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?
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.-- 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).
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.
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.
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. 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.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. | |||||||
ATP World Tour 250
ATP World Tour 500
ATP World Tour Masters 1000
Barclays ATP World Tour Finals 1500
Grand Slam 2000*
Davis Cup 625
