New tennis rankings system revealed for 2024 and it could have a big impact
The ATP Tour has confirmed a revamped ranking points system for 2024, which could have a big impact on players ranked outside of the top 10 on the current list.
The general theme of the update is an increase in ranking points for all levels of the game, allowing players who do not reach the latter stages of the biggest tournaments to claim more points.
Players who win the major events will not see a big boost to their ranking, with 2,000 points still on offer for a Grand Slam title win, but there is an increase for players who finish as runner-up in one of the four major events.
Last year’s losing finalists collected 1,200 ranking points, but they will not collect 1,300 points.
The winners of the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments will still collect 1,000 ranking, with an increase for losing finalists from 600 points to 650.
The changes are designed to optimise the points distribution following the increase in 96-draw Masters 1000 events, as well as delivering an improved balance and distribution of points following the significant increase in higher category ATP Challenger tournaments on offer to players from 2023.
The changes will only affect the singles draws for tournaments, with the points breakdown for doubles draws will remain the same as in 2023, while ATP Challenger Tour events will see small decreases in points.
The outcome of this change is likely to see players currently in the top 50 of the game cementing their position in that list, with players outside the top 100 facing a bigger battle to break into the elite list.
Entry into ATP 1000 tournaments is decided by world rankings, so it will be tough for players operating on the ATP Challenger Tour to leap up the rankings and earn entry to the events that offer more points.
That may lead some to conclude the top players are operating in an elite league that does not encourage the promotion of youthful players, with top ten player Taylor Fritz among those who have suggested he would support that structure.
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These small increases are reflected throughout the draws, while ATP Challenger Tour events will see small decreases in points.
“If you’re on the main, top tour, you should be set to play all the big events, and they should all be slightly bigger-draw events to get basically everybody in the top 100 in, and I think that’s honestly all we should play,” said Fritz.
“You can have 14 marquee events, and it makes tennis easy to follow for fans because all you have to pay attention to is those tournaments. There’s no people getting tons of points in between events, at like 250s and 500s, and more than anything, there’s no crazy schedule for us players.”
He later clarified those comments by adding: “When I say separate or premium tour I am NOT saying only top players, as I said in the quote the “main top tour” should be made up of the top 100-120 players kind of like how top 125 in PGA get a tour card. At the end of the year, some people go down and some people come up into the main tour.
“Also anyone saying I only have ranking/points cause of 250’s (tournaments) you are literally proving my point.
“This system would ensure everyone plays same number of tournaments (12/14 marquee events 128 draw) and nobody can complain about how someone got their points/ranking because nobody can pick up points elsewhere.
“Now I don’t think it will ever happen but I’m asked in an interview so I give my honest opinion, I just think it would make the sport easier to follow from a fan perspective.”