Return to international tennis - rankings explained

Below is an explanation of how the ranking process will work on each ITF tour when competitive play resumes later this year. Players are encouraged to get in touch with the relevant department if they have any questions about rankings. Contact details are available below.

The overall approach to reintegrating the different rankings across ITF tours follows the guiding principles of the reintroduction of the ATP/WTA rankings: to provide fairness to players to the extent possible while also keeping the familiar concept of the rankings.

As a result, across all tours and for at least the remainder of 2020, those who cannot play because of travel restrictions or those who do not want to play because of health concerns, will not be penalised by losing points. Each tour will see the ranking period be extended – in some cases from 52 weeks up to 104 weeks. Until at least the end of 2020, players who do play can only add points rather than lose points. Given the ever-changing circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ITF reserves the right to modify the rankings approach for each tour if a lack of tournaments or ongoing travel restrictions require it.

The rules below have been recommended by the relevant tour committee.

ITF World Tennis Tour (Professional) (updated 10 May 2021)

• All ITF points earned in Main Draw and Qualifying between 4 March 2019 and 12 August 2019 at World Tennis Tour tournaments will have their drop-date extended by a further 52 weeks and will therefore remain on the rankings for 156 weeks, at 100% of their value. 
• All ITF points earned at tournaments between 19 August 2019 and 9 March 2020 are not altered and will remain on the rankings for 104 weeks, at 100% of their value. 
• All ITF points earned from 17 August 2020 remain on the rankings for the standard 52 weeks, at 100% of their value. All ITF World Tennis Tour ranking points from a player's ranking breakdown of 16 March 2020 are currently frozen (points earned in $15k and $25k qualifying tournaments).
• ITF ranking points are currently earned in qualifying of ITF World Tennis Tour Tournaments and players competing in the Main Draw of ITF World Tennis Tour Tournaments earn ATP/WTA ranking points. 
• For more information about ATP and WTA rankings, visit either the ATP website or the WTA website.
• Questions on ITF World Tennis Tour rankings should be directed to mens@itftennis.com or womens@itftennis.com

ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors (updated 25 October 2021)

• From the 1st January 2021, all normal grades and ranking points for existing tournaments from Grand Slams to Grade 5 were reinstated, subject to an ITF analysis of travel restrictions and player accessibility.
• Draw sizes are restricted to 32 in qualifying singles, 32 in main draw singles and 24 pairs in doubles. Permission has been granted for Roland Garros 2021 to allow larger draw sizes. Tournaments at Grade A, Grade 1 or Grade 2 may apply for an exception with the ITF Office.
• From the resumption of competition (31 August 2020) and until 04 July 2021, a player’s combined ranking will be comprised of his/her best 6 singles results and 25% of his/her best 6 doubles results achieved between 18 March 2019 – 04 July 2021 during what is effectively an ‘Extended Ranking Period’.
• From 05 July 2021 a player’s combined ranking will be comprised of his/her best 6 singles results and 25% of his/her best 6 doubles results achieved in the previous 104 weeks.
• Results earned between 18 March 2019 and 1 July 2019 are protected and their ranking drop date has been extended until 5 July 2021.
• The drop date of results since 18 March 2019 will be further extended until the end of June 2021. All results from 18 March 2019 to 1 July 2019 will remain protected until 5 July 2021. ,
• From 5 July 2021 through to 13 December 2021, results from the previous 104 weeks will be counted.
• The 52-week ranking will be applied on 13 December 2021.
• Results from higher-graded (JA, J1/B1, J2/B2, J3/B3) tournaments can be counted a maximum of once within a player’s best 6 results during the 104-week period, i.e. double counting of the same tournament is not permitted. If a player competes in the same higher-graded tournament (JA, J1/J1, J2/B2, J3/B3) on two or more occasions within the 104-week period, the best result achieved will be counted.
• During 2022, a player may count their ‘best result’ from up to two (2) editions of the same Grade 3 (J3/B3) or better tournament, if both are included in the previous 52-week period. For example, a Grade 2 tournament that usually takes place in March 2021, took place in October 2021 (edition 1) due to initial postponement. The tournament returns to its normal calendar week in March 2022 (edition 2). Following completion of the tournament in March 2022, players will receive their ‘best result’ until the points drop for October 2021 edition of the tournament in October 2022.
• During 2022, a player may count ranking points earned from the same Grade 4 (J4) or Grade 5 (J5) tournament if included in the previous 52-week period.
• The ITF Junior Year-End Ranking will be calculated on 13 December 2021 based on the Year-End ranking criteria outlined in Regulation 14 of the ITF World Tennis Tour Junior Regulations.
  
