April 23, 2004

Dear Junior Player, Parent and Coach,

Beginning in January of 2004, the United States Tennis Association will be using a Points Per Round Ranking System to determine year-end Junior National Singles and Doubles Rankings and Monthly Standing Lists.  The Star System will no longer be used to determine Junior National Rankings or National Seeding/Selection Lists.

After considerable research, the United States Tennis Association has concluded that a Points Per Round ranking system best addresses the overall goal of helping players reach their potential.  By using tiered levels of importance we can weigh the events, assign regulations that help juniors to compete often, and put the emphasis on advancing through the draw.  The simple concept of having a player capable of categorizing an event, determining its level, and understanding the ranking impact of success in that event allows the player to understand what needs to be done.  This is an invaluable asset in developing tangible and measurable goals that also help the player's preparation and motivation. 

It is very IMPORTANT to understand that the new Points Per Round Ranking System will not be implemented until January 2004.  But, all Level 1-5 tournament results from May 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003 will be counting for points determined by the Points Per Round ranking logic for the first Monthly National Standings Lists, which will be published January 15, 2004.  The January National Standing Lists will utilize the past eight months (May 1, 2003 through January 15, 2004) of player results.  The February 15, 2004 Lists will utilize the past nine months; the March 15, 2004 Lists ten months; April 15, 2004 Lists eleven months: and then all future months will utilize the past twelve months of player results. 

The Monthly Singles Rankings as produced today will be discontinued at the end of 2003 and replaced with an annual year-end National Singles Rankings that will utilize results from January 1 through December 31 of each year.  The first annual National Singles Rankings utilizing the Points Per Round ranking logic will be published at end of December 2004.  The Star System used today will still be used to determine Monthly Seeding/Selection Lists and Monthly Rankings for the remainder of 2003. 

When junior players are determining their tournament schedule for May 1 through December 2003, it is IMPERATIVE that they look at the Points and Levels that are assigned to National and Sectional tournaments. It has been documented that players on a Points Per Round Ranking System select their tournament schedule differently than when using the Star Ranking System that we use today.  When determining a junior player’s sectional playing schedule, please be aware that although the national ranking will be determined on a points based ranking system, each respective section decides which ranking system to be used to determine sectional rankings and it may not be based on a points system. 

Details of the Points Per Round National Junior Ranking System are in a PDF document that can be downloaded from the USTA web site.  It includes ranking tables and point assignments. Doubles rankings have not been addressed in these tables, but a comparable ranking approach to ranking doubles teams will be developed.  It is also very IMPORTANT to understand that the points and levels of tournaments assigned are not set in stone.  The High Performance Staff and the Youth Competition and Training Committee have the flexibility on an annual basis to adjust points and levels when deemed necessary.  Example, when a tournament might become stronger in strength of field over one year to the next. 

Please read all the information carefully and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact either your Section High Performance Staff or one of the individuals whose email links are provided at the bottom of this page. 

Good luck to you! 

Jean Mills, Chair, Youth Competition and Training Committee

Maria Cercone, Chair, Points Sub-Committee

Jay Hacker, Chair, Junior Ranking

Contact one of the following individuals with questions:

High Performance Staff:
Michael Summers   summers@usta,com
Lew Brewer              lbrewer@usta.com
Yusef Evans             evans@usta.com

Youth Competition and Training Committee Points Sub-Committee :
Maria Cercone     M2cercone@aol.com
Jay Hacker            jpmhacker@aol.com