How Ranking Systems Work
📊 What Tennis Parents Should Know About Rankings, Ratings, and Progress
Once your child begins competing, you’ll likely hear terms like ranking, rating, seeding, or points-per-round, etc.. And while rankings can be exciting—and sometimes motivating—it’s important to keep them in perspective. A ranking doesn’t define your child’s potential or progress. It’s just one tool among many to help track competitive experience.
At FOFTA, we encourage parents to view rankings as a developmental snapshot, not only a scoreboard of success. Below, we break down how junior ranking systems typically work, especially in the U.S., and how to use them in a healthy, constructive way.
🔢 What Is a Ranking?
A ranking is a number assigned to a player based on their performance in sanctioned tournaments compared to other players. The lower the number, the higher the ranking—for example, a player ranked #1 is considered the top in their age group or region.
Rankings are used to:
- Seed players in tournament draws
- Determine eligibility for certain levels of tournaments
- Track performance over time
📍 Types of Rankings
Depending on your country or tennis organization, your child may have one or more types of rankings:
✅ USTA Rankings (United States)
The USTA uses a Points Per Round (PPR) system:
- Players earn points for each round they win in a sanctioned tournament
- More points are awarded at higher-level tournaments
- Only a player’s best results count (usually their top 6 tournaments)
There are national, sectional (regional), and district rankings based on where events are played.
✅ UTR (Universal Tennis Rating)
UTR is a global rating system that provides a number between 1.00 and 16.50 (higher = stronger). It’s based on:
- Who you play
- What the score is (not just win/loss)
- The strength of your opponent’s rating
UTR is often used in high school and college recruiting and by many private academies.
✅ ITF & Tennis Europe Rankings
These systems apply to international events and are used for players who begin competing beyond their home country. They work similarly to the USTA but with a global player pool.
📆 How Often Are Rankings Updated?
- USTA rankings update weekly (in most sections)
- UTR updates are daily, based on verified match results
- ITF and other international rankings usually update weekly or monthly
🧠 What Rankings Don’t Tell You
- How hard your child works
- Their attitude during matches
- Their level of sportsmanship and character
- How much they’ve improved in practice or mindset
Many players develop at different speeds—late bloomers often become the strongest and most resilient competitors.
⚖️ Ranking Pressure: What to Avoid
- Obsessing over numbers after every match
- Comparing your child’s ranking to others
- Selecting tournaments only to chase points
- Defining self-worth or progress by rank
We encourage families to focus on progress over position. A great match played at a tough tournament may be more valuable than an easy win in a lower-level event.
🧭 How to Use Rankings in a Healthy Way
- Track general progress over time, not week to week
- Use rankings to find appropriate competition levels
- Help your child set goals that include effort, attitude, and growth, not just numbers
- Let your coach help guide tournament selection and progression
Rankings reflect where your child is today, not where they’re going. At FOFTA, we help players understand they will grow through every match, win or lose, ranked or not. Because in the end, it’s not about chasing numbers—it’s about becoming the best version of themselves.
“Rankings are a snapshot—not a story.”