Lineups and lineup legality
Captain HQ helps captains build lineups that fit league rules and team strategy. The app can flag common issues before a lineup is shared.
Lineup legality
A legal lineup follows the rules for the league, division, flight, and match format. Captain HQ checks the details it knows, but captains are still responsible for confirming official league requirements.
Common checks include NTRP limits, singles and doubles order, doubles pairings, and locked lines.
NTRP ceiling
An NTRP ceiling is the highest rating level allowed for a player or pairing in a specific lineup spot. If a player or doubles team is above the allowed ceiling, Captain HQ may show a warning.
For doubles, the rule may depend on the combined rating, the individual player ratings, or both. Always follow the rule used by your league.
Strength-order descent
Many leagues expect stronger players or pairings to appear above weaker ones. This is often called strength order. In practice, Line 1 should usually be stronger than Line 2, Line 2 stronger than Line 3, and so on.
Captain HQ may warn if the lineup appears to move upward in strength as lines go down. Captains can use that warning to review ratings, recent results, injuries, and pairing chemistry.
Doubles pairing
Doubles lines are checked as pairs, using the combined strength and rating information available for both players. Captain HQ highlights missing or conflicting data before you lock the lineup.
Also consider court-side comfort, partner history, availability, and matchup fit before choosing a pair.
Line locking
Locking the lineup saves the current lines as your match plan and helps prevent accidental edits. Unlock the lineup if you need to make changes before results are finalized.
Review every locked line before publishing, especially if availability changes late.
Substitute eligibility
Swap candidates should be available roster players who are not already on the selected line. Before applying a substitute, check NTRP rules, matches played, availability, and line preference.
A legal substitute still needs to fit the full lineup order after the swap.
Court assignments
A court assignment shows the line, court, or slot a captain has assigned for a match. Players should treat it as the current plan, but it may change if availability or strategy changes before lineups are final.
Captains can use assignments to keep everyone clear on partner, court, and match format.
Line formats
Line labels describe the match format, such as singles, doubles, mixed doubles, or a numbered doubles court. Captains use these labels to balance the whole lineup and match the league format.
If a label looks wrong, confirm the season format before sharing the lineup.
Lineup slots
Each doubles court has two player slots for the pairing. Fill every slot before posting so teammates can see their court, partner, and assignment.
An empty slot usually means the lineup is still a draft or a player is still being selected.