Rank-and-file changes for ATP
New ranking system will name one champ, once a year
Posted: Wednesday July 01, 1998 09:14 AM
LONDON (Reuters) -- The current complicated men's tennis rankings are to be scrapped and replaced by a 12-month "race for the world championship," ATP Tour officials announced at Wimbledon on Wednesday.
The new system, which will start in 2000, is designed to force top players to play in all the grand slam events and "Super 9" tournaments or suffer in the rankings.
Other changes announced include taking the year-ending ATP World Championships away from Hanover and rotating it among cities around the world as well as establishing a fund to buy smaller events when they become available in order to streamline the tour.
Under the present points system, the players' best 14 tournaments make up their ranking using a "rolling year" with points lost and added each week.
But ATP Tour chief executive officer Mark Miles said: "We have decided to change the rankings system so it is based on a calendar year. People will have to look at it in a different way.
"Instead of looking at the rankings in April and saying a player is No. 1 in the world we will be saying he is in the lead in the race for the championship."
Points which will count towards the new ranking system will be those earned from the four grand slam events and the nine biggest tournaments on the circuit. A player will be able to supplement these points with his best five lower-tier tournament results.
"Every player whose ranking qualifies him for a grand slam or Super 9 tournament will be automatically entered," Miles said.
"If he does not play then he doesn't get a result. Whether that's because he is getting married or because he is injured if he doesn't play he doesn't score ... I don't think that's an odd concept in sport."
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