ATP Rankings: Daniil Medvedev suggests radical change to points system
Former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev believes it is time for the ATP to make major changes to the points ranking system as it will decrease the number of tournaments players have to sign up for.
The ATP uses a rolling 52-week, cumulative system for the current rankings and it includes the results of players’ best 18 events, while for those who compete at the ATP Finals, it is the best 19 events.
It means players have to feature in at least 18 tournaments with the four Grand Slams and eight automatic-entry ATP Masters 1000 events mandatory while the other six tournaments can comprise the Monte Carlo Masters, ATP 500, the United Cup, ATP 250, Challenger and/or ITF events.
A sliding scale points system is used and players earn different points per category with winners of a Grand Slam picking up 2,000 points while an ATP Masters title run is worth 1,000 points, an ATP 500 trophy gets you 500 points and an ATP 250 title is worth 250 points.
The last major change to the system was in 2009, but Medvedev says it is time for a rethink and he came up with the following suggestion.
“I would think the players would agree, from what I’m hearing, to making more let’s say even more mandatory tournaments. Because now it’s what? Nine, probably four Grand Slams,” the former world No 1 said.
“Make it a bit more, like get rid of the other ones. I love them. That’s the only way to make the tour shorter. It’s never going to happen because there are licenses, and basically ATP won’t have enough money to buy all of them. The other tournaments, they won’t say, Yeah, okay, we’re out, because they would lose the money. It’s business.
“I think right now with how the ATP Tour, it’s never going to change, at least while I’m playing, many other guys.
“But in general, yeah, I would say make four Grand Slams, I don’t know, 11 Masters, and that’s it. The other tournaments, maybe make them without points or something. Not like exhibitions, but without points or something.”
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There is usually a big scrap during the latter stages of the season as players chase points to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals or to finish higher in the ATP Rankings that will earn them a good seeding at start of the following year.
Medvedev highlighted the case of Holger Rune, who tore his Achilles while competing at an ATP 250 event Stockholm in October.
“What happens is last year, Holger got injured in Stockholm, everybody was like, ‘Yeah, but you don’t have to play it’. If he wants to be in Turin [for the ATP Finals], he has to, even if it’s not a mandatory tournament,” the 2021 US Open winner explained.
“Last year, I played in seven tournaments in a row. Did I have to? No. I played bad in the beginning of the year, maybe I can get 100 points here, 200 points here, be higher seeded next year.
“If there were no points there, at least it is an easier decision. But it’s not going to happen.”
