Saturday morning, eight o’clock, a suburban club with two hard courts. Fifteen players are expected, all ranked in the fourth series. Each will play at least three matches during the day, regardless of the outcome of the first. This is the principle of the TMC, the multi-chance tournament, a competition format by FFT designed to provide playing time for all participants.
Why the TMC attracts players who shy away from traditional tournaments
In a traditional sanctioned tournament, a loss in the first round means going home after just one match. For a player ranked 30/1 or unranked who has taken the morning off, the time-pleasure investment is unbalanced. The TMC addresses this issue by guaranteeing multiple matches in a single day or weekend.
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The format relies on a structured repêchage system. A player defeated in the first round moves into a consolation draw, and can then still enter a third draw depending on the organization. Each participant plays a minimum of three matches, sometimes more if the draws allow. It becomes clearer why this format retains profiles that would never sign up for a traditional open.
For those who want to delve deeper into what TMC means on Bonjour Sportif, the mechanics of the repêchage are detailed there with possible variations according to regional leagues.
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Short formats and court constraints: the concrete unfolding of a TMC
A TMC usually takes place over one day, sometimes two. The organizer typically has two to four courts, which requires tight management of the schedule. Matches adopt shortened formats so that everyone plays within the allotted time.
The game formats used
Several configurations can be found according to the specifications of the regional league:
- The match in one winning set with a tiebreak at 6-6, the most common for TMCs held in one day with few courts.
- The format of two winning sets with a super tiebreak (10 points) as a third set, which slightly extends the schedule but offers more play.
- The 5 format or 6 format, which limits the number of games per set (first to 5 or 6 games without classic extension), adopted as part of the FFT’s “Sustainable Tennis” plan to reduce court usage time.
In 2026, the specifications for TMCs in Hauts-de-France require organizers to prioritize these eco-responsible short formats. The FFT’s stated goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of local competitions by limiting the duration of facility use.
The number of TMCs allowed per club
Clubs cannot organize as many TMCs as they wish. The league sets quotas by ranking category. For the 2025 season in Hauts-de-France, a club could organize up to two TMCs for second series, four for third series, and six for fourth series, distributing equally between men and women.
The application for approval goes through the ADOC platform and must adhere to specific submission periods. A TMC not compliant with the specifications will not be validated by the departmental committee.
TMC and FFT ranking: what the competition really brings
We are often asked the question: does a TMC help improve ranking? The answer is yes, but with nuances. Wins in TMC count towards the FFT ranking just like those obtained in traditional sanctioned tournaments. Each match won against a higher-ranked opponent earns points.
The difference lies in the density of matches played. In a traditional tournament, a fourth series player eliminated in the first round earns nothing. In a TMC, three to five matches played in a day multiply the opportunities for countable victories. For an unranked player or one ranked 30/5 looking to achieve their first ranking, the TMC represents the most effective format in terms of match volume relative to time invested.
Feedback varies on this point according to the leagues, but the trend observed by the Grand Est League indicates that TMCs attract more unranked players than traditional tournaments, thanks to the absence of a sudden elimination that discourages beginners.
TMC women: a loyalty lever in clubs
The multi-chance format shows particularly clear results on the women’s side. Marie Aveline, a player highlighted by the FFT in its “Match Day” series, has accumulated over 30 TMCs since mid-2025. Her profile is representative: an active player professionally who cannot block several evenings during the week for a tournament spread over ten days.
The TMC concentrates the competition into a short and predictable time slot. You know what time you arrive, you know what time you leave. This logistical clarity largely explains the increase in female participation observed in clubs that regularly schedule women’s TMCs.
For rural clubs with a limited pool of female players, the TMC also serves as a recruitment tool. The friendly atmosphere required by the FFT specifications (careful welcome, social dimension beyond sports) transforms the competition into a club event, not just a sporting confrontation.
The TMC is not a sub-tournament. It is a fully-fledged competition format, sanctioned by the FFT, that produces countable results and fills clubs’ slots on weekends. For a player who hesitates to take the plunge into competition, it is the format that offers the best ratio between commitment and playing time.