REV: 12-17-2024

Table of Contents
Age Determination
    1. There are three major age groupings, Juniors (18 and under), Adults (19 & over) and Seniors (50+).
    2. A Player's age for the entire tournament year shall be determined by his/her age on December 31st of the tournament year in question. An exception will be made if the National or State Senior Games organizations mandate a different date in their tournaments.
Event Eligibility
    1. In the Junior Age Divisions, players may play up in the junior age divisions or participate in the 19+ only adult division. For Junior competitive divisions please use the following approved format
      1. Three age divisions: 12U, 14U, 18U
      2. Round Robin Non-Elimination Draws
    2. Comment: They may NOT enter into any other older age events, however, if brackets have to be combined:
      1. The 19+ bracket can only be combined with a 30+ bracket if there is a junior team in the 19+ bracket
      2. If there are not enough teams in the 19+ and 30+ bracket the junior team would need to play up in skill to the next 19+ bracket. i.e. 3.0 19+ to 3.5 19+
      3. In the event that there is one player who is a junior and one who is not, they can play in the 19+ bracket and the next age bracket that needs to be combined. i.e. Team A 14yrs old & 54yrs old / Teams B, C and D, 52yrs old and 52yrs old combine the brackets 19+ and 50+.
      4. You have one player who is eligible to play in the 50+ bracket but is playing down in the 19+ bracket with a younger player which allows them to play 19+.
      5. If there is a junior team playing in the 19+ age group then the 50+ and up age, brackets cannot be combined down to play with the 19+ bracket.
        Juniors may not play in both junior and adult divisions in the same tournament.
    3. **Juniors Tournaments will not utilize a system of player ratings for category/skill differentiation.
    4. ***Players that participate in a junior division will NOT receive UTPR credit.
    5. In the Adult and Senior Age Division, players may enter any event for which they are not too young.
    6. A RATED event is open to players of any age, including Juniors, Adults, and Seniors. A Senior Rated event is open only to players who are 50+.
    7. If a Tournament Director wants to allow players under 50 to play in a Senior Rated event, it then becomes simply a Rated event and must be open to players of all ages.
    8. In any USA Pickleball Rated event, players are asked to rate themselves if they do not already have a USA Pickleball rating. However, the Tournament Director has the final decision on where self-rated or unrated players are placed. Rated players may only be placed in a different division by the Tournament Director with the player's permission or if events have to be combined.
    9. In Rated events, a player may NOT play in an event rated lower but may play in one rated higher.
Tournament Scoring Options

The recommended tournament scoring option is best two of three games to 11 points, win by two points. Other options include: best three of five games to 11 points, one game to 15 or one game to 21. All formats win by two points. Round robin brackets may also use one game to 11, win by two points, if the bracket has six or more teams.

(Provisional Rule) Rally Scoring Option: The Tournament Director shall have the option to use rally scoring. This includes singles and doubles round-robins, team play and singles double-elimination. Also, for doubles, double-elimination is not a rally scoring option. For 2025, all USAP Golden Ticket events and the USAP National Championships will use side-out scoring. All standard rules shall apply to rally scoring except as otherwise provided in the rulebook.

Game Scoring Format: Game scoring shall be to 11, 15, or 21 points. Matches may consist of one game, best two of three games, or best three of five games. For inclement weather considerations, the Tournament Director may approve game scoring to 7 points, with an end change at 4 points in a single-game match or in the tiebreaker game of a multiple-game match.

Point Scoring: A point is scored by the player or team that wins a rally, except as provided for in 12.B.1.c. which states: Scoring the Game-Winning Point. The game-winning point can only be scored by the serving player or team. When a player or team is at game point and the opponent serves and loses the rally, it is a side out and no point is awarded.

For detailed information on each approved format please utilize the USA Pickleball Rulebook.

Tournament Formats

There are six tournament formats that may be used. The particular format is typically the choice of the tournament sponsor or the Tournament Director.

  1. Single Elimination with Consolation
  2. Double Elimination
  3. Round Robin
  4. Pool Play
  5. Non-Pool Play
  6. Team Play
List of USA Pickleball Approved Events

Junior Events

  • Girl's 12 & Under: Singles, Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Girl's 14 & Under: Singles, Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Girl's 18 & Under: Singles, Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Boy's 12 & Under: Singles, Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Boy's 14 & Under: Singles, Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Boy's 18 & Under: Singles, Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles

Junior events may be structured at the Tournament Director's discretion to best fit the needs of Junior participation.

