PLAYER SETUP

• 2 vs 2, 3 vs 3 (three from one team), 4 vs 4 (four from one team) or individual scoring
• Champion Side – 2, 3 or 4 players or individual scoring. The pro feeds balls from this side to the Challenger Side.
• Challenger Side – 2, 3 or 4 players.
• The Champion Side is where players win points *1
• The Challenger Side is where the tennis pro is feeding the balls. Players on the Challenger Side are trying to win in order to take the Champion Side.

THE OBJECT OF THE GAME

A team is trying to win three balls in a row, or hit a winner *2, in order to either win a point or to take the Champion side.  Whichever team has the most points at the end of the allotted time wins the match.

HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED

The four balls needed to win have different names

• The first ball is called the Rally Ball.  Whichever team wins this ball gets to come up to the net for the next ball
  • If the Champion Side wins the Rally Ball then that team comes up to the net (at least inside their own service line).  They will try to win three balls in a row, or hit a winner, to win the point. If they do that, they “reset” back to the baseline and begin again to attempt to win more points.
  • If the Challenger Side wins the Rally Ball they then must win three balls in a row or hit a winner in order to take the Champion Side.
• The first ball for the Challenger Side is called First Ball and must start at their own service line.  The pro feeds a volley *3 to the team and they can hit the ball anywhere to the Champion Side and play out the ball.  If they win that rally then they move on to Second Ball. During this point the Challenger players can move in closer to the net and the second ball they hit must be hit past the service line on the Champion Side, from which they will play out the rally *4.  If they win that then they play Third Ball, which is an overhead *5.  If they win that rally then they take the Champion’s place *6, but not necessarily any points are won.  
• If playing 3 vs 3, when the point is won or if the Challengers take the Champion’s side, the winning team must rotate their players: deuce player to add, add player goes out, out player goes in on deuce side *7.  If playing 4 vs 4, the team that won goes out and is replaced by the other waiting team.
• If a player makes a mistake in 3 vs 3, they are replaced by the player waiting out.  During 4 vs 4, if a player makes a mistake the team is replaced by the waiting team.

The time increments are 15 minutes. There is a 15 minute warm up and each round is 15 minutes.

After each round is played the balls are picked up with a water break and scores are reported.

Matches are usually 1 1/2 hours long but can be 1-2 hours, depending on what the players decide.

The team with the most points at the end of the allotted time wins the match.

*1 Except on two occasions – on the third point, called the “Cliffhanger” or on the last point of each round, called the “potential 3-pointer”.

*2 A winner is a ball that bounces at least twice before it is “touched”. Making contact with the ball with one’s racquet or body prevents the other

  team from hitting a winner.

*3 This should normally be a volley. Lower level or recreational level can let it bounce.

*4 The overhead feed should be high but not go any farther back past the service line. 4.5 level and higher this rule does not apply and the ball

  can be fed to any part of the court.

*5 The third ball is called the “Cliffhanger”. If anyone hits a winner, whether the Challenger side or Champion side, whether at net or on the baseline,

  that team wins two points.

Joe Norton 2018 ©