Example: men's singles knockout (16 players)
Illustration only · fictional names · every round pre-scored through the final
Singles tournaments — how it works (with examples)
This page is a visual reference for singles knockouts on SixBagel. The draw and match cards below use made-up names and scores — they are not saved anywhere. Use the steps here when you join a real event.
On a live tournament page, official monthly events include a collapsible Tournament rules & scoring with the same policies as below (pool play, deadlines, ladder penalties). Any tournament that has matches also shows Help: entering scores next to the schedule. Casual or host-run events may skip pool play; draw layout and score entry work the same way.
What the example draw shows
The round of 16 is a sampler, not a realistic distribution of results: Mode 1 with a set tiebreak, split sets plus a match tiebreak, a pro set, a curtailed line, two administrative wins (withdrew vs default), two plain two-set wins, and one mutual no contest (labeled No contest on the card — see match outcomes below). The first quarter-final is another Mode 1 example (7–6 with set TB, then 6–4). One quarter-final is a bye after that void. The rest of the draw stays straightforward so a champion is still crowned.
Official monthly knockouts (singles)
- Players are grouped into pools of at least 4 for round-robin play. Pool standings use ladder points (wins, losses, games won/lost, head-to-head when applicable).
- Indoor competition months may cap singles pools at 8 players so draws stay smaller and easier to schedule in winter.
- After pool play, top players from each pool advance to a single-elimination draw. Seeding into the draw follows ladder order within each pool (not random draw).
- You get a direct-message reminder two days before each round deadline; if no score is entered by the deadline, the match is recorded as Incomplete, both sides are treated as withdrawn from that match with a ladder penalty, and the draw may award a bye on the other side of the pairing.
1. Join and wait for the draw
- Open a tournament from Current tournaments and join while sign-up is open (official monthly events use a published registration window).
- When entries are ready, the host generates a single-elimination draw (often 8 or 16 players). Sign-up then locks for that tournament.
Entering scores
Either player (singles) or either team (doubles) can enter the score for a match, or the host can enter it on behalf of the players. Use the score entry on the match row in your schedule or draw.
- Mode 1 — full match: enter every set through the end of the match (including a match tiebreak if you played one).
- Mode 2 — partial match: enter completed sets only, then choose a final outcome (walkover, retired, default, etc.) for unfinished play.
- Curtailed: use when weather, court time, or mutual agreement stopped the match before a normal completion and you are not using a standard tennis outcome (walkover, retired, default, etc.). Describe what happened in the notes.
If your event uses simple score display, you will only enter set counts (who won each set), not detailed game scores within sets.
2. Find your match and enter a result
On the tournament page you see your matches and the full draw diagram. Open your round, then use the score form.
Example — Mode 1 (two sets + match tiebreak)
You win in straight sets. Enter games per set; for 7–6 or 6–7, fill in the 7-point set tiebreak points in the TB row.
Set 1: 6 – 4 (no set tiebreak) Set 2: 7 – 6 TB: 7 – 5
If you split sets 1–1, add the 10-point match tiebreak row and enter points there.
Example — Mode 2 (pro set to 8)
One long set decides the match. If you reach 7–7, record 8–7 (or 7–8) and enter the 10-point tiebreak scores in TB.
Match: 8 – 6
3. Curtailed match (stopped early)
When weather, court time, or mutual agreement stops play before a normal completion, use Curtailed as described under entering scores and match outcomes above. In the form, check Curtailed match if your UI offers it, enter the score as it stood (partial set is OK), describe the situation in notes, and save. If the result is wrong, your opponent can use Report issue → Score issue.
Curtailed ✓ Set 1: 4 – 3 (play stopped — leader wins on this line)
Time, place, and conduct
- Agree on date, time, and court with your opponent using chat or your own contact method.
- Arrive on time and ready to play.
- Bring balls and any shared equipment you agreed on.
- Follow fair play, host or facility rules, and any code of conduct for the event.
Match outcomes (walkover, default, retired, etc.)
- Walkover: one side does not play — for example, the opponent does not show, is injured before play begins, or withdraws before any meaningful play. The other side is credited with the win without playing a full match.
- Withdrew before match: a player or team pulls out before the scheduled start so no contest takes place; the opponent is advanced.
- Default during match: a player or team is unable to continue because of injury, illness, equipment failure, or rule violations after play has started. The opponent wins the match according to the score entered and the default reason you select.
- Disqualification: a player or team is removed for serious misconduct or rule breaches. The opponent wins; use notes to summarize what happened for the host.
- Retired: a player or team stops play after it has started because of injury, illness, cramping, or similar. The opponent wins; record completed sets and choose Retired as the final outcome.
- Curtailed: play stops early by agreement or external constraint (for example, weather or court booking limits) without a walkover, default, or retirement. Record completed sets and explain the situation in the notes.
- Mutual no contest: both sides agree not to play the scheduled match — for example, they cannot find a workable time before the deadline. In singles, both players must confirm. In doubles, all four players must confirm. The draw records a mutual no contest instead of a forfeit to one side.
Disputes and no-shows
- If you disagree about a score or outcome, use Report issue on the match and choose Score issue so a host can review chat and ladder history.
- If your opponent is more than 15 minutes late without a clear message, you may claim a walkover after trying to contact them. Use notes to describe what happened.
- Hosts may adjust results that clearly conflict with posted evidence or repeated unfair behavior.
4. Schedule assistant
Schedule assistant on a match card lets each side save when they can play; the page suggests overlapping times. You still agree court location off-app.
5. How the draw advances
The draw moves when a match is resolved — not only when someone wins on the scoreboard. Below is how each case works on SixBagel (knockout).
