Parent's Guide to USTA Junior 12 and Under Tennis Tournaments 2026

Only at specific times. In USTA sanctioned play, coaching is not allowed between points, at changes of ends, at the 2-minute set break, during any warm-up, or during toilet, medical or bleeding breaks (USTA Comment 30.2; Reg. IV.C.10).

Coaching is allowed:

• During a 3-minute or 10-minute rest period between sets. In junior events this happens on court or in a designated area near the court where an official can time it. It may be by phone, but the phone must be turned off when the rest ends (FAC Comment III.E-2).
• During a suspension of play, such as for rain, when the players leave the playing area.

Your child may read notes prepared before the match, but can't receive information on a phone or smartwatch on court (Comment 30.1).

Audible or visible coaching at other times is a code violation against your child (point, then game, then default).

No. Players make all calls on their own side of the net. Spectators never make calls, and players must not ask a spectator for help (The Code, section 16). Out calls and other noise from spectators aren't grounds for a let (Code 36).

If something is going wrong, such as a pattern of bad calls, a score dispute or stalling, your child can stop and ask for an official, and may refuse to keep playing until one arrives (Code 41). Score disputes are settled by counting the points and games both players agree on and replaying only the disputed ones (Code 32).

Anyone who sees misconduct can report it to the Referee (USTA Reg. IV.F.6).

Yes. Parents and coaches are "persons associated with a player" and must maintain proper conduct, fair play and good sportsmanship (USTA Reg. IV.C.1). By entering, your child consents to being penalized for your unsportsmanlike conduct (Reg. IV.C.11):

• On court: abusive conduct by a person associated with a player is a code violation against the player: point, then game, then default (Table 14).
• Suspension points on your child's record (Table 17): 2 for each code violation; 2 for conduct in the playing area outside a match; 5 for off-court conduct, including online; 8 to 10 for flagrant conduct.
• 10 suspension points within 12 months means a 3-month suspension from sanctioned tournaments (Reg. IV.F).

Any Tournament Committee member or official representative of the tournament may ask you to stop or to leave the site, and you must comply.

Between matches (USTA Table 11), juniors must be offered at least:

The Recovery Rule doesn't apply to matches with a match tiebreak instead of a third set, short sets, or indoor matches under two hours. Referees should allow extra rest for heat, humidity or long matches.

Between sets in the 12 to 16 divisions (Table 12): a mandatory 10-minute rest after the second set of a full three-set match, or a mandatory 3-minute rest before a match tiebreak.

Juniors may not practice on any court during a rest period (Reg. IV.C.7).

USTA scheduling guidelines for junior divisions, which Referees follow when reasonably practical (USTA Reg. II.D.9):

• In the 12 and 14 divisions, no match should start, and no suspended match should resume, after 8 p.m. (10 p.m. for the 16 and 18 divisions).
• Players should get at least 12 hours of rest between the end of their last match one day and the start of their first match the next day.
• The number of matches per day is also limited, depending on the match format (Table 8). Sections and districts may set tighter limits.

Once posted, the schedule should change only for a compelling reason, and affected players must be told. Still, players are responsible for checking the posted draw for their times rather than waiting to be told (Reg. II.D.3, II.D.4).

Your child must check in at the tournament desk before the scheduled match time, and isn't considered "arrived" until checked in, dressed, equipped and ready to play (USTA Reg. IV.A.2). Players are responsible for knowing their match times (Reg. IV.A.3).

Penalties for best-of-three matches, including those with a match tiebreak (Table 16):

Short-set formats have smaller penalties (maximum 2 games). The Referee may decide not to default, or reverse a default, after considering the circumstances, and a default can be appealed to the Tournament Appeals Committee (Reg. IV.D.21).

• Medical time-out (USTA Reg. III.F; Table 13): evaluation time plus up to 3 minutes of treatment, 15 minutes maximum in total. One per treatable condition. Cramping and heat illness are limited to one time-out in the warm-up and one in the match. General fatigue doesn't qualify.
• Who can treat: during a time-out, a qualified medical person or trainer if one is available; if none is available, anyone the player selects, and the official may provide supplies.
• At changeovers and set breaks, your child may get evaluation, treatment or supplies from anyone, including you, for a treatable condition. An official must be told before supplies are used, and on-court treatment at these breaks is limited to two times.
• Bleeding: up to 15 minutes to stop it and clean up. If bleeding hasn't stopped, the player must retire.
• Not allowed: injections (other than insulin), IV fluids or supplemental oxygen during a match mean an immediate default. Diabetic players may check blood sugar and use insulin (Reg. III.F.4).

No coaching is allowed during medical or bleeding time-outs.

Yes, when an official decides the need is genuine and not because of general fatigue (USTA Reg. III.G; Table 13). If the request isn't granted, play continues.

• Breaks should be taken at a set break when possible, otherwise at an odd-game changeover. Other times are for true emergencies (FAC Comment III.G-1).
• Change of attire breaks are limited to set breaks unless clothing malfunctions.
• A tournament may limit the number of breaks if it announces this in advance.
• No coaching is allowed during a toilet or change of attire break.
• Stomach problems are treated as a medical condition under the medical time-out rules, not as a toilet break (FAC Comment III.G-2).

• The Referee (or Deputy Referee) decides whether to suspend or postpone play for weather, light, court conditions, health or safety (USTA Reg. III.E).
• Once a match is suspended, your child may not leave the tournament area until the Referee gives either their next playing time or clearance to leave.
• If the suspension lasts more than 15 minutes, players get a re-warm-up of the same length as the original warm-up (USTA Comment 29.4).
• Coaching is allowed during a suspension when players leave the playing area (Reg. IV.C.10).
• In the 12 and 14 divisions, a suspended match should not resume after 8 p.m. (Reg. II.D.9).
• Lateness for the restart is penalized like lateness for the start of a match, but without loss of toss (Table 16).

After entries close, a player may withdraw only for illness, injury, a personal circumstance, or a previously authorized entry into another tournament (USTA Reg. IV.C.16):

• Notify the Tournament Committee or Referee immediately, by phone, electronic message or in person.
• For injury or illness, give the Referee written verification from a medical professional by the last scheduled day of the tournament.
• For a personal circumstance, give the Referee a written description by the same deadline; the Referee decides whether it qualifies.

Withdrawing for another reason after the draw, without being replaced, is recorded as a default. Suspension points (Table 17):

10 points within 12 months brings a 3-month suspension (Reg. IV.F). A player must also not enter a tournament they know they can't finish (Reg. IV.C.14).