Becoming a tennis official
Want to have a front row seat to all the action? Want to be part of running your own competitions? Want to make a difference in your local tennis community?
Then a tennis official's role might be just for you.
There’s a whole host of different tennis official roles you can get involved with, including:
- Line or Chair Umpire
- Competition Organiser
- Referee
- Court Supervisor
If you’re interested in becoming a tennis Official but don’t know where to start, we’ve got all the info you need.
Here’s a helpful guide on how you can take your first steps – who knows, maybe one day you’ll be on your way to officiate at Wimbledon!
What is a Competition Organiser?
Well, these are the people who run and organise competitions all over Great Britain at a recreational level. They can often help referees organise and deliver larger regional and national competitions.
To become a Competition Organiser you will need to attend a three-hour course – this will help you with all the basics on running local Grade 6, Grade 7 and ungraded events.
Anyone can take the course – you don’t need any experience – but you must be over the age of 16.
The course
So, what’s on the course? Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect to learn about:
- Competition framework, ratings and rankings
- Running a competition from start to finish – competition creation to submitting results
- Formal and informal competition formats
- Creating the best competition experience possible
The course isn’t assessed and any LTA Accredited Coaches and Licensed Officials will receive three credits for taking part. You’ll also get a host of resources to help you run competitions in the future.
Book now
Great news – online courses are available to book now!
Our Court Supervisors make sure every competition runs as smoothly as possible.
These unsung heroes support referees in running larger competitions and look after a number of courts to ensure everyone is having the best experience possible. They will also handle any on court disputes and manage player’s behaviour.
Anyone over the age of 16 can become a Court Supervisor – you just have to complete a free online course.
The course
During your free course you’ll cover:
- The role of a Court Supervisor
- Key skills and qualities for Court Supervisors
- Key rules and procedures for Court Supervisors
- The code of conduct
- Line call disputes
- Score disputes
At the end of the course you will be assessed by a timed exam – if you pass, you qualify as a Court Supervisor!
Develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to run high-quality tennis competitions as an LTA Tennis Referee by completing the two-day LTA Tennis Referee qualification.
Tennis referees are responsible for looking after all players at a competition and making sure everyone is following the rules of the game.
Referees manage making draws, scheduling, recording results, handle player appeals against umpire decisions, and make final rulings on any matters that cannot be resolved courtside. In effect, they are the highest authority on site during a tournament.
You’ll be given the communication, organisation, and decision-making skills you need to create a great experience for players and parents, and ultimately help grow the game.
You’ll learn how to deliver Grade 5 and 4 competitions, while taking your existing Grade 6 and 7 events to a higher standard.
By the end of the qualification, you’ll be able to:
- Understand the breadth and depth of the roles and responsibilities of a high-quality referee.
- Plan and deliver competitions with great scheduling and match management, while maintaining high standards of safeguarding.
- Create a tournament atmosphere that is welcoming and positive for everyone involved.
- Keep the game fair, fun, safe, and inclusive, while ensuring matches are played in the right spirit.
Following the course, to be eligible to referee at Grade 5 (and Grade 4 with permission from the LTA Competitions team), you will need to apply for your LTA Officials Licence.
Before booking onto the qualification you will need to book onto and complete the LTA Tennis Referee Pre-Course Learning.
Padel has different rules and nuances from tennis and therefore a specific qualification is required to become an LTA Padel Referee.
Develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to run high-quality padel competitions as an LTA Padel Referee by completing the two-day LTA Padel Referee qualification.
Padel referees are responsible for looking after all players at a competition and making sure everyone is following the rules of the game.
They manage making draws, scheduling, recording results, and make final rulings on any matters that cannot be resolved courtside. In effect, they are the highest authority on site during a tournament.
You’ll be given the communication, organisation, and decision-making skills you need to create a great padel experience for players and parents, and ultimately help grow the game.
You’ll learn how to deliver Grade 5 and Grade 4 padel competitions, while taking your existing Grade 6 and 7 padel events to a higher standard.
By the end of the qualification, you’ll be able to:
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Understand the breadth and depth of the roles and responsibilities of a high-quality padel referee.
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Plan and deliver padel competitions with great scheduling and match management, while maintaining high standards of safeguarding.
-
Create a tournament atmosphere that is welcoming and positive for everyone involved.
-
Keep the game fair, fun, safe, and inclusive, while ensuring matches are played in the right spirit.
Following the course, to be eligible to referee at Grade 5 (and Grade 4 with permission from the LTA Competitions team) you will need to apply for your LTA Officials Licence.
Before booking onto the qualification you will need to complete the Padel Referee Pre-Course Learning.
Game, set and match – welcome to the world of the tennis umpire.
A tennis umpire is the on-court official responsible for overseeing a match. They are responsible for calling the score, calling balls in or out, ruling on disputed points, and issuing code violations for player misconduct. "
There are two different types of umpires who officiate on court in tennis:
- Line Umpire – who call the lines on the tennis court
- Chair Umpire – who calls the match score and upholds the rules of tennis
Tennis Umpire
To qualify as a Line and Chair Umpire, you need to attend and pass a three-day LTA Umpire course. The course covers the techniques and procedures of line umpiring and will prepare you with the skills you will need on court.
The course also covers the Rules of Tennis, Code of Conduct and everything involved in being a Chair Umpire. There is a mix of on-court and classroom activities and is assessed on on-court performance and a rules exam.
Pass the course, and you’re ready to chair your first match!
Officials who are based in the United Kingdom who have relevant experience from overseas should contact us to officiate in the UK.
Officials Licence Scheme
Our officials licence scheme grants accreditation to officials in Britain and offers an easy way for parents, players and tennis venues to identify those who meet our professional standards.
Officials are required to have completed and passed a Referee Course, Umpire Course or Court Supervisor Course or attended a Competition Organiser Course before they can join as well as having completed a criminal record check in the last 12 months.
Once you’ve passed your course you will be sent details on how to apply.