Rules & etiquette

Challenging

Challenge upwards only. Ranks 2–10 may challenge up to 3 places above; ranks 11+ up to 4; rank 1 cannot challenge.
One extra place is allowed only when every player in your normal range is ineligible (full incoming allowance, protected absence, suspension, temporary unavailability or a rematch restriction). A blank weekly availability never counts.
Late entrants get one first challenge against any eligible player ranked 11th or lower. Lose it and you start at the bottom.
Maximum 2 outgoing and 2 incoming outstanding challenges.
Normal-window entrants receive 1 seasonal wildcard(s), chosen explicitly when challenging outside the normal range. Targets must be ranked 11th or lower. A loss does not move you down. Wildcards are consumed when issued and refresh next season.

Respond within 48 hours; declining requires a reason.
Play within four weeks of the date the challenge was issued.
Missed deadlines are flagged for an administrator — never awarded automatically.

Two sets with a tie-break at 6–6; split sets are decided by a championship tie-break to 10, winning by two.
If the challenger wins they take the opponent's place and everyone between moves down one. If they lose, positions stay the same.
Either player submits the result. Corrections are approved by an administrator and the original is kept.

Challenge balance: if your two most recent played matches were both challenges you made, and another player has an unresolved challenge against you (pending, accepted, overdue or under review), you must complete that incoming match before making another challenge. Walkovers don't count towards this.
Rematches: after losing, play two other opponents first (one if the opponent was in the top four).
Walkovers are only ever awarded by an administrator and don't count as played matches.

Play at least once every two weeks. Each full four weeks without a played match drops you 1, then 2, 4, 8… places. Rank 1 is exempt.
You may mark yourself unavailable for up to two weeks in any four. Longer absences and injuries need administrator approval and protect your saved position.
Returning players are reinstated at their saved position with no return penalty; existing valid challenges between other players are preserved.

Communicate promptly and agree a suitable date and time.
The challenger is responsible for ensuring a court is booked.
Book courts through Gravesham Tennis Club's existing booking process — this app cannot book or reserve courts.
The opponent may make the booking if they agree, but the challenger remains responsible for making sure it happens.
Confirm the booking details with your opponent.
Courts can only be booked seven days in advance. The challenger receives a reminder when the booking window opens for an agreed match.
If no court is available, agree an alternative date or time. Court unavailability alone never triggers a penalty or walkover.
Offer reasonable dates, respect each other's commitments and give as much notice as possible when cancelling.

The challenger supplies a new tube of balls, unless you both agree to use recently opened new balls.
Floodlight costs are split equally unless agreed otherwise.