Juniors (10-18) Tournaments
Age Groups
Competition Types
TI Junior Tour
International Tournaments
Junior Calendar
FAQs
Age groups
- Events in Junior tournaments are designed according to the player’s age on the 31st of December of the previous year. The main age groups are:
- Under 18: born in 2006 or later for 2024 tournaments
- Under 16: born in 2008 or later for 2024 tournaments
- Under 14: born in 2010 or later for 2024 tournaments
- Under 12: born in 2012 or 2013 for 2024 tournaments
- Player passport: Under 10 players that have reached all the required competencies and are not challenged within their own age group, may be granted a passport to play in Under 12 events.
- A few tournaments may run in between events like Under 13 or Under 11, particularly towards the end of the year.
- Playing up: means that a player is playing above his/her age group. For example, an U12 player may play up in an Under 14 event.
- Many high Category events will accept players playing up.
- Lower Category events are frequently restricted to the players within the age group (example: an Under 12 player is not allowed to enter a Tour 100 under 14 event).
- The tournament regulations will state if players are not allowed to play up in certain events.
- However, strong players may benefit from playing occasionally against players in an older age group but with a standard of play similar to their own.
Competition Types
There are two main groups of competitions:
- Individual or Doubles events:
- Internal Club events: players may be informed about club events by mail, social media or posters on the notice board.
- Open Tournaments: The Junior Calendar for the year is published at the end of the previous year. Extra tournaments may be added ad hoc through the year, particularly lower Category events.
- Parks Tennis events.
- Team events: they are very popular and contribute considerably to keep young players interested in the sport. All levels are available:
- Club and Schools Leagues: They are coordinated by the Provincial Branches or independent groups like the DLTC (Dublin Lawn Tennis Council) and Secondary Schools Leagues.
- Inter-provincial Championships, coordinated by the Provincial Branches.
- 4 Nations: U12, U14 and U18 teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales compete every year.
- European Winter and Summer Cups and Youth Olympics, where the top Irish juniors represent the country.
Tennis Ireland Junior Tour
The TI Junior Tour includes all Junior Open Tournaments approved by TI Competitions Committee. They are run under TI Tournament Regulations and follow specific guidelines according to the Category (level) allocated.
The tournaments are grouped into various Tours 2000, 1500, 1000, 500, 200 and 100. The number allocated to the Tour reflects the ranking points that the winner of the event will be awarded.
All players entering Tennis Ireland Junior tournaments must enter online through Tournament Software, and must have a Tennis Ireland PIN.
Tour 500 and above tournaments:
- The main type of draw used is elimination draw with or without a plate (consolation draw) for players that lose their first match.
- The higher the category, the stronger the players in the draw will be.
- Tour 1000 and above events are likely to include many players ranked within the top 40 of the country. They are run over five or more days.
- Tour 500 events at the beginning of the season attract many strong players, as the number of tournaments and the size of the draws are small. From Easter onwards, the number of tournaments per week is higher, there is greater choice and lower ranked players have a better chance to get accepted.
- Tour 500 events may be run through a week or over three days.
- Acceptance into Tour 500 and above tournaments is based on Tennis Ireland players’ ranking on the Wednesday before the acceptance list is made.
- The list of players in an event shows all the players that have entered up to the time that the online entry closes. Shortly after the entry closes, the organizers publish a list with accepted players and players in the reserve list in the order they may be called if accepted players withdraw.
Tour 200 and 100 tournaments:
- These tournaments are aimed to less experienced players. Tour 100 events are the best suited for juniors new to play Open tournaments.
- The number of entries is usually restricted to 16 players and acceptance is based on date and time of entry (first-come, first-served). They are very popular and fill up quickly. We advise players to enter as soon as the online entry opens to avoid disappointment.
- The events are run over one or two days.
- Compass draw or round robin draws with shorter scoring formats are used.
- Players play for positions and win or lose they progress through the draw.
- Players with a national ranking of 1-59 are ineligible for Tour 100 events.
- Players with a national ranking of 1-29 are ineligible for Tour 200 events.
- Note: If you are not eligible to compete in your own age group under these rankings restrictions, you may NOT enter another age group.
Frequently Asked Questions:
There are a few different situations:
- There is only one day overlap (example; Tournament A ends on Saturday and tournament B starts on Saturday). You can, but MUST NOTIFY the referee of the tournament starting and get his/her approval by writing (email).
- You can enter tournaments that overlap more than one day if:
- You have entered an international tournament (Tennis Europe or ITF) that overlaps with a domestic tournament. Please note you must be eliminated from all draws in the international tournament (singles and doubles) BEFORE the draw for the domestic tournament is made.
Example: You entered an ITF tournament and lost in the 1st round of the main draw on Monday and the first round of the doubles on Tuesday. A domestic tournament starts on Wednesday, and the draw will be made on Tuesday evening, after you lost your international doubles event. Entry into the domestic tournament is permitted. - Another exception is competing in only one event in a National Tour tournament, and one in a Junior tournament. Both referees must confirm in writing that they can accommodate you.
- You have entered an international tournament (Tennis Europe or ITF) that overlaps with a domestic tournament. Please note you must be eliminated from all draws in the international tournament (singles and doubles) BEFORE the draw for the domestic tournament is made.
- NOTE: Referees are under no obligation to accept the request, as it will depend on how feasible it is to accommodate it (i.e. they may have a very heavy schedule and changes are not an option).
- If you have entered two tournaments that overlap and do not fit in the situations mentioned above, you must withdraw from one before the withdrawal deadline.
Example: Tournament A runs from Sunday to the following Saturday, and Tournament B from Monday to Saturday of the same week. Tournament A has an U14 one-day event Tour 100 event on Tuesday and Tournament B has an U14 one-day event on Thursday. You can’t enter both as the tournaments overlap 6 days.
You’ll find that information on the Starting to Compete page.
Please contact [email protected] for account and pin queries.
