ZAT Tennis Rules

ZAT stands for Zonal Advancement Tournaments. These tournaments are held throughout the state of Texas for junior tennis players as part of a state ranking system. Players who have a permanent residency in Texas and are not already qualified can participate in ZAT tournaments. Playing ZAT tournaments is the first step toward achieving a Texas state ranking.

  1. Tournament Rules

    • ZAT tournaments offer events for boys and girls ages 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18. Boys are allowed to play only in the boys' divisions and girls can only play in the girls' divisions. Junior tennis players are allowed to play in any ZAT tournament, but are allowed to play only in one per month. If a player plays in more than one in a month, he will be defaulted out of the remaining tournaments in that month and will forfeit any qualifying points earned in the month. Players are allowed to play in any age division they are eligible for. For example, a boy age 12 is eligible to play in division 12 events and can elect to play up in age division 14. If a tournament is canceled due to weather issues, players will receive points for the matches that were completed before cancellation.

    Match Rules

    • For age division 10 events, an eight-game pro set format is used. The first player to reach eight games with a margin of two wins the match. If the game score becomes tied at eight games each, a tie-break is used to determine the winner; this is the first player to reach seven points with a margin of two points. For all other age divisions, the best of a three set format is used. In the event that the first two sets are split between the players, a 10-point match tie-break is played instead of a third set to determine the winner. This is the first player to reach 10 points by a margin of two. Doubles events are not offered at the ZAT level.

    Awarding Points

    • Junior tennis players earn qualifying points by winning matches. Once a player has accumulated 65 points in a 12-month period, he or she is eligible to play in the next level tournaments, the championship level. Players must win at least one match in the tournament's main draw in order to win points. In a ZAT tournament, the winner receives 65 points and the finalist receives 32 points. Players who reach the semi-finals receive 16 points, quarter-finals eight points and four points for the round of 16. For each match won in the consolation draw, players are awarded four points. Points accumulated in one age division do not apply to another age division.

    Penalty Points

    • A player is assessed penalty points for withdrawing from a tournament after the deadline, for infractions of the rules or regulations and for defaulting, being a no-show. These points stay on the player's record for 12 months. If 10 penalty points have been accumulated over a 12-month period, a player faces suspension. A player receives four penalty points for defaults or for being a no-show.