Compass draw (per USTA Regulations I.H)
a. When authorized. Compass draws may be used in any tournament provided the entry form
states the tournament shall be played using a compass draw format.
b. Seeding. Seeding may be used to place the strongest players using the seeding principles set
forth in USTA Regulation I.G. Seeds shall be drawn according to the procedures used for making a standard draw.
c. Making the draw. Each player is placed on a line on the center draw sheet. The procedure for
making a standard draw shall be followed for determining the exact line on which each player is placed.
d. Byes. Complications will develop if there are Byes in the draw. Therefore, it is best to limit
the entries to 16, 32, or 64. A substitute list is helpful to eliminate problems caused by last minute Withdrawals. If Byes
must be placed in the draw, distribute them evenly in the quarters and halves of the draw as described in USTA Regulation
I.H.4.d.
e. Progression in the draw. At the end of each round, the winners continue in their tournament
in the same direction, while the losers move to other points on the compass to form a new satellite tournament.
f. Specific procedures for draw of 32. See Fig. 7.
At the end of round 1:
• the winners go east;
• the losers go west.
At the end of round 2:
• the east losers go north;
• the west losers go south.
At the end of round 3:
• the east losers go northeast;
• the north losers go northwest;
• the west losers go southwest;
• the south losers go southeast.
At the end of round 4:
• the losers are out of the tournament (unless it is announced in writing before the start of the
first match of the tournament that there will be semifinal play-offs);
• the winners play the finals on each draw sheet.
g. Specific procedures for draw of 16. Use only the top half of the draw at each compass point.
Follow the same procedure as in a draw of 32 except that round 4 is the finals instead of the semifinals.
