WTN to become one of ITF World Tennis Tour Singles Acceptance Criteria
The International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) World Tennis Number (WTN) rating will become one of the singles acceptance criteria for ITF World Tennis Tour events from next month.
The WTN will become the third measure of acceptance into tournaments, used after all players with a WTA/ATP Singles Ranking and an ITF World Tennis Ranking have been accepted.
The first tournaments implementing the updated criteria will take place in the week of 21 April 2025. This change will therefore apply to any entry deadline on or after 3 April.
The order of singles acceptance criteria for ITF World Tennis Tour events will be:
1. Players with a WTA (women) or ATP (men) Singles Ranking
2. Players with an ITF World Tennis Ranking
3. Players with a verified singles ITF World Tennis Number
4. Players with a Top 500 National Ranking
5. Unranked players
The WTN is a global rating system that forms a key part of the ITF’s global digital strategy. It was developed by the global governing body in collaboration with National Associations. It provides a dynamic and accurate measure of a player’s current playing ability, recognising and rewarding performance at both national and international levels.
For entry into ITF World Tennis Tour tournaments, a player must hold a verified singles WTN. “Verified” corresponds to a confidence level of 70% or higher, meaning that sufficient results data has been recorded for an accurate rating. A player’s WTN as of the Monday before the entry deadline will be used (where necessary) for acceptance purposes (WTNs are updated weekly). WTNs will be applied to two decimal places (e.g. 16.49 is better than 16.50). WTN will not initially be used for doubles acceptance or for seeding purposes.
The ITF World Tennis Tour is the main artery that delivers players to the top of the game providing a sustainable pathway for current and future generations of female and male talent to fulfil their potential. Tournament results contribute to WTA and ATP rankings, helping players progress to higher-level competitions on the WTA Tour, ATP Tour, and at the Grand Slams.
Andrew Moss, Executive Director, ITF World Tennis Tour & Data Rights, said, “We are excited to introduce WTN as an acceptance method into the World Tennis Tour. This will enhance accessibility to the professional player pathway and the World Tennis Tour is usually the first step in the professional careers of players. This update aligns with the ITF’s commitment to improve competitive opportunities for players on a global scale based on skill and performance.”
Louise Booth, Executive Director, Digital, said, “The introduction of the WTN as part of the ITF World Tennis Tour Singles Acceptance Criteria reinforces its value as a consistent and accurate measure of playing ability, already trusted in ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors and ITF Masters Tours. The WTN is a central component not only of the ITF’s mission to enhance the competitive pathway and increase global recreational participation, but also of ITF’s digital strategy, with our vision to create the biggest, most thriving and passionate online tennis community in the world.”
Adelaide Wood, USTA Senior Manager for World Tennis Number says: “The USTA are very excited that the WTN will be used as the third acceptance criteria for WTT events moving forward. This change promotes an accessible and transparent pathway for players seeking professional tennis opportunities.”