ACE PICKLEBALL CLUB - CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Singles Event

We're looking forward to hosting you for the upcoming Championship Series tournament. Everything you need to know about this tournament in terms of rules, match formats, approved paddles and more is listed here. If you have any questions related to these rules, connect with a Member Specialist at your Club. 

Championship Series Tournament Rules

Player Eligibility Requirements:

  • All players must be members in good standing at the date of the tournament

  • All members, regardless of age, are eligible to play in the tournament

  • Players are only allowed to play in one Skill Level within the tournament

Match Formats:

These Championship Series tournaments are played in two segments:

Initial Pool Play

  • Players are placed into Pools of up to 9 players

  • Each player plays all other players within their pool

  • Match format is dependent on the largest pool within the Division

    • Pool size of 2 will play 3 out of 5 games to 11

    • Pool size of 3 or 4 will play 2 out of 3 games to 11

    • Pool size of 5-7 will play 1 game to 15

    • Pool size of 8 or 9 will play 1 game to 11

  • Pool standings and tiebreakers within and across pools for playoff spots are based on:

    • Number of wins

    • Head-to-Head Matchup (If Applicable)

    • Average point differential

    • Average points won per game

    • Average points lost per game

    • Coin toss by tournament official

Playoff Round(s)

  • Top finishers from pool play will advance to the playoff round(s) as follows based on the number of pools in the division.

    • 3-9 players = 1 pool - top 2 players go to a final match. Where clubs have opted for a larger playoff in certain Division sizes, 4 players will go to a semifinal playoff match followed by a Gold Medal Match and a Bronze Medal Match

    • 10-14 players = 2 pools - top 2 players from each pool go to semifinal playoff match followed by a final match. Where clubs have opted for a larger playoff, there will also be a Bronze Medal Match following the semifinal match

    • 15, 17, or 19 players = 3 pools - top 2 players from each pool and 2 “Wild Card” teams chosen from the tiebreaker system across all pools goes to a quarter final match followed by a semifinal playoff match and finishing with a final match. Where clubs have opted for a larger playoff, there will also be a Bronze Medal Match following the semifinal match

    • 16 or 18 players = 2 pools - Top 4 players from each pool will advance to a quarterfinal match followed by a semifinal match followed by a final match. Where clubs have opted for a larger playoff, there will also be a Bronze Medal Match following the semifinal match

    • 20 players = 4 pools - top 2 players from each pool will advance to a quarter final match followed by a semifinal match followed by a final match. Where clubs have opted for a larger playoff, there will also be a Bronze Medal Match following the semifinal match

  • All Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches follow the same game format (1 game to 11, 1 game to 15, or 2/3 games to 11) that was used in Pool Play. All games in these matches are win by 1.

  • All Final Matches and Bronze Medal Matches are 2/3 games to 11, win by 2.

Third place finishers are determined by:

  • Applying the tiebreaker rules (see below) to all players across all pools when there is no Semi Final Match

  • In divisions where there are semi-final matches, both players that lose in the semifinal match are tied 3rd place winners.

  • Where clubs have opted for a larger playoff, there will be a Bronze Medal Match following the semifinal match to determine the 3rd place winner.

Selecting Side and Serve:

  • Before the start of play, one player will hold a “1” or a “2” behind their back.  The opposing player will guess the number.  Whichever player “wins” gets to make the choice of choosing a side to start the match from, choosing to serve first (or second), or deferring to the other player to make the choice of side/serve.

Court Side:

  • All 2/3 game matches are played with players remaining on the same side of the court for all of Game 1 and switching to play all of Game 2 from the opposite side of the court. In Game 3 (if needed) players start on the same side of the court they played Game 1 from and then players switch sides when either team reaches 6 points.

  • All one game matches to 15 are played with players switching sides when either team reaches 8 points

NOTE: Match formats can be adjusted or altered by Ace Pickleball Club as needed at the Tournament Director’s discretion.

Tie Breaker Rules

Pool Play:

Tiebreakers within and across pools for playoff spots are based on:

  • Number of Wins – this tie breaker rule is only applied when the number of players is equal across all Pools

  • Head to Head winner (if applicable)

  • Average Point Differential

  • Average Points won per game

  • Average Points lost per game

  • Coin Toss by tournament official

Forfeits and Withdrawals:

  • If a player is not at the court and ready to play at the end of the designated warmup period, they forfeit the match and are disqualified from the tournament.

