Frequently Asked Questions About The South African Airways ATP Rankings

What is the South African Airways ATP Rankings?
What is the ranking structure and formula for 2009?
Why isn't the Race being used?
What is the year-to-date rankings table that is being promoted?
Why didn't the ATP realign the points around the new tournament structure?
What if a player is injured and can't play in a Grand Slam or ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament?
What are the requirements and rules for player participation for an ATP World Tour 500 tournament?
What are the rankings rules for Davis Cup in 2009?
Will there be weeks in which a player cannot defend his points?
What is a protected ranking and who is eligible?
How does the ATP Doubles Rankings work?
How does the ATP Doubles Team Rankings work?
What is the points breakdown for all tournament categories?

A. The South African Airways ATP Rankings is known colloquially by fans as 'the world rankings'. For example, when Rafael Nadal is No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, he is said to be the No. 1 player in the world. Or a player who is No. 7 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings is said to be a 'Top 10 player'.

The South African Airways ATP Rankings is the ATP's historical objective merit-based method used for determining entry and seeding in all tournaments for both singles and doubles, except as modified for World Team Championship and Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

The South African Airways ATP Rankings period is the immediate past 52 weeks, except for:
(i) The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, which is dropped on the Monday following the last regular-season ATP event of the following year;
(ii) Futures Series Tournaments that are only entered into the System on the second Monday following the Tournament's week. Once entered, all Tournaments, except for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, remain in the System for 52 consecutive weeks.

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A. In 2009, any player who finished in the 2008 year-end Top 30 will be required to compete in four Grand Slam tournaments and eight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. In addition, the Best 4 ATP World Tour 500 and Best 2 other events (ATP World Tour 250 and Challengers) will be counted towards a player's ranking. All direct acceptance players at the time of the entry deadline who do not play will receive a 0-pointer in their ranking.

A player who is out of competition for 30 or more days, due to a verified injury, will not receive any penalties. For other players outside the Top 30, the ranking structure that applies, IF QUALIFIED, will be four Grand Slam tournaments and eight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. The Best 6 with up to 4 ATP World Tour 500 results will also be counted towards the ranking. If a player is not a Direct Acceptance and did not play a Grand Slam or Masters 1000 tournament, he can substitute with ATP World Tour 250 and/or Challengers. The eight players who qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals will count an additional 19th tournament on their ranking.

The top eight players with the most countable points accumulated in Grand Slam, ATP World Tour, Davis Cup, Challenger and Futures tournaments during the year will qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

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A. As part of our changes to the ATP World Tour, we have looked to introduce one rankings system that is as easy to follow as possible. At times, having two, simultaneously running systems – the rankings and the Race - was confusing and difficult for fans to follow. The ATP Rankings represents the sport’s DNA. It demonstrates both a players standing in relation to his fellow pros as well as his position in the ‘race’ to become the year’s ATP World Tour Champion. For that reason we have removed the separate Race points system. It is still being used for doubles because players change partners during the season and because doubles teams can be at different ranking levels, it is impossible to use the ATP Rankings on their own to determine who should qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. For that reason we have kept the Doubles Race for the 2009 season.

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A. The year-to-date rankings is an indicator of what the South African Airways ATP Rankings will on 16 November, the Monday after the end of the regular season. Players finishing within the Top 8 of the South African Airways ATP Rankings on 16 November after the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Paris will qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, beginning 22 November.

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A. If the ATP had decided to assign points to tournaments individually at the end of the 2008 season, based on new categories, we would be re-ranking a lot of players. That would be unfair since the players played a 2008 schedule according to the ranking structure of 2008 and a player should not benefit or be harmed by it. Points earned in 2008 will be doubled going into the 2009 season.

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A. If eligible to play in one of the Grand Slam or ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments, a player must count the points from these tournaments, even if it is 'a zero pointer' because he missed the event. Just as in Formula One and numerous other sports, if a competitor misses a race or an event, he loses his chances to earn points. Players with direct acceptance who do not play an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament will be suspended from a subsequent ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event which will be the next highest point earned ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event within the next 12 months. If an injured player is on-site within the first three days of a tournament to conduct promotional activities over a two day period, a suspension will not be enforced but a 0-pointer will be counted on a player's ranking.

