The Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars provides young Canadian tennis players (ages 7 to 10) with an opportunity to play competitive tennis in a fun environment. Last year approximately 1,000 boys and girls across the country competed in almost 400 events. Rising Stars tournaments are the perfect opportunity for young tennis players to improve their skills and make new friends. The Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars is designed to provide a tournament format for kids whereby they take part in multiple meaningful matches in a short block of time, making it convenient for families.
Getting Started
Rogers First Set Tour – RISING STARS is for:
- Competitors who are looking to enhance their competitive experience and meet the Whole Player Development Pathway (WPDP) competitive criteria
- We strongly recommend players having some competitive tennis playing experience (minimum of 3 events) such as Rogers First Set Tour – Rookie events or club tournaments
- U9 events (orange ball competition) are for players who will turn nine years old this year or younger
- U10 events (green ball competition) are for players who will turn 10 years old this year or younger
How to join & find a tournament
To compete in Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars tournaments, players must be a registered member of Tennis Alberta. Once players purchase a Tennis Alberta membership, they must register for a specific tournament on the Tournament Software website. For a complete list of province-wide Rising Stars tournaments, click here.
Step 1: How to register for a Tennis Alberta membership*
To register please click here.
- Click on the Log In/Sign Up button
- Select Tennis Alberta
- Agree to Rules and Regulations
- Create a profile
- Pay for membership and finalize account
*If players have participated in Rookie tournaments previously, they simply need to upgrade their membership type within the membership section
Step 2: How to register for a tournament
- To Register for a tournament, click here.
- Click on an event in your province & age category (U9 or U10) to register
- Click button on top-right corner to enter online
Please review the Junior Competitive Structure for Rising Stars entry guidelines.
Please read the Tournament Regulations on Tournament page before entering.
What to Expect?
Tournament Format
The aim of Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars tournaments is to provide year-round quality match play opportunities for advanced U9/U10 junior tennis players. Rising Stars tournaments are recommended for players looking to take their first step along the competitive pathway. Take a look at the competition formats below to see how each age groups’ matches are structured:
U9 – orange ball competition
- 3/4 court will be used
- Racquet: 23” (depending on child’s size)
- Boys and girls combined draw
U10 – green ball competition
- Regular full court will be used
- Racquet: 23-25” (depending on child’s size)
- Boys and girls on separate draw
Draw Format
Compass or Round Robin draw format will be used to provide a minimum of three match opportunities to each player.
Match Format
Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars tournaments use modified scoring formats to provide a friendly introduction to competition and have matches completed in a shorter period of time. U9 and U10 events will use the scoring formats outlined below.
| U9 Events (30 min MAX) | U10 Events (45 min MAX) |
| 8-game Pro Set (first to win 8 games with a margin of 2 games), or 45-minute timed match, whichever comes first 5-point tiebreak at 8-8 | Best of 3 short sets up to 4, no ad 5-point set tiebreak at 3-3, win by 1 5-point match tiebreak at 1 set all (in lieu of a 3rd set) |
| No ad scoring, players do not call lets | No ad scoring, players do not call lets |
Prizing
Competitors will receive a Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars prize when they play in their first event and fifth event throughout the calendar year.
Leaderboard
To create a healthy and positive competitive environment, Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars leaderboards are designed to reward participation as well as performance. Points will be awarded as follows:
- Participation Points: Points are awarded for each tournament a player competes in (40 points per tournament played)
- Bonus Participation Points: One-time bonus points are awarded to players at the end of the year if they have played in 10 or more Rising Stars tournaments in the same age category (U9 or U10) (200 bonus participation points for playing 10 tournaments)
- Tournament Points: Points are awarded for wins and ties (10 points per match win)
Each province maintains 4 leaderboards: Boys U9, Girls U9, Boys U10, and Girls U10. At the end of the year, the top 5 players on each leaderboard are awarded prizes.
For the Rising Stars Leaderboards, click here.
Fair play
Providing a competitive environment in which all matches are contested fairly is essential to ensuring a positive experience for all players. Everyone must work together to make this happen including Tennis Canada, Provincial Associations, players, parents, and officials.
Players are expected to follow these key Fair Play elements:
- Following the rules of the game
- Treating opponents, officials, organizers, coaches, parents, and spectators with respect
- Embracing both victory and defeat with dignity
- Displaying appreciation for a good performance
- Exercising self-control
- Playing a part in creating a safe and inclusive tennis environment by not engaging in any form of maltreatment or verbal, physical or online abuse towards opponents, officials, organizers, coaches, parents, and spectators
Tennis Canada Rulebook: Rules of the Court 2022 – click here
Players must adhere to Tennis Alberta’s Player Code of Conduct – click here
Player & Parent Resources
Parents are asked to be familiar with the information of the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars and tournament regulations before signing up your child to a tournament.
- Tennis Matchplay 101 – click here
- Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars: Player & Parent Checklist – click here
- Tips for Parents – click here
If you would like to provide feedback on the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars, please take the time out to complete our survey. This short survey will take approximately five minutes to complete.
What’s the Next Step?
Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars events are designed to prepare players for entering the U12 junior provincial competitive structure.
To view the Whole Player Development Pathway (WPDP) click here.
For a complete overview of province-wide tournaments, consult our calendar.
To learn more about your province’s Junior Competitive Structure, click here.
If you have any further questions about the Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars, please email info@tennisalberta.com
Resources for Tournament Directors
- Tournament Director Checklist – click here
For more information on hosting a Rogers First Set Tour – Rising Stars tournament at your club, please email info@tennisalberta.com
Rogers First Set Tour: Rising Stars
To create a healthy and positive competitive environment, the First Set Tour – Rising Stars leaderboards are designed to reward participation as opposed to winning. Points are awarded in different ways:
- Participation Points – Players participating in the First Set Tour – Rising Stars will receive 40 points per tournament played towards their year-end total.
- Bonus Participation Points – A one-time bonus of 200 points for 10 First Set Tour – Rising Stars tournaments played will be given at the end of the year. All bonus points will be awarded in December, following the completion of the Circuit.
- Tournament Points – 10 points to one match win.
If you have any other questions or concerns regarding the First Set Tour – Rising Stars, please email info@tennisalberta.com
