tournament, we cannot accommodate players' individual schedule issues, or USTA league calendar conflicts. Please familiarize yourself with the possible schedule prior to registering for the tournament and clear that time for play. Events with an insufficient number of entries may be canceled or combined with other events at the discretion of the Tournament Committee. Players will be notified in advance if this is done. For draws of fewer than 4 players, expect round-robin play.
MATCH SCHEDULING: All players should report to their tournament site on the designated play date 15 minutes before the start time rain or shine. DEFAULT TIME IS 10 MINUTES AFTER THE START TIME (when a court is available). Warm-up is limited to 10 minutes.
Our objective is to conduct all matches in all divisions on the weekend, with a limit of two matches per day per player (with at least one hour rest between matches). Large draws, however, will require first round matches to be played on a weekday. Matches will not be scheduled earlier than 5:00pm on Wednesday or Thursday, with a goal of starting after 6:00pm where the number of matches needed to be played permits. Friday matches may start as early as 3:00pm. If the early weekday start time presents a significant hardship for any player, then that player should contact the Tournament Director as soon as possible after the draws have been posted and she will attempt to reschedule the match for an alternate start time, if possible.
COURT SCHEDULING: The tournament will be played on hard courts, either indoor or outdoor, depending on facility availability. Players should expect to play on the court type that is assigned to them. The Tournament Director cannot consider requests for a particular court type. Matches will go out as courts become available so as not to disrupt the tournament schedule.
WEATHER POLICY: All players must report to the tournament site 15 minutes before their scheduled match time, regardless of weather conditions, unless notified otherwise by the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director reserves the right to delay, reschedule, cancel, or relocate matches, which may result in changes to location and start time with limited notice.
Players are encouraged to monitor weather and air quality forecasts ahead of their play date. If you have concerns about competing in high heat or poor air quality, please withdraw before the registration close date. While we will make every effort to move matches indoors in extreme conditions, indoor courts cannot be guaranteed. Contact the Tournament Director with any questions.
PLAYER AND SPECTATOR GUIDELINES: As a community tournament, camaraderie and fair play are our first priority. If players require assistance regarding rules during the match, they should raise their racquets and wait for assistance from a tournament official. Coaching is not allowed at any time.
WAIVER: AAACTA may use any photos or videos taken during the tournament for display on the AAACTA website and social media accounts and for legitimate marketing or promotional purposes.
QUESTIONS: If you have questions prior to the tournament, please email Tournament Director Renee Hand.
By clicking on the registration link below, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the above rules.
