When creating a Round Robin draw, you have the option to also create playoffs. If you want to add the playoffs you need to choose the Round Robin with Playoff option as the draw type. You can not create playoffs unless you choose this option. For an overview of draw creation and draw creation options, please refer to the Creating Draws in Tournament Desk Overview article. This article explains how to create a Round Robin with Playoff and different advancement types.
NOTE: Update for December 2023 - due to a fault found in the system. The add playoff button has been disabled. If a TD wants to run RR with playoffs they must choose that the Round Robin with Playoff draw format at the point of draw creation until we have resolved the issue in January 2024. If you have created a round robin and later decide you want a playoff draw, you will need to delete the draw and recreate the round robin with playoff.
How to Create Round Robin Playoffs for the Top Finishers
How to Create Round Robin Playoffs based on Group Finishing Position
How to Create Round Robin Playoffs for the Top Finishers
Using this method, the playoff draw is created from the top finishers in the group.
- Navigate to Tournament Desk by clicking Launch Tournament Desk on the tournament menu.
- Click on the Events tab and select the appropriate event.
- Click on the Draw tab.
-
Click Make Draw.
- Ensure you have completed all the pre-draw activities you require (avoidances, seeds, etc.) before clicking Make Draw.
- Select Round Robin with Playoff.
-
In the Advancement type, select Top finishers.
- In this advancement type, only the top player from each group will advance.
- If you want to create a consolation draw for the remaining player, select place remaining players in a second playoff draw.
- Once you are done choosing your draw options, click Make Draw.
-
To schedule the playoffs, click main at the top left of the screen and select the playoff draw you are looking to schedule.
- For more information on Scheduling matches, please refer to the Scheduling Matches in Tournament Desk Overview article.
How to Create Round Robin Playoffs based on Group Finishing Position
Using this method, a separate playoff draw is created for each finishing position in the group.
- Navigate to Tournament Desk by clicking Launch Tournament Desk on the tournament menu.
- Click on the Events tab and select the appropriate event.
- Click on the Draw tab.
-
Click Make Draw.
- Ensure you have completed all the pre-draw activities you require (avoidances, seeds, etc.) before clicking Make Draw.
- Select Round Robin with Playoff.
- For Advancement type, select Group Position.
- The Draw Type for the Playoff rounds will be selected when making the Main Draw.
- Once you are done choosing your draw options, click Make Draw.
-
To schedule the playoffs, click main at the top left of the screen and select the playoff draw you are looking to schedule.
- For more information on Scheduling matches, please refer to the Scheduling Matches in Tournament Desk Overview article.
- To see how players find their match times and locations, please view this guide and share with players. Viewing Tournaments, Draws, and Match Information
A Playoff can now be added to an existing Draw while matches are still being played, or after the draw is finished.
-
This Draw is a Round Robin with no playoff selected before play started. The Tournament Director can select the Draw Options drop down and choose to Add Playoff.
- After the Add Playoff is selected, you will be able to select the Playoff Structure (draw format), Advancement Type, number of Players that advance, and weather to include remaining Players in the Playoff Draw.
- After you have made your selections, click on Add Playoff.
- After the Draw has been completed you you will also be presented with the opportunity to Select Generate Playoffs.
- Select Draw options and in the drop down Add playoff.
- Select the Playoff Structure (Draw type), Advancement type, Number of players who advance per group, and click on Add playoff.
Breaking Ties for Junior Team Tennis (JTT), Tennis on Campus (TOC) and ITT
As of August 2023, within Tournament Desk if running a round robin event for TIC and ITT, if enabled by the Section/ District in the level configuration, tournament desk will enable the Pool standings rules in RR for TOC & ITT-Order of finish and this feature gives the ability to generate RR finishing positions for tied teams using the standings rules for TOC and ITT .
This will also stand for JTT order of play , where the TD can generate RR finishing positions for tied teams based on the standings rules for Junior Team Tennis. You will need to reach out to your section staff to ensure this is enabled to use as for rules to apply, section staff needs to check off JTT (ONLY) and will complete a form as only national has tag access. Any questions, please reach out to section staff.
Round Robin Playoffs FAQ's
Q: What happens in the playoff if there are uneven number of groups in the playoff
A: As per the procedure in the 2023 Friend at Court (USTA Regulation II.B.6.c) page 73. In the case of the 4 brackets, the top finisher in each bracket would be placed in a playoff draw. If there are 3 brackets, the top finisher from the 3 brackets - a bye could be assigned to the top seeded player among the finishers. A copy of the Friend at Court can be downloaded at the following link: 2024 Friend at Court.
Q: Why are the final positions not showing up?
A: The first thing to check - are all the scores inputted? Even if a match did not go ahead, a WO needs to be entered.
If you have checked this, then click on one score and save the score, this is sometimes needed to generate the positions.
Q: How do I know how the system awards the positioning when there is a tie.
A: As per Friends at Court - Page 73 Determining order of finish. The player who wins the most matches is the winner. If two players are tied, then the winner of their head to-head match is the winner. If three or more players are tied, the Referee shall use the following steps in the order listed to break all ties. The Referee shall break as many ties as possible using a given step before using the next step.
These steps are:
- The head-to-head win-loss record in matches involving just the tied players;
- The player with the highest percentage of sets won of all sets completed;
- The head-to-head win-loss record in matches involving the players who remain tied;
- The player with the highest percentage of games won of all games completed;
- The head-to-head win-loss record in matches involving the players who remain tied;
- The player with the highest percentage of sets won of sets completed among players in the group under consideration;
- The head-to-head win-loss record in matches involving the players who remain tied;
- The player with the highest percentage of games won of games completed among the players
- under consideration;
- The head-to-head win-loss record in matches involving the players who remain tied.
If the Referee has applied all the steps and a tie still cannot be broken, the Referee shall use a random drawing among the remaining tied players to determine their order of finish.