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 (draw sizes, round deadlines, ladder penalties). Any tournament that has matches also shows Help: entering scores next to the schedule. Casual or host-run events may use different rules; draw layout and score entry work the same way.

What the example draw shows

Bracket format: This is a full 16-player outdoor-cap single elimination — the same ladder seeding and first-round slotting logic as the month-start job uses when it creates official draws (then fictional scores are filled in for teaching).

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)

  • Monthly signups are turned into one or more single-elimination knockout tournaments per event. Each draw needs at least 4 players; there is no limit on total registrations—extra players are split into additional draws (separate brackets).
  • Outdoor season: each single draw has at most 16 players (up to four knockout rounds). When 9–15 people sign up for an event, they are placed in one draw: the bracket is padded to 16 and the top seeds get first-round byes. Indoor season: at most 8 players per draw (up to three knockout rounds). Very large signups are split into additional draws.
  • Seeding into the bracket follows ladder order within the signup list for that pool (not a random draw).
  • Round deadlines: When the tournament is created, the system assigns a deadline for each knockout round from the competition month (starting at the event). For four-round draws (typical full 16-side brackets), rounds 2–4 each get seven days, and round 1 gets the rest of the time at the start of the month (for example about 10 days in a 31-day month, 9 in a 30-day month, and 7 in a 28-day month). Brackets with any other number of knockout rounds split the month evenly between rounds. You see each round's deadline on the tournament page and on your matches. You get a direct-message reminder two days before your open match's round deadline (once per match). If no score is entered by the deadline, the match is closed as incomplete (both sides withdrawn from that match with a ladder penalty), and the bracket may advance the other side of the pairing.

1. Join and wait for the draw

  • Register on Monthly registration before the end of the prior month. When the month-start job runs, signups become one or more single-elimination draws: at least four players per draw, up to 16 in the outdoor season or eight in the indoor season, with extra players split into additional brackets.
  • Open your pool from Current tournaments. Each draw has round deadlines (one per knockout round, spread through the month)—see the tournament page and each match card on a live event. This example is fully scored, so deadlines are not shown here.

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. The same idea applies if you reached out to schedule or confirm play but they never replied in good time and the round deadline passed — describe your outreach in the report.
  • 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, someone does not appear, or you tried to schedule but your opponent never replied in good time before the round deadline, 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.

Example: men's singles knockout (16 players)

Same seeding & R1 slotting as official monthly draws · illustration only · every round pre-scored

Example tournament

Example: men's singles knockout (16 players)

Men's singles · Single elimination

Men's singles · Single elimination

Draw
Single elimination
16 players
Scoring
Standard sets (tennis)
Same match card layout as live events
Schedule
Example July 2026 dates below the draw diagram (same deadline formula as live monthly draws). Real events use your competition month; you still get a reminder two days before each due date.
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 — a flat 2 ladder points in every round. Doubles partners each get the full amount. You also earn tournament coins for the same wins: max(1, round × 1) (e.g. round 1 = 1, round 3 = 3).
  • 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 knockout win bonuses above. The amount follows registered entrant count (players in singles, teams in doubles — not the padded bracket slot count when byes fill out a power-of-two draw):
    • +10 — 16+ entrants (e.g. full 16-player singles draw)
    • +6 — 8–15 entrants (e.g. 12-player draw padded to 16 slots)
    • +4 — 4–7 entrants
    • +3 — 1–3 entrants

    Champion tournament coins (same entrant-count tiers; a modest slice — most coins are from signup and from playing matches): +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 (symmetric Elo: default K = 25; K = 40 on your first 5 match-result changes per format if your account was created on or after 5/1/2026 (UTC)). 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.

Showing up and playing: +8 tournament coins once per first signup, plus +2 per main-draw match you play (both sides, win or loss). Signup credit is revoked if you leave in ways that remove the award, same as before.

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).

Registered players

1 seed and 2 seed are the two strongest registrants by current singles ladder points (if applicable) or self-rated levels.

  1. Alex Chen1 seed(You)

Champion

+10 ladder points (tournament winner bonus) on a real event.

Draw diagram

Same diagram component as a live event. Lines connect winners into the next round; scroll horizontally on small screens. The full bracket is shown; below, only Alex Chen's matches are listed.

6–4, 7–6 (7–5)

2–0 sets won

6–4, 4–6, MTB 10–8

2–1 sets won

8–6

1–0 sets won

4–2

1–0 sets won

Withdrawal

2–0 sets

Withdrawal

2–0 sets

6–2, 6–4

2–0 sets won

7–6 (8–6), 6–4

2–0 sets won

6–4, 6–3

2–0 sets won

6–4, 6–3

2–0 sets won

1–0 sets

6–4, 6–3

2–0 sets won

6–4, 6–3

2–0 sets won

6–4, 6–3

2–0 sets won

Example round deadlines (July 2026 outdoor month) — same per-round spacing as live draws. Each round must be fully scored by the date shown; you get a reminder two days before.

Round deadlines

Exact cutoff time in Calgary (Mountain Time, America/Edmonton).

1

Round 1

Jul 10, 2026, 11:59 PM MDT

2

Quarter-final

Jul 17, 2026, 11:59 PM MDT

3

Semi-final

Jul 24, 2026, 11:59 PM MDT

4

Final

Jul 31, 2026, 11:59 PM MDT

Matches & scores — Alex Chen's path

Below: only Alex Chen’s matches (full bracket stays in the diagram). 16-player knockout · read-only cards · varied round-of-16 scores · live events show per-round deadlines

About the example draw below

This page is framed from Alex Chen’s perspective as the winner: the list below the diagram only shows matches he played. The diagram itself is the full 16-player draw. This mirrors a full outdoor-season singles bracket (up to 16 players, four knockout rounds). Official draws get a deadline per round, spread through the month, with a DM reminder two days before each deadline—see a live tournament for dates on each match. 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

  • 6–4, 7–6 (7–5)

    Sets won: 20

    Recorded

    Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.

Quarterfinals

  • Quarterfinals

    7–6 (8–6), 6–4

    Sets won: 20

    Recorded

    Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.

Semifinals

  • 6–4, 6–3

    Sets won: 20

    Recorded

    Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.

Final

  • 6–4, 6–3

    Sets won: 20

    Recorded

    Demo only — open a real tournament from the list to join and enter scores.