- Completed match. You enter sets (or simple mode); the winner is placed into the next round. The diagram connects that player into the slot fed by their first-round match.
- Withdrawal from the tournament (after the draw is locked). Leaving the event forfeits your open matches: opponents are credited with a win (often shown as walkover / withdrew), the draw advances them, and ladder rules may apply. This is not the same as a mutual no contest on a single match.
- No-show or score dispute. If sides disagree or someone does not appear, use Report issue on the match (choose Score issue for score disagreements). Staff may record a walkover or another result tag. The card can show withdrawal-style wording when the match was decided without a normal set line.
- Mutual no contest. When both players agree they cannot play this match (with an allowed reason), they use the mutual flow on the match card: both must consent, then the match is closed with no winner — no ladder points from that pairing. The draw does not pick someone to advance from that feeder; the other match in the same mini-draw may show as playing against a BYE so play can continue. The example draw includes one mutual no contest in the round of 16 and the bye that follows.
- Incomplete (deadline). For official single-elimination months, if no score is entered by the round deadline, the match is recorded as Incomplete: both sides are treated as withdrawn from that match with a ladder penalty, and the draw may award a bye on the other side of the pairing (see reminders under official monthly knockouts above).
You do not need every match in the previous round to finish before your next match appears — only the path that leads to your slot. Open the collapsible help on a live tournament for the exact wording on your match card.
Run npm run dev to view this guide during development. Open a real tournament from the list to enter live scores.
Ladder rewards on real events
The knockout and champion ladder bonuses below apply to draw tournaments only, not to casual pickup games. Pickup matches can still earn per-match ladder points when the host enabled ladder tracking for that game. Points are added when scores are saved (and when a knockout champion is decided for tournaments). Totals appear on the Rankings page and in the user guide. Singles and doubles use separate totals. Outdoor (May through October) and indoor (November through April) ladders: each rolls over 12 calendar months within its own months only. There is no mixing between seasons. Points from a match count only toward the ladder for that event's format.
- Knockout round wins (main draw): each time a main-draw knockout slot records a win that qualifies (not a bye slot, not the consolation draw), you get an extra ladder bonus on top of the match formula. It scales with the knockout round number: 10 + round × 5 (e.g. round 1 = 15, round 3 = 25). Doubles partners each get the full amount. You also earn tournament coins for the same wins: 2 + round × 1 (e.g. round 1 = 3, round 3 = 5).
- Tournament winner (single elimination): a large extra ladder bonus when the final has a decided score, plus a champion title on your profile — in addition to the per-round knockout bonuses above. The amount follows the first knockout round — count of match rows in that round (bye slots count too, so odd-sized draws can differ from player count alone):
- +80 — 8+ first-round knockout matches (e.g. full 16-player singles draw)
- +50 — 4–7 matches
- +35 — 2–3 matches (e.g. full 4-player singles draw has 2)
- +25 — 0–1 matches (unusual)
Champion tournament coins (same draw-size tiers): +12 / +9 / +6 / +4 — per player when the final is decided (doubles partners each get the full amount).
- Each completed main-draw match: no flat participation points. The winner earns an Elo-scaled win bonus; the loser takes a scaled loss adjustment. If you win without playing (bye, walkover over a withdrawal or no-show, etc.), you do not receive those match win points — you still receive knockout round advancement bonuses when this match qualifies. Exact amounts depend on ratings when the match was played.
Joining an event: +5 tournament coins once per signup (revoked if you leave or withdraw before draw lock rules say otherwise).
How play starts: sign up on the Monthly registration page before the end of the month. On the 1st, the system ranks players by ladder points (your profile self-rating breaks ties when points are close) and builds skill-based groups — top 16 in skill group 1, the next players in skill group 2, and so on. Overflow players are placed in additional single-elimination pools. The next-round match appears as soon as both feeder matches are decided — you don't have to wait for the whole round to finish. Round deadlines don't block earlier rounds from moving; the daily job reminds players two days before each deadline and auto-closes unscored knockout matches after the deadline (Incomplete, ladder penalty, bye for the sibling path).
Draw diagram
Same diagram component as a live event. Lines connect winners into the next round; scroll horizontally on small screens.
Registered players
Names use the signup name when present, otherwise the profile username, then a short ID if both are blank.
- Alex Chen1 seed
- Blake Morrison2 seed
Matches & scores
16-player knockout · read-only cards · round of 16 shows several scoring paths
About the example draw below
The round of 16 is intentionally varied: straight sets with a 7–6 set (and set tiebreak), split sets plus a 10-point match tiebreak, pro set 8–6, curtailed partial set, walkover with opponent withdrew, the same walkover line with default on the loser (to compare badges — live no-shows often use withdrew), two ordinary two-set wins, and one mutual no contest (no winner — the other match in that quarter-final pair feeds a bye). The first quarter-final adds 7–6 with set TB plus 6–4; later rounds stay mostly standard so the draw still closes to a champion.
Round of 16
Round of 16
6–4, 7–6 (7–5)
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Round of 16
6–4, 4–6, MTB 10–8
Sets won: 2 – 1
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Round of 16
8–6
Sets won: 1 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Round of 16
4–2
Sets won: 1 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Round of 16
Withdrawal
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Round of 16
Withdrawal
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Round of 16
6–2, 6–4
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Round of 16
No contest
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Quarterfinals
Quarterfinals
7–6 (8–6), 6–4
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Quarterfinals
6–4, 6–3
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Quarterfinals
6–4, 6–3
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Quarterfinals
1 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Semifinals
Semifinals
6–4, 6–3
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Semifinals
6–4, 6–3
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.
Final
Final
6–4, 6–3
Sets won: 2 – 0
Recorded
Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.