Tipperary tennis competition sign-ups to close in coming week

The Golden Vale Tennis Challenge is a three-month, ladder-based tennis competition for clubs in South Tipperary and the surrounding regions of North Cork and East Limerick including Ballypatrick, Castleview, Emly, Hillview, Hospital, Kilfeacle, Lattin, Larkspur, Mitchelstown, New Inn, Rosanna and Tipperary County.

The Golden Vale Tennis Challenge 2026 opened for entries at midday on Saturday, December 13, 2025, close on Wednesday, January 7, with the first challenges able to be made from midday on January 1, 2026.

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Queries from clubs and players should be sent to gvtc@kilfeacletennis.ie.

The challenge offers opportunities to increase players’ opportunities for match play with players of a similar standard from other clubs, expand their network and meet new players across the region, and play on a day and at a time that suits their schedules, as often or as little as they like, and enhance their tennis skills.

The €25 entry fee gives players the chance to play multiple matches.

Unlike traditional competitions, losing one match does not eliminate players from further play.

A tennis challenge ladder is a system where players are organised in a ranked list based on their initial positions.

In this system, players can challenge players ranked within a limited range above them, typically up to three places.

If they win the challenge, they take the other player’s spot on the ladder, and they move down one place.

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Similarly, players ranked below can challenge players above.

This system ensures competitive matches with players of a similar skill level and provides opportunities to play against more advanced opponents as players improve.

For the GVTC, they use an online ladder management system integrated with a smartphone app, making participation and managing challenges simple and convenient with just a few clicks.