Time Tournaments 2

Each match is awarded a thousand points split between the players in proportion to their scores, which consist of a games score and a points score in the game under way when “Time!” was called. Parents are at hand to help those fairly new to tennis, and these also assist the referee by drawing attention to any attempt to slow down the proper progress of play. The penalty might well be the awarding of a game to the opponent ľ a fate not to be risked! The reasoning behind the thousand points, incidentally, is that it is sensitive to variations in score down to the difference between deuce and advantage at a game score of 10-0.

The original table indicating the points splits was typed on an electric typewriter. It was very satisfying to find the table completely in agreement with the computer calculated splits obtained by applying the appropriate formula. At the beginning and every thirty to forty minutes up to within forty-five minutes of the end, a computer printout is posted showing the boxes and the points to date.

Once the final match scores are entered, the computer integrates the scores in all boxes, adjusting scores as necessary if the number of players in each box is not identical. This action does mean that the final order of players has little meaning, if any. Someone in a lower standard box might win the overall tournament by beating all the players in their box by a greater margin that anyone else managed to achieve. The object of the tournament is, after all, to gain as many points as possible. The fun element is emphasised at the prize-giving. Nothing is to be taken too seriously. All players are awarded a bag of sweets for taking part, the number of sweets in each bag increasing from bottom to top of the order.

At Summerway, we invariably have a barbecue on Time Tournament days, which lights up about an hour before the end of play. This keeps players who have finished all their matches happy while they wait for the presentation.