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A. Top 30 players (based on '08 year-end ranking) must play a minimum of four 500 level tournaments during the calendar year, including at least one event following the US Open (Monte Carlo Masters 1000 event will count towards the minimum of four and all penalties apply):
-- A 0-pointer for each event less than four played.
-- A 0-pointer for withdrawing from any 500 tournament after the acceptance list is out.
-- A 0-pointer for not playing at least one event after the US Open.
-- A 0-pointer can be appealed by a player to the same tribunal formed to hear 1000 suspension appeals.
-- No suspensions or fines (including no withdrawal and late withdrawal fines).

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A. Davis Cup points will be awarded for the first time in 2009 for World Group and World Group playoff ties only. Points allocated are as part of the 500 point category. Davis Cup does not count towards a player's commitment to the 500 category. The points accumulated in the four ties within the previous 52 weeks can become part of a player's 500 category if:

1. Player has not more than three 500 results within the previous 52 weeks and Davis Cup result(s) is better than lowest best other.
2. Player has four 500 results within the previous 52 weeks and Davis Cup result(s) is better than the lowest 500. Also, 500 0-pointers cannot be replaced.

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A. Yes, this will happen because there are tournaments that are moving to different categories, different times of the year and because the ranking structure has changed. One example, is the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which will be dropped from a player's ranking on Aug. 17, 2009.

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A. A player may petition the CEO for an Entry Protection when he is physically injured and does not compete in any tennis event for a minimum period of six months. The written petition must be received within six months of his last tournament.

The Entry Protection shall be a position in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, as determined by the player's average South African Airways ATP Rankings position during the first three months of his injury. The Entry Protection shall be for entry into the main draw or qualifying competition or for special exempt consideration. The Entry Protection shall not be used for seeding purposes, Lucky Loser consideration or for entry into the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

The Entry Protection shall be in effect for either the first eight tournaments that the player competes in using the Entry Protection (excluding wild cards and entries as a Direct Acceptance with his current position in the South African Airways ATP Rankings) or for the period up to nine months beginning with the first tennis event that the player competes in, whichever occurs first.

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A. The ATP Doubles Ranking is based on calculating, for each player, his total points from his best 18 results from all eligible tournaments, including the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals (Doubles) played in the 52-week ranking period. For entry purposes there are no mandatory events, however, once a player is accepted in the main draw of one of these 12 tournaments, as a direct acceptance,a qualifier or a lucky loser or having accepted a wild card, his result in this tournament shall count for his ranking, whether or not he participates.

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A. Each team is ranked according to its total points from its best 18 results from all eligible tournaments (Grand Slam, ATP World Tour, including the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals) played in the calendar year. Loser points for the rounds achieved are awarded to players in any tournament not completed. The ATP Doubles Team Rankings are used to determine the year-end World No. 1 team and which eight teams qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

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A. The table below shows the breakdown.

	W	F	SF	QF	R16	R32	R64	R128	Q
Grand Slams	2000	1200	720	360	180	90	45	10	25
Barclays ATP World Tour Finals	*1500
ATP World Tour Masters 1000	1000	600	360	180	90	45	10(25)	(10)	(1)25
ATP 500	500	300	180	90	45	(20)			(2)20
ATP 250	250	150	90	45	20	(5)			(3)12
Challenger 150,000 +H	125	75	45	25	10				5
Challenger 150,000	110	65	40	20	9				5
Challenger 125,000	100	60	35	18	8				5
Challenger 100,000	90	55	33	17	8				5
Challenger 75,000	80	48	29	15	8				5
Challenger 50,000	75	45	27	13	6				3
Challenger 35,000 +H	75	45	27	13	5				3
Futures** 15,000 +H	33	19	9	4	1
Futures** 15,000	25	14	7	3	1
Futures** 10,000	17	9	5	2	1
*ATP World Tour finals 1500 for undefeated Champion (200 for each round robin match win, plus 400 for a semi-final win, plus 500 for the final win).
** ATP Doubles Rankings points will be awarded in Futures tournaments beginning with the semi-final round.
(1) 12 points only if the main draw is larger than 56
(2) 10 points only if the main draw is larger than 32
(3) 5 points only if the main draw is larger than 32

ARAG ATP World Team Championship Point Schedule
1st		2nd	3rd				Total
Singles	Round	Round	Round	Finals*	Points	Points	Points
Singles 1	35	35	35	95	200	50	250
Singles 2	25	25	25	50	125	50	175
Doubles
Deciding Match	35	35	35	95	200	50	250
Dead Rubber	10	10	10	20	50		50
Bonus Points:
*Players who only play the finals will be awarded points from the previous round.
**Players must win all 4 matches and be part of the winning team in order to earn the Bonus Points.

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