Friendly, competitive tennis on Dorchester's public courts
You are just a step away from joining our mixed-sex, singles league for men and women (aged 18+) of all standards.
If you have been meaning to get back into tennis or would like to meet new people to play, why not give it a go!
Close matches, close by.
Want to Get Playing?
From the dates above, choose your round and click on the Join By link.
FREE TENNIS BALLS
Every player who completes three matches by the midway point of any round is sent a FREE can of tennis balls! Plus there are great offers all the time in our shop.
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This is how it works:
- Players are organised into groups of between 5 to 9 people of a similar standard
- It is a mixed sex, singles league, so men and women play each other
- Groups are put together by standard and there can be any combination of men and women in a group (we do not guarantee a balance of men and women and you could be the only man in a group of women or vice versa!)
- Contact details are emailed and posted to each player's account page
- Players arrange their own matches
- You can play on any court that suits both players
The league is:
- For everyone over the age of 18
- We welcome beginners as well as advanced players.
- Don't worry that you won't be good enough - playing matches is the best way to improve, and we use an online questionnaire to assess people's ability so you play only people of a roughly similar level
- Affiliated to the LTA For adults aged 18 years and above
Key points
- Matches are best of three sets; if a set reaches 6 games all it is decided by a tiebreak
- The evening before the round starts you will receive an email with all the contact details of the players in your group. Contact details are also posted to your Account Page
- Players are placed in groups according to past performance in the league and, for new players, their Player Standard Questionnaire
- Each player attempts to play each of the other player on their group once during the round
- A point is awarded for each set won
- If you complete three matches before the midpoint of a round you receive 2 bonus points and a bonus prize (either a pair of Local Tennis Leagues dampeners, or a tube of tennis balls)
- The winner of the group is the player with the most points at the end of the round
- The winner of the group wins a voucher for £20 to be spent in the Local Tennis League online shop. A winner's certificate is also posted to the winner's Account Page as a PDF file.
- Where possible, winners of groups are promoted to the group above for the next round.
See here for the complete rules and regulations
Getting started
New players will need to complete the player questionnaire before they can join a round. Once you’ve signed up, and for returning players you can join any of the upcoming rounds above.
For everything you need to know before you get started see the FAQs and review the Rules and Regulations, which all players agree to adhere to when playing in the leagues.
If there is anything else you need help with get in contact with Nigel, Sally and the team who will be happy to help!
Missing Something?
If you notice any of our venue information is out of date, missing court costs or opening hours please let us know.
Primary Venues
Wey Valley Tennis Centre
St Osmunds Community Sports Centre
Other Venues
Play Here?
We want to know what you think of playing in this league and see photos from your matches. Contact us today for an opportunity to be featured on the site!
Collapse AllDorchester Singles - Round 14 | Thursday 31 January 2019 to Wednesday 27 March 2019 (Midpoint: Wednesday 27 February 2019)
A terrific show of enthusiasm and commitment in the first round of the year in Dorchester with over 80% of matches played, all bonus points earned and friendly comments accompanying every match. Thanks for all your efforts and do continue to spread the word if you can, it would be great to return to two groups next time!
Group Summary:
This group had it all from "storming comebacks" to "outstanding shots" and "lots of long points" - well played everyone. John once again made top spot his own thanks to five fantastic wins, though he was "made to work hard" at times. Bill won tight three set tussles with Mike and Cameron to take his wins tally to four and sneak into second place. Hats off to you all for perfecting your scheduling skills to earn a bonus prize.
Final Rankings:
- John Clancy 10.1 [W5] 12 includes 2 bonus points WINNER
- Bill Davidson [W4, L2] 10 includes 2 bonus points RUNNER UP
- Cameron Spence 10.1 [W3, L3] 9 includes 2 bonus points
- Chris Dawson-Bishop 8.2 [W2, L1] 6 includes 2 bonus points
- Steve Bright [W2, L3] 6 includes 2 bonus points
- Mike Greenfield 10.2 [W1, L3] 5 includes 2 bonus points
- Thomas Bond 10.2 [L5] 2 includes 2 bonus points
Match Results:
Player Comments:
- "Great game. I could see your serve improving every game!" -- John
Player Comments:
- "really close and enjoyable game as always" -- Steve
Player Comments:
- "Tom gave me a lot of easy points in the first set then, at the change, admitted that he had damaged in specs in a dodgy drink-related incident and so was wearing his old ones. I'm not sure how old they were, but they had Fireman Sam logos- a bit like playing with a bucket on your head. He changed to his sunspecs and next thing was up 3-1 and running me ragged. A warning to other competitors- Tom plays better when he can see. Some very long rallies in the second set and good winners from Tom. Really enjoyable" -- Bill
Match of the Group:
Reveal CommentBill Davidson bt Cameron Spence (Mar 2) 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6)Player Comments:
- "What a great match- started in strong sun and ended overcast and very windy. Cameron and I swapped dominance throughout and neither of us could get a nose in front in a hard fought third set. Some great points played and the gusty side wind made life hard for both of us towards the end." -- Bill
Player Comments:
- "Another great game. Thanks Bill, some great rallys and outstanding shots to do them from each of us. Much closer than the score suggests." -- John
Player Comments:
- "Great game Cameron on a really sunny morning. " -- Chris
Player Comments:
- "Great match in beautiful sunshine. The final game was closely fought going to 8 deuces." -- Steve
Player Comments:
- "Fantastic match and Mike kept wrestling his way back into the game. We were so convinced it was going to a third set Mike left to pay for an extra hour of parking! Thanks for another great game" -- Cameron
Player Comments:
- "Great game, made me work very hard for every point!" -- John
Player Comments:
- "What a great match. Steve was running away with it in the first set and I had to claw my way back in. Lots of long points and every game was a struggle to close out. Phew!" -- Bill
Player Comments:
- "Good game Bill, with some good long rallies :) " -- Chris
Player Comments:
- "Good match in nice conditions and far from easy. Thank you Tom." -- Mike
Player Comments:
- "Brilliant match with Steve on a sunny spring morning. Hotly contested points and the momentum seemed to be swinging between us constantly. I've learned so much from our matches together in LTL and you've made me a much better player. Steve is always willing to give helpful tips to his opponents (and perhaps works against him), but is a credit to the sportsman and person that he is. Thank you Steve for another great experience, looking forward to our next encounter :)" -- Cameron
Player Comments:
- "A storming comeback from Tom almost pushed this game to a 3rd set, thanks for the game" -- Cameron
Player Comments:
- "Great close tussle in three sets and almost three hours. " -- Bill
Player Comments:
- "Great game as usual. Will never know how you hit that shot!" -- John
Results
Looking for previous matches? Visit the Dorchester archive.
The results listed here include the current and previous round of Singles matches for Dorchester.
Scoring Information:
You earn one point for every set you win. Players who complete three or more matches by the mid-point of the round receive 2 bonus points, and a bonus prize (typically a free can of HEAD tennis balls). Bonus prizes must be claimed within 28 days using the link posted to the player's Account page. The link is also emailed to players.
Please note, while matches tied at one set all may be completed with a matchtiebreak, singles matches completed to this shortened format, do not count toward bonus points.
Understanding the current rankings display:
Player name, [LTA rating - if known], W - tally of wins, L - tally of losses, UF - tally of unfinished matches] 'n' - points won (if bonus points have been won a note to this effect is added)
Comments:
Reporters of results are encouraged to leave a comment on the "Report Your Score" form. Additional commentaries may be added by submitting a result revision (see the pencil icon next to your results)
Player Comments: