- About
- Coloured Ball Rating
- 10U Green Ball Nationals
About Coloured Ball Competitions
Coloured Ball Competitions are for young players learning Hot Shots Tennis to take that next step in their tennis journey with some fun competition. These competitions are modified for level-based play – be it red, orange or green ball.
- Spirit: Winning isn't the only goal – Coloured Ball Competitions promote the core values of sportsmanship and participation, encouraging social interaction, physical activity and teamwork.
- Pathway: These competitions provide the ideal entry point into the competitive play pathway. Playing and competing in a modified environment helps kids develop skills and confidence, while giving them a greater chance of success.
Competitions take place year-round across the country, run by your local coach, club or association. Learn more about how Coloured Ball Competitions are run, including court specifications, by downloading the handbook below:
Coloured Ball Rating
What is a Coloured Ball Rating (CBR)?
The Coloured Ball Rating (CBR) is for players who play in red, orange and green ball competitions – designed to allow players to participate in level-based matches and gain rewards for playing often.
Each coloured competition is made up of the following levels, with more levels available as a player progresses through the different coloured balls:
- Red: R1 - One level available for red ball competition players
- Orange: O1 & O2 - Two levels available for orange ball competition players
- Green: G1, G2 & G3 - Three levels available for green ball competition players.
The ratings are a guide for parents, coaches and clubs to provide level-based play opportunities for players, encouraging players to develop and progress seamlessly to yellow ball competition where they can earn a yellow ball UTR Rating.
How to get a CBR
To begin you Colour Ball journey, you will need to create a Competitive Player Profile. A completed Competitive Player Profile consists of a Tennis Australia profile and Tennis ID, which you can then link to your UTR Sports profile.
Players who play in Coloured Ball Competitions that are recorded via an online platform (Match Centre, Tournament Planner, UTR Sports competition management, etc.) will automatically be generated a CBR.
Moving between colours and levels
Although it is advised that players and parents talk to their coach about what colour competition they should play or be transitioning into, there are no set rules about how fast a player can move throughout the CBR scale. As long as they do their best and play often, they will progress in no time.
Here's what can be expected for players transitioning between ball colours:
Visual imagery of how players progress through the Coloured Ball Rating levels from red to yellow.
To learn more about CBR, view the FAQs on our Support page:
10U Green Ball Nationals
The 10U Green Ball Nationals provides a world-class tournament experience for Australia’s best young players – helping to shape their love of the sport through positive early competition.
Every state and territory has a distinct Coloured Ball Competition pathway that encourages increased participation at the right level of play for young players. A pre-determined number of representatives from each state and territory will participate in the 10U Green Ball Nationals.
2025 event
The 2025 10/u Green Ball Nationals has finished. Read about the results.
Stay tuned for more information on the 2026 10/u Green Ball Nationals!
Qualification criteria
All players who qualify for the event will receive an invitation, which must be accepted in writing.
Please see below for more details on qualification methods for the 10U Green Ball Nationals:
| MA | Spots for Points Race | Spots for State Finals Winner (or next highest ranked athlete) |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | 1 | 1 |
| New South Wales | 5 | 1 |
| Northern Territory | 0 | 1 |
| Queensland | 5 | 1 |
| South Australia | 2 | 1 |
| Tasmania | 0 | 1 |
| Victoria | 5 | 1 |
| Western Australia | 2 | 1 |
| Wildcards* | 4 |
|
*Wildcards will be given out post the State Finals, and decided by the Performance/Competitive Play teams. If states with a smaller allocation have an additional player considered to be National level, these should be prioritised. Players MUST have participated in the Green Ball Points Race and State Finals to be eligible, unless extenuating circumstances apply (i.e extended injury).
For more information on qualification for the Green Ball Nationals, please contact your state or territory’s tournaments team or email tournaments@tennis.com.au.
