Overview
For tennis in Greater Houston, there is one important factor to keep in mind: the rules of tennis that we play under represent a hierarchy of different sets of regulations. For the most part, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) adminsters and regulates the game through over 200 affiliated national associations. As one of those, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) amends or augments the ITF regulations as required to fit the offerings and programs in this country. For example, adult league play in the U.S. is extensive and requires specific rules to govern its operation that the ITF does not address. Some USTA regulations are fixed, while others are allowed to be changed to meet the specific needs in one of its 16 Sections. The USTA Texas Section publishes its own sets of procedures and guidelines.
The Houston Tennis Association (HTA) is one of more than 1,000 USTA Community Tennis Associations across the United States. Local scheduling and administration again necessitate some modification, clarification, and augmentation of USTA and USTA Texas Section regulations to create a best-fit for on-the-ground administration of leagues, tournaments, junior programs, and tennis events. Also of note is that the HTA is an independent 501(c)3 corporation and, as such, provides some of its own offerings that may not be affiliated with the USTA.
The guiding principle for tennis players and captains is this: If there is a regulation published by the HTA, that regulation takes precedence. If the HTA does not specifically address a given situation, look first to the USTA Texas Section and, if not referenced there, look to the USTA national regulations.
The listings below are grouped by governing organization and, while we have attempted to present everything pertinent to playing tennis in Houston, the list may not be considered comprehensive. For in-depth exploration, please avail yourself of the considerable resources offered at the USTA national Website, and that of the USTA Texas Section.
Please note that all links will open in a new window. We do this to make certain that we are presenting you with the actual source documents, not a copy. This page is curated and validated regularly. If we find new information that should be added, we will post it. If one of the links becomes invalid, it will be corrected as soon as possible.
HTA Documents
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- HTA Bylaws, PDF fileUSTA and HTA League Play
- Rules for Adult Houston HTA League Play
- HTA Request for Local League Rule Change Consideration, Microsoft Word Document
- HTA/USTA Texas Tournament Waiver Form, PDF file (required of all tournament entrants)
- Captain’s Code of Conduct
- HTA/JTT Rules
USTA Texas Section Documents
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- USTA Texas Constitution & Bylaws, PDF file
- USTA Texas Standing Orders and Tournament Regulations, PDF file
- USTA Texas League Operating Procedures, PDF file
- USTA Texas Junior Suspension System Frequently Asked Questions, PDF file
- USTA Texas Junior Team Tennis (JTT)
- 2024 USTA Texas Sectional Schedule, Web page
- 2024 USTA Texas National Schedule, Web page
- 2024 USTA Texas League Operating Procedures, Web page
- USTA Texas League Home Page, Web page
USTA National Documents
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- 2024 USTA National Adult League Regulations
- USTA Resources for Players, Web page
- USTA Constitution, Bylaws, Diversity and Inclusion Statement, PDF file
- 2023 Friend at Court (includes ““The Code: The Players’ Guide to Fair Play and the Unwritten Rules of Tennis”:, PDF file
- USTA Adult League Resource Documents Page, Web page
- TennisLink, Web page, the central source for league and tournament information and registration
- USTA Junior Team Tennis Resource Documents Page, Web page
- 2024 USTA National Regulations & Texas Operating Procedures (Merged), Web page
- NTRP Information, Webpage
- 2023 USTA League Suspension Point System, Web page
- 2023 USTA League Suspension Point Calculation Tables, Web page
- 2023 USTA League Suspension Point System FAQs, Web page
NTRP Information
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- NTRP Main Page at USTA, Web page
- NTRP FAQs, Web page
- NTRP Medical Appeal Procedures, PDF file
- NTRP Grievance Protocol, PDF file