Touch Tennis

This year we will be using the King Court format. Easy – work your way up to the top court:

The King’s Court: The lower bouncing soft balls allow for longer rallies and a greater work out. Previous experience of tennis or indeed tennis talent is not needed to play this much smaller version of the real game. Teams will play doubles, with each team playing two matches at the same time. Matches will be timed centrally and the winner will be the pair with the most amount of points in the time frame. This is a fun, fast and action-packed event that will be enjoyable for all. Nuffield Devonshire coaches will be on-hand all evening for tips and advice and to manage the event.

The Draw / Tournament

• Random draw live on the evening of the event to determine starting position
• You win and you move up a court (If you win on the KING’S COURT you move up to be the KING)
• You lose and you move down a court (If you lose on the lowest court, you move down to be the JOKER)
• Finish at the top for maximum points
• Finish at the bottom for less points
• Each ‘game’ consists of two matches of pairs from each company. The winning team is the company who won the most points across both matches combined
• Team 1 will start as THE KING (but will drop down to the KING’S COURT after 1st game); Teams 2&3 will start on the KING’S COURT; Teams 4&5 will start on the QUEEN’S COURT; Teams 6&7 will start on the JACK’S COURT etc.

There is a café lounge for refreshments, as well as a water fountain for refilling of bottles. Toilets are located in the main changing rooms or in the club lounge.

• Teams will need 4 players per game

• The playing area is ¼ the size of a normal tennis court
• The net height is lower than a normal net
• The playing area will be clearly marked

All matches are doubles

• A fixture consists of 2 x doubles matches which are played simultaneously. When deciding the winner, teams must add the score from both of the games between the two companies to get the final score.
• There will be 12 rounds of games (to give the Joker the chance of getting to the top)

The final position determines the points scored:

• THE KING = 12 points
• THE JOKER = 1 point

The final game will see companies on each court play for position:

• Win the final game on the KING’s COURT for 12 points
• Lose the final game on the KING’S COURT for 11 points
• Win the final game on THE QUEEN’S COURT for 10 points
• Lose the final game on THE JACK’S COURT for 9 points etc.

Normal Tennis rules with the exceptions / notes below

• Only 1 serve per rally (no 2nd serve)
• If the ball hits the net and goes over when serving then play continues (no ‘let’)
• Service must be under-arm
• If the ball hits an opponent who is standing off court without bouncing first –then the person the ball hits loses the point
• Take it in turns to serve; so player 1 of team A, then player 1 of team B, then player 2 of team A then player 2 of team B
• Points can be won on each rally – regardless of which team serves
• Matches last 3 minutes long with a quick turnaround between games
• Keep tallying up points until the 3 minutes is complete. The game ends the instant the hooter is sounded
• If scores across both matches combined are equal then the winner is the team who scored the most points in one of the fixtures – if that is equal then it is the toss of a coin or spin of a racket!
• The serve does not have to land in any specific area on the opposite area of the net or bounce first, but the team receiving must stand in the tramlines at the back of the court
• With regard to the rules, common-sense must prevail
• Players must play to the rules and self-officiate
• Staff are on-hand to help the event, line calls are down to the players
• If the ball hits the line then it is in

Please wear sports clothing – i.e. t-shirts, shorts, tracksuits, polos etc. Trainers must be worn. Rackets and balls will be provided. Please look after your own belongings – there will be areas within the courts but it is not monitored by staff.