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USTA/HTA Adult Leagues

Thousands of tennis players take advantage of our HTA and USTA adult league offerings each year.

18andOver
18andOverMixed
40andOver
40andOverMixed
55andOver

Overview

The HTA has a large and very active adult league program with thousands of players 18 and older for all skill levels. Leagues run year-round, including opportunities for singles, doubles, and mixed-doubles play. These include offerings that are USTA-sanctioned which are advancing and can lead to national championships, as well as local, HTA-only leagues.

Team matches consist of multiple individual line matches, giving all team members ample court time. The format of the matches varies depending upon the league type. For all leagues, the goal is to provide an enjoyable venue for friendly and evenly-balanced, competitive tennis.

Information about eligibility, costs, and a brief description of each USTA/USTA league type follows.

Eligibility

Age

All leagues have an age and NTRP (skill level rating) requirement. Players must be 18 years old upon registration in order to participate in any USTA leagues.  Leagues with age divisions, players must be the minimum age—or become the minimum age—the year the league is played. For example, if turn you 40 on November 1, you are eligible to play in a 40 & Over league that begins play in April even though you are still 39 when the league starts.

You can play in league whose age group specification is younger than you, but you cannot play “up” in an older age group. For example, if you are 40, you can play in both 18 & Over and 40 & Over leagues, but you cannot play in a 55 & Over league.

NTRP (National Tennis Rating Program)

NTRP ratings are a method of gauging relative skill level in order to assure reasonable competitiveness in league matches. The ratings range from 1.0, a complete beginner, to 7.0, at which point a player is considered capable of competing at a professional level. The ratings are published in .5 increments. Leagues are available from 2.5 and up.

NTRP ratings are computer-generated and based upon your results in USTA league play. The HTA has no impact on or control over your NTRP rating. If you don’t have a current or recent NTRP rating, you may need to self-rate in order to join a team. For complete information about NTRP, visit the USTA NTRP Information page and the NTRP Frequently Asked Questions page.

USTA Membership

For HTA and USTA league play, you must have a USTA membership that does not expire before the end of a given league’s season. There are junior, adult, and family memberships, as well as discounts for buying 3-year, 5-year, or a lifetime memberships. Your USTA membership not only allows you to participate in leagues and tournaments, but also comes with other benefits and third-party discounts.

A one-year adult membership is currently $44, a three-year membership is $119, and a five-year membership is $176. To learn about USTA membership, or to join or renew, visit the USTA Membership page.

Team Registration and Fees

There is a $32 fee for each league in which you participate. That fee not only covers USTA and TennisLink costs, but with registration you automatically become a voting member of the Houston Tennis Association. To register for a team and a specific season, you will need to know a unique team ID and then visit the TennisLink League Registration site. If you want to search for active and upcoming leagues near you, you can use the TennisLink Find-a-League tool.

Please note that once you have registered for a team, the fee cannot be refunded.

HTA Leagues

Early each year and again in the fall, we run HTA leagues in an exciting format using a weighted, point system. There is no winner or loser of a team match in this format. Rather, teams accrue points for each individual line match won, and it is the cumulative total of these points that determines the season’s winner. In the fall season, there is the opportunity to play for the Houston City Championship at your NTRP level.

HTA leagues are open to all players 18 and older, and offer separate leagues for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles play. USTA NTRP ratings are used to determine player and team eligibility levels, but match play in HTA leagues does not impact your Dynamic NTRP Rating and there is no sectional advancement.

The HTA doubles leagues offer levels for NTRP 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and Open; the singles leagues are NTRP 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5; the mixed doubles leagues use an NTRP level determined by the combined levels of each doubles team: 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, and 10.0.

The HTA Spring League generally runs mid-January through early April, and the HTA Fall League from early September through early November.

USTA Leagues

The largest adult tennis program in Houston—and nationally—USTA leagues have options for singles, doubles, and mixed doubles for all age groups and skill levels from NTRP 2.5 and up. All our USTA leagues, save Team Combo, offer the potential to advance to the Houston City Championships, USTA Texas Section Championships, and even a chance to win a coveted Gold Ball in the USTA National Championships. Each match you play affects your Dynamic NTRP rating and, provided you play a minimum number of matches during the year, will result in your obtaining a published year-end rating.

18 & Over Leagues

The 18 & Over Leagues are the most active in Houston with almost 4,000 players participating. NTRP levels for 18 & Over Leagues are 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0+ and Open. The team match format is two singles matches and three doubles matches. The 2.5, 5.0+, and Open NTRP levels play one singles match and two doubles matches.

The USTA 18 & Over Leagues generally run from late April through mid-June.

40 & Over Leagues

NTRP levels for 40 & Over Leagues are 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5+. The team match format is one singles match and three doubles matches.

The USTA 40 & Over Leagues generally run from early June through mid-August.

55 & Over and 65 & Over Leagues

The 55 & Over and 65 & Over Leagues use an NTRP level determined by the combined levels of each doubles team. The combined ratings of the two players may not exceed the NTRP level of the team (e.g., a 7.0 team may use a combination of two 3.5 players, a 4.0 with a 3.0 player, or a 3.0 player with a 3.5 player). NTRP levels are 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0. The team match format for 55 & Over and 65 & Over Leagues is three doubles matches.

The USTA 55 & Over Leagues generally run from mid-July through early September. The 65 & Over Leagues from late August through mid-October.

18 & Over Mixed Doubles Leagues

These mixed doubles leagues are for men and women 18 years of age or older. The team match format is three doubles matches. Like the 55 & Over Leagues, the mixed doubles leagues use an NTRP level determined by the combined levels of each doubles team. NTRP levels are 2.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0.

Played on Sundays, the USTA 18 & Over Mixed Leagues generally run from early June through mid-September.

40 & Over Mixed Doubles Leagues

These leagues are for men and women 40 years of age or older. The team match format is three doubles matches. NTRP levels are 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0.

Played on Fridays, the USTA 18 & Over Mixed Leagues generally run March through May.

Adult Team Combo

Team Combo is an 18 & Over format that allows two players of different NTRP levels to compete on the same doubles team. Teams are same-gender and, in Houston, Team Combo is played starting in late August. A team must have at least six players on the roster, and no more than 14. The match format is three lines of doubles. The NTRP divisions offered are: Ladies 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5; Men 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5. There are no national championships for Team Combo, but the winners in Houston event progress to the Texas Sectionals usually in October.

Adult Tri-Level

Tri-Level consists of three doubles positions, each at a different NTRP level. Each doubles position is same-gender and players compete against the same NTRP rating. This format allows players of different abilities to compete on the same team, with a chance to play for the national title. NTRP levels are 3.0/3.5/4.0 and 3.5/4.0/4.5, and 4.0/4.5/5.0.

Similar to Team Combo, this is a weekend event and is generally played in November. The Texas Sectionals are contested the following year, in February. The National event (for the 3.5/4.0/4.5 level only) takes place in Indian Wells, California, during the BNP Paribas Open in March.

Current and Upcoming HTA & USTA Adult League Information

 

North Houston (NoHo) Leagues

North Houston is part of the CTA Expansion plan for USTA Texas. The majority of tennis facilities and locations for the NoHo leagues are in the Kingwood area, Bentwater, April Sound, The Woodlands, Humble, Spring and Tomball.

The league coordinator for NoHo (North Houston) is:

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