ATP Ranking

The ATP Rankings are the merit-based method used by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for determining the qualification for entry as well as the seeding of players in all singles and doubles tournaments. The first rankings for singles were published on 23 August 1973 while the doubles players were ranked for the first time on 1 March 1976.

Ranking points are awarded according to the stage of tournament reached, and the prestige of the tournament, with the four Grand Slam tournaments awarding the most points. The rankings are updated every Monday, and points are dropped 52 weeks after being awarded (with the exception of the ATP Finals, from which points are dropped on the Monday following the last ATP Tour event of the following year).

A player’s ATP Ranking is based on the total points they accrued in the following 19 tournaments (18 if they did not qualify for the ATP Finals).

1. The four Grand Slam tournaments.
2. The eight mandatory ATP Tour Masters 1000 tournaments.
3. The previous ATP Finals count until the Monday following the final regular-season ATP event of the following year.
4. The best six results from the non-mandatory ATP Tour 1000, all ATP Tour 500, ATP Tour 250, ATP Challenger Tour, Futures Series and Davis Cup tournaments played in the calendar year.

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 has not entered the current year.

The Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 became optional in 2009, but if a player chooses to participate in it, its result is counted and their fourth-best result in an ATP 500 event is ignored (their three best ATP 500 results remain).

A player who is out of competition for 30 or more days, due to a verified injury, will not receive any penalty. The ATP 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 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 they 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 their results from all other eligible tournaments in the ranking period that count for their ranking is increased by one.

Once a player is accepted in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament or ATP Tour Masters 1000 tournament, their result in this tournament counts for their ranking, regardless of whether they participate. A player’s withdrawal from an ATP Tour 500 event, regardless of whether the withdrawal was on time, results in a zero point included as one of their best of four results. Further non-consecutive withdrawals result 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 they complete 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.

With these rules, a player playing and winning the mandatory 4 Grand Slams and 8 ATP Masters 1000 events, a further 5 ATP 500 events and the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 can amass a total of 19,500 points before the ATP Finals and end the calendar year with a maximum of 21,000 points.