-The average doubles DUPR of both players must be under 3.00.
-Reliability must exceed 60% to be valid (20-60% requires approval)
-No player in this division can have a DUPR of 3.10+ (20%+ reliability), even if both players average to <3.00.
-No sandbagging under any circumstances - if caught you will not be allowed to progress to the finals stage.

-The average doubles DUPR of both players must be between 2.80 and 3.49.
-Reliability must exceed 60% to be valid (20-60% requires approval)
-No player in this division can have a DUPR of 3.60+ (20%+ reliability), even if both players average to between 2.80 and 3.49.
-Unranked players, or those with a reliability below 20%, are not eligible for this category.
-No sandbagging under any circumstances - if caught you will not be allowed to progress to the finals stage.

-The average doubles DUPR of both players must be between 3.30 and 3.99.
-Reliability must exceed 60% to be valid (20-60% requires approval)
-No player in this division can have a DUPR of 4.10+ (20%+ reliability), even if both players average to between 3.30 and 3.99.
-Unranked players, or those with a reliability below 20%, are not eligible for this category.
-No sandbagging under any circumstances - if caught you will not be allowed to progress to the finals stage.

-The average doubles DUPR of both players must be over 3.900 strictly
-Reliability must exceed 60% to be valid (20-60% requires approval)
-Unranked players, or those with a reliability below 20%, are not eligible for this category.

-The tournament director reserves the right to move, deny or accept any team.
-Singles DUPR (60%+ reliability) may be used instead in the total absence of a doubles DUPR score with 20%+ reliability.
-Players may not possess more than one DUPR account.
-Players found to have deliberately misrepresented their level may be disqualified or made ineligible for prizes. This particularly applies to the <3.00 category where unranked players must not have a higher self-determined level.
-Joining without respect to the above will result in no refund. Please check with the tournament director before joining if you are unsure.

At The Dink Series, our goal is simple: fair, competitive, and enjoyable matches for everyone — from beginners to advanced players.

We use a structured DUPR-based system (with averages, caps, and reliability checks) to:

- Keep divisions balanced and competitive

- Reduce mismatches and “stacked” teams

- Protect beginner and intermediate players

- Ensure results reflect true skill levels

This creates better games, more meaningful competition, and a stronger overall tournament experience.

A Note on DUPR & Fairness

We recognise that DUPR is not a perfect system. Ratings can be incomplete, inaccurate, or slow to reflect improvement. While we’ve built safeguards into our format, there will always be edge cases.

Our intention is never to exclude, but to create the fairest environment possible for the majority of players. In some cases, this may mean restricting entry or moving teams between divisions.

We appreciate your understanding — and if you feel unfairly impacted, we genuinely apologise and encourage you to reach out. We’re always refining the system to make it better for everyone.

At The Dink Series, we believe in two fundamental values:

1. Preventing sandbagging. No player with a DUPR of >0.1 higher than the pool limit is eligible to play “down”. This is recorded at the point of registration. If your DUPR changes drastically between registration and the tournament, you may be asked not to play or to change categories. If you join a category clearly below your ability (consistent 11-2/11-3 wins) - you will not be eligible for progressing to the finals.

2. We work on average DUPRs to prevent “playing up”. This ensures competitive pools with long thrilling games. Plus - this means that you won’t be “expected” to win 11-2 just to maintain your DUPR - as all opponents will have a competitive DUPR.