• Questions on ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors rankings should be directed to juniors@itftennis.com

ITF Seniors Tour (updated 09 June 2021)

• From the 1st January 2021, all normal grades and ranking points for all existing tournaments were reinstated, subject to an ITF analysis of travel restrictions and player accessibility.

With immediate effect the following will apply to the ITF Seniors Rankings:

Between September – December 2021, players will lose points earned between September-December in both 2019 and 2020. For example, points earned on 9 September 2019 and 7 September 2020 will drop on 6 September 2021. 

• Between January-March 2022, players will lose points earned between January-March in 2020 & 2021. For example, points earned on 6 January 2020 and 4 January 2021 will drop on 3 January 2022. 
• Results from higher graded (World Championships, S1000, S700 & S400) tournaments will be counted a maximum of once within a player’s best 4 results during the extended rankings period, i.e., double counting of the same tournament is not permitted. If a player competes in the same tournament on multiple occasions within the extended period, the best result will be counted. 
• Points earned from the 2021 World Championships (Young Seniors, Seniors and Super-Seniors) will be the only edition included in the rankings calculation. These will be replaced in 2022 when then next edition takes place. 
• Ranking points will return to a 52-week ranking from 29 August 2022.
• Please click here to view the week in which tournaments in 2019 and 2020 are no longer included in the rankings
• Questions on the ITF Seniors Circuit rankings should be directed to seniors@itftennis.com

ITF Beach Tennis World Tour (Professional)

• All points from a player’s 23 March 2020 ranking breakdown are currently frozen.
• All points contributing to ranking releases from 1 April 2019 to 23 March 2020 inclusive (ie 52 weeks) are protected and will have their ranking drop date extended by 52 weeks to make up a 104-week ranking.  
• Upon the planned resumption of play (31 August 2020) the ranking would be extended so that a player’s ranking will be comprised of his/her Best 8 results between March 2019 and March 2021, a total of 104 weeks.
• All tournaments categories will be permitted, subject to application process, safety protocols and eligibility criteria.
• Double counting of points from the same tournament will not be permitted at BT100 tournaments or above. Where a player competes in the same BT100 or better tournament in the 104-week period, the better of the two results will be counted (ie best result from 2019 or 2020).
• The same tournament at BT10 and BT50 may be counted twice during the 104-week ranking period.
• Assuming a full calendar of events in 2021, ITF points will start to drop in March 2021. 
• Assuming a full calendar of events in 2021 and 2022, the normal 52-week ranking will return in March 2022.
• Questions on the ITF Beach Tennis World Tour rankings should be directed to beachtennis@itftennis.com

ITF Beach Tennis World Tour (Junior)

• All points from a player’s 23 March 2020 ranking breakdown are currently frozen.
• All points earned in 2019 will have their “drop-date” extend by 5 months (the equivalent of the suspension period).
• The return to the normal 52-week ranking will be determined in due course (December 2021 or March 2022).

UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour

• The UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour will resume on 14 September 2020.
• From the resumption of competition (date TBC) and until 14 March 2021, a player’s ranking will be comprised of his/her best X results (X = 7 for Quads, 8 Women, 9 Men) achieved between 18 March 2019 and 14 March 2021 (ie a 24 month/104 week ranking period).
• From resumption of competition until 14 March 2021, the Mandatory Event rule is suspended and therefore ‘0 pointers’ will not be applied to the ranking of any relevant player who does not compete in a Mandatory Event.
• Results earned between 18 March 2019 and 15 March 2020 (ie 52 weeks) are protected and will have their ranking drop date extended by 52 weeks.
• Effective from 15 March 2021, points earned from 16 March 2020 will drop on an ongoing weekly basis and be replaced with points earned from tournaments in 2021 and 2022, as per the standard 52-week system.
• Results from all ITF tournaments can be counted a maximum of once within a player’s best X results (ie double counting of the same tournament is not permitted). Results from tournaments upon resumption in 2020 until/through 14 March 2021 will replace a player’s result from that tournament held the previous year if it is a better result and provided it is one of the player’s best X results.
• By 13 March 2022, the ranking period will have reverted to 12 months/52 weeks.
• Questions on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour rankings should be directed to wheelchair@itftennis.com