The ATP Rankings, as defined by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), are the "objective merit-based method used for determining qualification for entry and seeding in all tournaments for both (male) singles and doubles, except as modified for the ATP World Tour Finals (singles or doubles)." The rankings period is "the immediate past 52 weeks, except for: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, singles and doubles, which is dropped on the Monday following the last ATP World Tour event of the following year; Futures Series tournaments that are only entered into the system on the second Monday following the tournament's week. Once entered, all tournaments, except the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, remain in the system for 52 consecutive weeks."
Contents
History
The ATP began as the men's trade union in 1972 and rose to prominence when 81 of its members boycotted the 1973 Wimbledon Championships. Just two months later, in August, the ATP introduced its ranking system intended to objectify tournament entry criteria, which up to that point was controlled by national federations and tournament directors.
The ATP's new ranking system was quickly adopted by men's tennis. While virtually all ATP members were in favor of objectifying event participation, the system's very first No. 1, Ilie Năstase, lamented that "everyone had a number hanging over them," fostering a more competitive and less collegial atmosphere among the players.
The original ATP ranking criteria, which persisted through the 1980s, was based on averaging each player's results, though the details were revised a number of times. Starting in 1990, in conjunction with the expansion of ATP purview as the new men's tour operator, the ranking criteria was replaced with a 'best of' system modeled after competitive downhill skiing. This 'best of' system originally used 14 events but expanded to 18 in 2000.
Overview
A player's ATP Ranking is based on the total points he accrued in the following 19 tournaments (18 if he did not qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals):
The requirement to play in four ATP World Tour 500 events does not apply to a player who was outside the top 30 in the previous year-end ranking; however, no more than four of his results from 500 level events may be counted. For a better result within the same tour type to be transposed one has to wait for the expiry of the first worse result from previous year. It only expires at the drop date of that tournament and only if the player reached a worse result or hasn't entered the current year.
The Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 became optional in 2009, but if a player chooses to participate in it, its result are counted and his fourth-best result in an ATP 500 event is ignored (his three best ATP 500 results remain). From 2009 until 2015, if a player didn't play enough ATP 500 events and did not have an ATP 250 or Challenger appearance with a better result, the Davis Cup was counted in the 500's table. The World Team Cup was also included before its cancellation in 2012.
For the Davis Cup points, from 2009 until 2015, point were distributed for the World Group countrie. Instead of having an exact drop date they were gradually updated at each phase of the cup (compared to the results of the player from previous year and arranged his total sum of Davis Cup points to it. E.g. if a player played two matches in a semifinal but plays one the next year only that one missing match will be extracted from his points).
A player who is out of competition for 30 or more days, due to a verified injury, will not receive any penalty. The ATP World Tour Finals will count as an additional 19th tournament in the ranking of its eight qualifiers at season's end.
For every Grand Slam tournament or mandatory ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament for which a player is not in the main draw, and was not (and, in the case of a Grand Slam tournament, would not have been, had he and all other players entered) a main draw direct acceptance on the original acceptance list, and never became a main draw direct acceptance, the number of his results from all other eligible tournaments in the ranking period that count for his ranking is increased by one.
Once a player is accepted in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament or ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, his result in this tournament counts for his ranking, regardless of whether he participates. A player's withdrawal from an ATP World Tour 500 event, regardless of whether the withdrawal was on time, results in a zero point included as one of his best of four results. Further non-consecutive withdrawals results in a zero point allocation replacing the next best positive result for each additional withdrawal.
Players with multiple consecutive withdrawals who are out of competition for 30 days or longer because of injury are not subject to a ranking penalty as long as verified and approved medical forms are provided; or, a player will not have the ranking penalty imposed if he completes the Promotional Activities requirement as specified under "Repeal of Withdrawal Fines and/or Penalties" or if the on-site withdrawal procedures apply. Players may also appeal withdrawal penalties to a Tribunal who will determine whether the penalties are affirmed or set aside.
Between 2000 and 2012, ranking points were awarded based on results in the Summer Olympics. This was changed before the 2016 Olympics where no ranking points were awarded.
Ranking method
Since the introduction of the ATP rankings the method used to calculate a player's ranking points has changed several times.
Current points distribution (2016 – present)
Beginning in 2016 season, no points are awarded for Davis Cup ties, nor for the tennis tournament at the Summer Olympics.
Points distribution (2009 – 2015)
Points are awarded as follows:
In addition qualifiers and main draw entry players will then also receive the points in brackets for the rounds they reached.
ATP Points were distributed from 2009 to 2015
Only World Group and World Group Play-Off matches and only live matches earn points. Dead rubbers earn no points. If a player does not compete in the singles of one or more rounds he will receive points from the previous round when playing singles at the next tie. This last rule also applies for playing in doubles matches.
1 A player who wins a singles rubber in the first day of the tie is awarded 5 points, whereas a singles rubber win in tie's last day grants 10 points for a total of 15 available points.
2 For the first round only, any player who competes in a live rubber, without a win, receives 10 ranking points for participation.
3 Team bonus awarded to a singles player who wins 7 live matches in a calendar year and his team wins the competition.
4 Performance bonus awarded to a singles player who wins 8 live matches in a calendar year. In this case, no Team bonus is awarded.
5 Team bonus awarded to an unchanged doubles team who wins 4 matches in a calendar year and his team wins the competition.
Previous points distribution (until 2008)
Points are awarded as follows:
Glossary
(€): All prize money and fees for ATP Masters Series, International Series, and Challengers played in Europe must be paid in euros (€). In most cases they are calculated at the 0.85 USD/EUR exchange rate, but it varies and is often rounded throughout the 2008 ATP Official Rulebook.
(^): Tennis Masters Cup: maximum number of points that can be assigned to the player at this round (after he qualified to the semifinal with 3 round-robin wins)
(m): Tennis Masters Cup: minimum number of points that can be assigned to the player at this round (after he qualified to the semifinal with 1 round-robin win)
+H: Any Challenger or Futures providing hospitality shall receive the points of the next higher prize money level in that category. Monies shown for Challengers and Futures are on-site prize amounts.
Points are assigned to the losers of the round indicated. Any player who reaches the second round by drawing a bye and then loses shall be considered to have lost in the first round and shall receive first round loser's points (5 for Grand Slams and all AMS events). Wild cards at Grand Slams and AMS events receive points only from the 2nd round. No points are awarded for a first round loss at International Series Events, Challenger Series, or Futures Series events.
Players qualifying for the Main Draw through the qualifying competition shall receive qualifying points in addition to any points earned, as per the following table, with the exception of Futures.
(*): 5 points only if the Main Draw is larger than 32 (International Series) or 64 (ATP Masters Series)
In addition to the points allocated above, points are allocated to losers at Grand Slam, Tennis Masters Series, and International Series Gold Tournaments qualifying events in the following manner:
(**): 3 points only if the Main Draw is larger than 32 (International Series Gold) or 64 (ATP Masters Series).
Sources
Number one ranked players
The following is a list of players who have achieved the number one position in singles since the inception of the rankings in 1973 (active players in green):
Last update: February 20, 2017