Frequently asked questions

What is a Flex League?

Flex is short for Flexible, which is the opposite of Rigid. When you think about most tennis leagues - whether team or individual format -  they take place at a specific location or club, at a specific time and day of the week every week. This doesn't work for most humans out there, because we have busy lives. This league provides you with names and contact info of other players right in your area, and you can coordinate with them to play any time, and anywhere that works for both of you. Also, a Flex league is much cheaper for this reason (because you don't have to pay any dues for a club, and you don't have to travel as much. 

What's the difference between DMVTL Flex League and typical Ladder League?

Ladder leagues are usually a free-for-all, where you try to play as many matches as possible in order to accrue points. This typically rewards the players who have easier life schedules and who play the most, which may not necessarily be the best players. Also many ladder leagues have players from ALL OVER a given area, and don't share location information, so it can be tedious to schedule matches, because you need to find out where a potential opponent lives first. We supply that information upfront. So you can get right to scheduling, and you'll already know which area you should propose to setup a match before you even send first contact. 

Our Flex league is a more conventional format, where there are divisions, which correspond with similar skill levels and experience. And then further grouped by proximity. We're not just sending out a list of 100 names to everyone and saying "here you go!" We're being more thoughtful about our structure and taking player feedback into account. This is in direct opposition to the very broad and less-structured format of a ladder tennis league. 

Furthermore, we're offering a playoff structure, and a unique scoring system which allows for the most competitive players to be rewarded. With ladder leagues, the players who play the most matches (typically) win the league or are near the top. With our organized Flex structure, everyone plays the same number of matches in each session, and then qualifies based on their merit and performance. Even players who lose close matches are rewarded automatically with more points. Ladder leagues don't take this into account. It's more fair and equal this way. 

Where do the matches take place?

This is the best part about the Flex format. You can play wherever and whenever you want, once you coordinate with the players in your flight. It can be public parks, high schools, or even private/indoor clubs if either you or the other player has a membership in the area. 

What is the cost?

This may be the lowest priced league you could ever join. It's $30 for each session. There are 3 sessions per year right now. Spring, Summer, and Fall. If you really want to play as many matches as possible, you can join a second flight (whether that means a different region at the same level, or a different level in the same region), and that second entry will be discounted to only $20. 

How do I know who should bring balls to the match?

Both players bring 1 can of balls to the match. This way there is no confusion. You crack one can open for the match. The winner keeps the other unopened can. It's just a little incentive to bring your A Game. 

How can I see the results?

This is a pillar of what we're trying to simplify in comparison to most leagues. Once scores are entered, the standings and scores will update real-time. Just navigate to the page of your flight and you'll see all the results as they are entered. 

I just registered. Why don't I see my name in the appropriate flight? 

This is because we need to verify your payment before adding you to the league. It shouldn't take more than 24 hours once you send payment. You should have still received a confirmation email of your registration. 

Which payment methods are available?

We accept many different payment methods for your convenience. You can pay easily via credit card Here. We also offer Zelle, PayPal and Cash App. For PayPal and Zelle, send the payment to info@dmvtennisleague.com. For Cash App, send to $dmvtennisleague. If the account you pay with may have a different name than you used to register, please make a note with the payment submission who the registration is for. So we can activate your league entry as quickly as possible.

How will I know how to contact other players in my flight?

Soon before the session begins, you will receive an email and/or a Google Doc share notification which will have every player in your flight, along with their contact information, city, and preferred availability. This will hopefully save some back and forth (ie, "where do you live?" "when are you available?") and streamline the process. 

What happens if I have trouble scheduling matches with another player?

The premise of this league is flexibility. If you cannot schedule matches at times which will always be convenient for you, then you probably shouldn't sign up. This is meant to be a pleasant experience for all. Obviously injuries happen, which is the exception. 

How do I submit scores in the event of a retirement/forfeit?

In the event of a mid-match retirement, if you are the winning player, just submit a score of 6 for yourself, for any incomplete sets, and still enter the number of games the retiring player won, so they still get credit. In the event of a forfeit, if a player become injured and cannot complete their matches, enter the score as 6-0, 6-0. 

Who can I contact if there is an on-court issue/dispute?

If you read through our website, the goal here is to provide a fun, laid-back league for those who want to meet other players, and have some friendly competition. Generally, you defer to the player calling the lines on their own side of the court. However, in the rare case that a line call cannot be resolved, it's always encouraged to replay the point. 

DMVTL will not tolerate violence or harassment of any kind. Let your game do the talking. If there is ever an instance where one player is acting inappropriately for any reason, just keep your cool, and trust your judgment whether to keep playing or not. But ALWAYS let us know if anything like this happens, so we can get both sides of the story and intervene if necessary. You can send us a message at info@dmvtennisleague.com.