Event Formats

Event formatting can be a primary deciding factor on whether to attend a tournament or not.  With over 2,000 players attending events in 2022, nearly 10,000 having competed in 2023 and over 15,000 participants in 2024, we developed the formats below so participants can anticipate seeing similar formats, regardless of the event date and/or location, when they plan to attend with APA.  Check out those formats and event expectations below along with additional Terms & Conditions relevant to play.

Seeding/Tie Breakers – seeding will be done based off overall record, head to head results, and then score differential.  A 2-way tie is broken by head-to-head results with a 3-way tie being broken by score differential.  Should there be a tie in score differential within a 3-way tie, the head-to-head result within that matchup will determine the higher seed between those teams.

Attendance Format Expectations – divisions of play with 4, 5, 6, 7, and/or 9 players/teams will compete in one pool for their round-robin stage.  Divisions of play with 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and/or 14 players/teams will compete in two different pools during their round-robin stage (typically divided equally). Divisions of play with 15+ teams will compete in 3 or more pools during their round-robin stage before advancing to brackets.

Qualifying Divisions of Play – players may self assess their skill level if they have 24 or fewer matches of play submitted to DUPR.  We will utilize the DUPR player ratings to set divisions at the following levels of play once a player has 25 or more matches WITH at least a 60% reliability.  If a player has 25+ games posted but fails to reach the 60% reliability mark, we will apply 85% of the posted DUPR rating as a baseline qualification level for play (example: DUPR is 4.245 with 38 games posted but a reliability factor of just 25%…85% of 4.245 would set the baseline DUPR standard of 3.6 for this player and they would not be permitted to play below the 3.5 skill level):

3.0 (2.75-3.24), 3.5 (3.25-3.74), 4.0 (3.75-4.24), 4.5 (4.25-4.74), 5.0 (4.75-5.24).  Teams will compete at the highest level of the best rated player on the team.

Rally Scoring Guidelines – every rally results in a point, regardless of which player serves.  Players will serve on the deuce (right) side of the court when they have an even point total (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc).  Players will serve on the ad (left) side of the court when they have an odd point total (1, 3, 5, 7, etc). A player must be serving to close out a match.  When a player reaches 20, each side may continue to score points to maintain proper score differentials for seeding, he/she must win their serve to close out a match.  Scoring may advance beyond 21 before closing out a match.

Rally Scoring Example…Player A wins a point to go up 20-12, Player A loses their serve to make it 20-13, Player B loses their serve to make it 21-13 (the match is not over until Player A wins on their serve but the scores continue to count), Player A loses their serve to make it 21-14, Player B wins their serve to make it 21-15, Player B loses their serve to make it 22-15 before winning their next serve resulting in a final score of 23-15.

Amateur Open Series

The Amateur Open Series will carry the following event expectations and these apply to any event holding the name “Amateur Open” in the title of the tournament.

Game Guarantee – 6 game minimum
Doubles/Mixed Format – single game pool play matches to 11, win by 2. Medal matches play to 15, win by 2.
Singles Format – single game pool play matches with rally scoring to 21, win by 2, for all singles play
Awards – medals for Gold/Silver/Bronze

Gold Cup Series

The Gold Cup Series will carry the following event expectations and vary from the Amateur Open Series during the medal match brackets specifically.  Any event holding the name “Gold Cup” in the title of the tournament will carry these differences.

Game Guarantee – 6 game minimum
Doubles/Mixed Format – single game pool play matches to 11, win by 2. Medal bracket match semi finals will have a single game match to 15, win by 2, with all finals matches (Gold/Silver and Bronze/4th) being a best 2 of 3 set to 11, win by 2.
Singles Format – single game pool play matches with rally scoring to 21, win by 2.  Medal match finals will be a best 2 of 3 set to 15, win by 2.
Awards – medals for Gold/Silver/Bronze

Master’s Series

The Master’s Series will carry the following event expectations with one final variation from the Gold Cup Series.  Any event holding the name “Master’s” in the title of the tournament will carry these differences.

Game Guarantee– 6 game minimum 
Doubles/Mixed Format – single game pool play matches to 11, win by 2. Medal bracket match semi finals and finals will be a best 2 of 3 set to 11, win by 2.
Singles Format – single game pool play matches with rally scoring to 21, win by 2, for all singles play. Medal match finals will be a best 2 of 3 set to 15, win by 2.
Awards – medals for Gold/Silver/Bronze

All Other Event Formats

There are a number of specialty events that do not carry an event series title like those above (Frozen Frenzy, Capital City Classic, etc) and they will carry the same formatting that you see for the Amateur Open Series unless explicitly stated otherwise on the event details page.

CASH Pay Divisions & Formats

All 2025 tournaments include an optional CASH Prize division of play.  These are capped at 14 teams with payout values dictated by total attendance within the event itself.  A sold out division with 14 teams will result in payouts to Gold: $800, Silver: $600, Bronze: $400 and 4th: $200.  The % payouts are 40% to Gold, 30% to Silver, 20% to Bronze and 10% of the total pot to 4th place.

Game Guarantee– 6 game minimum 
Doubles/Mixed Format – single game pool play matches to 11 or 15, win by 2. Medal bracket match semi finals will be a single game to 15, win by 2, and finals will be a best 2 of 3 set to 11, win by 2. Exact format may be subject to change based on time and court space available.
Singles Format – single game pool play matches with rally scoring to 21, win by 2, for all singles play. Medal match finals will be a best 2 of 3 set to 15, win by 2.
Awards – medals for Gold/Silver/Bronze…cash prizes are paid out via Venmo or Check once tax doc requirements are met.