Divisions
Players compete in one of three skill divisions, set by DUPR doubles rating. The structure keeps matches fair and gives every level a real, competitive game.
Junior Varsity — the grassroots tier where most of the league plays.
Varsity — sharper and faster; the heart of the rivalry.
Pro — the top-flight, watchable product.
Season & structure
The league runs a tight, committable season of weekly club-vs-club fixtures. Each fixture is played across multiple rounds and courts, and every match on the night is worth a point toward the league table.
Team composition & eligibility
- Each club fields squads in each division it enters, with a minimum of one woman per division.
- League play uses triples lineups — one woman and two men — across men's and mixed games, so everyone gets guaranteed court time.
- A player must be a member of the host club or the community they represent. A player may compete for only one team across the league.
- Every rostered player must play at least one match in a fixture.
- Cross-division play: a lower-division player may sub up into a higher division if needed; subbing down is not permitted.
Match & scoring
Lineups
- Team rosters and early-round lineups are submitted the evening before the fixture.
- Final-round lineups are exchanged on-site, simultaneously between captains, after the prior round's results are confirmed.
- Lineups specify division, court assignment, and both players in each pairing.
- Once submitted, lineups are locked — except for injury substitutions.
On-court rules
- Self-officiated. Players make their own calls; the call goes to the side the ball lands on, with discretion to replay a disputed point.
- Kitchen & foot faults may be called by either team and must be called immediately.
- Serving: let serves are played (current USAPA rule); both drop and traditional serves are allowed; spin serves are not permitted.
- Any player may call a let if a ball or person from another court interferes — replay the point.
- Score disputes replay from the last score both teams agree on.
- No coaching during points. Coaching between games and during timeouts is allowed.
Substitutions & injuries
- A mid-match injury with no substitution constitutes a forfeit of that match.
- If an injury makes the one-woman-per-division minimum impossible for a round, captains may agree to waive the requirement for that round only.
Equipment & logistics
- Paddles: USAPA-approved only.
- Ball: the official league ball, provided by the host club.
- Scorekeeping: the server calls the score aloud before each serve; final game scores are recorded on the court scorecard and confirmed by one player from each pairing.
- Each captain tracks the running team score; totals are reconciled at the end of each round and reported to the league record keeper.
Conduct & spirit
Players compete with respect for opponents, partners, and officials. Disputes that can't be resolved on court are escalated to the clubs' General Managers, whose joint decision is final. The Metropolitan League runs on good sportsmanship — the game is serious, the spirit is generous.