ECTC High School Open 2026

Two days of tennis, competition, and community for local high school players.

November 7–8, 2026
Arlington Park Tennis Courts • El Cerrito, CA
Singles • All Genders • 16-Player Draw
Entry Fee: $10

The El Cerrito Tennis Club (ECTC) is excited to host our first ECTC High School Open, a two-day singles tournament created especially for high school players.

Our goal is simple: give young players an opportunity to play meaningful competitive matches, meet players from other schools, build friendships, and grow through tennis.

This is not a school-vs-school competition. Players enter and compete individually, and high school students from any school are welcome.

Tournament at a Glance

• 16-player singles draw

• Open to high school students of all genders

• $10 entry fee

• Every player is guaranteed at least 2 matches

• Main Draw + Consolation Draw

• Top 4 players seeded based on UTR; remaining players randomly drawn

• Individual match/check-in times — no need to stay at the courts all day

• Complimentary water, fruit, and light snacks for players

• Prizes for the Main Draw Champion, Runner-Up, and Consolation Champion

• Prizes include Plaza Tennis gift cards and custom 3D-printed tournament bag tags

How the Tournament Works

We begin Saturday with a 16-player Main Draw.

The eight winners of the opening round continue in the Main Draw. The eight players who lose their opening match move into a separate Consolation Draw.

That means every participant is guaranteed at least two matches, even if they lose their first match.

Saturday, November 7 — Opening Rounds

Saturday consists of 16 matches:

8 Round-of-16 matches
4 Main Draw Quarterfinals
4 Consolation Quarterfinals

Every player will play two matches on Saturday.

Because we have a lot of tennis to fit into one day, Saturday will use a shortened scoring format:

Best 2 of 3 short sets

• Sets are played to 4 games

• No-ad scoring

• Tiebreak at 3–3

• If the sets are split, a 10-point match tiebreak determines the winner

Sunday, November 8 — Championship Day

Eight players advance to Sunday: four Main Draw semifinalists and four Consolation semifinalists.

Sunday consists of 6 matches:

Main Draw

• 2 Semifinals

• Championship Final

Consolation Draw

• 2 Semifinals

• Consolation Final

Sunday matches use a more traditional format:

Best 2 of 3 sets

• Regular 6-game sets

• If the sets are split, a 10-point match tiebreak replaces the third set

Scheduled Match Times

We don't want players and families spending the entire day waiting around for a court.

Players will receive an assigned check-in time for their first match. Players only need to arrive for their scheduled match block rather than at the beginning of the tournament.

After the first match Saturday, tournament staff will confirm each player's second-match time based on whether they advance in the Main Draw or move into the Consolation Draw.

Players will receive at least 30 minutes of rest between matches.

Final match schedules and check-in instructions will be provided after the draw is completed.

Food & Refreshments

ECTC will provide complimentary refreshments for players during the tournament, including:

Water • Fresh fruit • Light snacks

These will be available to help players refuel and stay hydrated between matches.

Players who expect to be at the courts for several hours should still plan accordingly for any additional food or meals they may want.

Seeding & Draw

The tournament is limited to 16 players.

The top 4 players will be seeded based on UTR. The remaining players will be randomly placed in the draw.

This is an all-gender tournament, with everyone competing together in one singles draw.

Prizes

We're keeping our prizes connected to the local tennis community.

Winners will receive gift cards from Plaza Tennis in El Cerrito, along with custom 3D-printed tournament bag tagscreated especially for the event.

Awards will be presented to the:

Main Draw Champion
Main Draw Runner-Up
Consolation Champion

Entry Fee & Registration

Entry Fee: $10 per player

ECTC is keeping the entry fee intentionally low to make the tournament accessible while also encouraging players who register to commit to participating.

Registration is limited to 16 players, so early registration is encouraged.

More Than Just Winning

The ECTC High School Open isn't intended to be a competition between schools.

It's an opportunity for young players from around the community to compete, improve, meet new people, practice good sportsmanship, and enjoy tennis together.

Players may come from different schools, teams, skill levels, and backgrounds, but everyone comes together for the same reason: to play tennis and have a great experience.

This is our pilot High School Open for 2026. If successful, ECTC hopes to make it an annual event for our local high school tennis community.

Questions?

For questions about the tournament, registration, or eligibility, please contact the El Cerrito Tennis Club at ectennisclub@gmail.com.