  • Players arriving late and receiving a forfeit and disqualification can play the remaining matches within their draw for practice if both players agree to play, but those matches will not be scored for tournament purposes.

  • If a player forfeits, withdraws or is disqualified after matches have already begun, all games that player has played or would have played will be excluded from the tournament results. Matches played will be reported to DUPR.

ADDITIONAL RULES

  • Teams will be requested to submit a Rank Order player list prior to the event.

    • APC will rank order your players from 1 to 4 if this information is not submitted by the team prior to the deadline.

    • Once APC has rank ordered your team due this deadline being missed, the ranking order made by APC will be final and no changes will be made after that time.

    This list should identify your top/best player as #1, next best player as #2, next best player as #3 and the remaining player at #4.

    • Players will be play together in the following matchups during pool play:

      • Players 1 & 2

      • Players 3 & 4

      • Players 1 & 3

      • Players 2 & 4

    This list will determine which players from your team are paired with which other players from your team for various games throughout the event.

    The rank order list will be used for ALL games/matches held throughout the competition and cannot be changed from match to match or game to game.

    • If either/both players are more than 5 minutes (length of the warmup period) late to the starting time for their bracket, they forfeit the match and are disqualified from the tournament.

    • Teams arriving late and receiving a forfeit and disqualification can play the remaining matches within their draw for practice if both teams agree to play, but those matches will not be scored for tournament purposes.

    • If a team has to forfeit or is disqualified, the team will be withdrawn from the tournament software and each match that the team was scheduled to play will receive no score input.

  • Only paddles that are on the USA Pickleball or UPA-A Pickleball list of certified paddles on the date of play are eligible for play in APC Championship Series events.

  • The official ball of the Championship Series is the standard ball used at the Ace Pickleball Club where the tournament is being played.

    • Line calls are the responsibility of the players. In matches that involve a referee a line call can be appealed to the referee. If the referee can make a definitive call, the referee’s call will stand. In situations where the referee is unable to make a definitive call, the player call will stand.

    • A player can stop a point if they feel that the pickleball in play is cracked. If the ball is in fact cracked, the point will be replayed. If the ball is not found to be cracked, the team that stopped play will lose the point.

    • Players are allowed to receive coaching from outside parties only during timeouts and between games.  Coaching during play is not permitted.  In situations where players feel the opponents are getting outside coaching during play, they should halt play and seek a club representative to resolve the issue.

    • Timeouts

      • Each team can take a single 1-minute timeout in each game that is played.

      • Medical timeouts are granted on an as-needed basis. Any time a medical timeout is requested, players should seek a club representative to cheek on the player and assess the situation and determine if a medical timeout will be granted. A max of 10 minutes will be allocated to the medical timeout and that clock will start at the time the player states that they need a medical timeout.

    • Any on-court dispute within a match without a referee that can’t be resolved by the players, should be brought to the pool manager or tournament staff so that they can help resolve the dispute.

    • Club Representative Referees - in games where a club representative is the referee for a match, that referee will be responsible for: watching for service faults, foot faults at the kitchen line and will be available to appeal line calls made by players.  If the referee can make a definitive call on the appealed ball, the referee’s call will stand.  In situations where the referee is unable to make a definitive call, the player call will stand.  These referees will be tracking along with the score, but players will be calling the score prior to each point.

    • Official Referee - in games where an official/certified referee is the referee for a match, that referee will be responsible for: all items mentioned above for a Club Representative Referee as well as being the official scorekeeper for the match.

    • Club officials have the right to disqualify players and remove teams from play for any action deemed to be unsportsmanlike.  Examples of unsportsmanlike conduct include but are not limited to the following:

      • Objectionable language directed at another person

      • Profanity (including hand gestures)

      • Aggressive arguing

      • Throwing a paddle

      • Intentional or aggressive abuse of a pickleball

      • Intentional or aggressive physical contact with a player, official, or spectator

      • Intentionally or aggressively hitting a pickleball outside of game play

  • Players are not permitted to wear headphones or earbuds during play unless they are needed for a medically approved hearing need.

  • The first-place team from each Skill Level/Age Group in these tournaments will automatically qualify to play in the local club’s Club Championship