 

Adult Events

  • 19 & Over (19+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles (May also be labeled "Under 30" to encourage Junior participation)
  • 30 & Over (30+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 40 & Over (40+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles

 

Senior Events

  • 50 & Over (50+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 55 & Over (55+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 60 & Over (60+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 65 & Over (65+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 70 & Over (70+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 75 & Over (75+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 80 & Over (80+): Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles*, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles

Comment: 55+, for example, means that anyone over 55 could enter that division of play. "Masters" and "Legends" have been removed from the list of events. A tournament director can still achieve the same thing by designating events as 50+ and 65+ as well as designating other age divisions, for example in 10-year increments.

*This format will not be approved for golden ticket tournaments such as the NCS tournaments, the Regionals or Diamond Amateur Championship and the Indoor and Outdoor National Championships. Mini Singles is only available as an approved format for the amateur brackets 3.0 – 5.0.

  • Click here for Mini Singles Format Instructions
  • Click here for Mini Singles FAQs
  • Important Note: The temporary centerline through the kitchen must be removed if a regular singles or doubles match is assigned to that court. Specific courts may be marked and set aside for mini singles.
List of USA Pickleball Approved Skill Events
  • Senior 5.0: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Senior 4.5: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Senior 4.0: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Senior 3.5: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • Senior 3.0: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles

 

  • 5.0: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 4.5: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 4.0: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 3.5: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
  • 3.0: Men's & Women's Singles, Men's & Women's Mini Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles
List of USA Pickleball Approved Combined Skill/Age Events

Combined Skill/Age Events consist of Approved Skill Levels broken down into Approved Age Groups. It is age groups within skill levels.

Examples:

  1. 3.0: 19+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+
  2. 4.0: 19+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+, 80+
  3. 5.0: 50+, 65+

Comments:

  • Age levels within each skill group may be merged by the Tournament Director. As an example, 3.0 19+ may be combined with 3.0 30+.  This would be a 3.0/19+ event.
  • When possible, we recommend that TDs combine 19+ and 30+; 50+ and 60+; 70+ on up.
  • Note: If there are not enough registrations for this to be possible they may combine as needed.
  • Any player or team in a skill/age tournament requesting to play in a skill level higher than their rating may be allowed to do so but at the tournament director's discretion
  • Any player or team in a skill/age tournament requesting to play down in age group must be allowed to do so.
  • For example, a player or team with a younger player 64 years old, and a 3.5 rating may enter any age bracket that is lower than 65+. and/or any skill level above 3.5.
List of USA Pickleball Approved Combined Age/Skill Events

Combined Age/Skill Events consist of Approved Age Groups divided by Approved Skill Levels. It is skill level within age groups.

Examples:

  • 19+: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0
  • 30+: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0
  • 40+: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0
  • 50+: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0
  • 55+: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0
  • 75+: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0

 

Comments:

  1. Skill Levels within each Age Group may be merged by the Tournament Director.
  2. As an example, 19+ 3.5 may be combined with 19+ 4.0. This would be a 19+/4.0 event.  When possible, we recommend that TDs combine 3.0/3.5 and 4.0/4.5/5.0, but if there are not enough registrations for this to be possible they may combine as needed.
  3. 30+ and 40+ events are run in 10-year age increments
  4. 50+ and over events may be in 5, 10, or 15-year age increments as needed (50+,55+,60+,65+,70+,75+,80+ or 50+,60+,70+,80+ or 50+,65+,80+, etc).
  5. Any player or team in an age/skill tournament requesting to play in a skill level higher than their rating may be allowed to do so but at the tournament director's discretion.
  6. Any player or team in an age/skill tournament requesting to play down in age group must be allowed to do so. For example, a player or team with a 3.5 rating and with a younger player 64 years old may enter any skill level above 3.5 and any age bracket that is lower than 65+.

 

Tournament Requirements for Sanctioning

See Requirements For USA Pickleball Sanctioned Tournaments to determine requirements for having a tournament sanctioned by USA Pickleball. When designing tournament entry blanks, be sure and include spaces for player information that is listed as required in the Sanctioning Document.