WTA Open Era & Live Rankings

RANKING RULES BETWEEN 2021 AND 2023

WTA took the decision in 2021 to create a system that better alligns with the ATP system. Although most of the point structure was the same, tournament categories were renamed to reflect the equivalent at ATP level, and a more robust system was created to keep rules less confusing.

SYSTEM SPAN: 52-WEEK ROLLING SYSTEM [Tournaments counted for each player drop out of their breakdown 52 weeks after they enter the system]
SYSTEM TYPE: CATEGORY BASED [Tournaments have different point weights according to the type of tournament a player has entered. The higher category, the more points scored]
POINTS: ADDITIVE [Players receive points according to the round they are eliminated in. These points are added and players are ordered according to their total points]
TOURNAMENTS: BEST 16 [Only the best 16 tournaments results can be counted.]
MINIMUM COUNT: 3 OR 10 POINTS [Players are ranked only after getting points at 3 tournaments or 10 points at a single tournament.]

BASE RULES

The 2021 system allows players to count their best 16 results and form a point total. Players are ordered according to this total. In addition, players are allowed to count the WTA Finals as a 17th result, until the Monday of the start of the next year's edition of the tournament.
In order to be ranked on the WTA rankings, any player must gain points at 3 tournaments or gain 10 points at a single tournament.
All tournaments are counted immediately after they are finished (on the upcoming Monday). Exceptions to this rule are ITF Lower Level tournaments which are counted one week later. Once into the system, tournaments remain counted for 52 weeks.
The rankings are published every Monday of the year. Exception to this rule are the mid-Mondays of tournaments lasting for more than one week: Grand Slams, Indian Wells and Miami tournaments.
A commitment player is defined as a player who has finished in the Top 10 at the year end rankings of the previous season.
All players must count all WTA Finals, 4 Grand Slams and 4 WTA 1000 Mandatory tournaments for which they are a direct acceptance on the original acceptance list as well as their other 8 best results from all other tournaments.
If a player has both WTA Finals and WTA Elite Trophy in her rankings, she will count only the tournament that provides her with the best net gain of points, but she may only count one of them.
If the player is not part of the original main draw acceptance list of a mandatory event and decides to not participate before the draw is released, they may count an extra non-Mandatory event.
In weeks in which a player does not have the mandatory 8 events, she is allowed to count extra non-Mandatory events to a total of 16.
Once a player becomes part of the main draw of any of the 8 Mandatory events, either as a qualifier, lucky loser, direct acceptance, special exempt or wild card, that tournament counts for her rankings.
2022 onwards: All players must count 2 WTA 1000 non-mandatory events if they have been made part of their draw. In weeks where players do not have 2 WTA 1000 non-mandatory events as part of their breakdown, they will be allowed to count any other tournaments in their ranking. Transition to this rule will be made as players start participating in WTA 1000 non-mandatory events in 2022.

COMMITMENT PLAYER RULES

All Top 10 Commitment players must play in at least 4 WTA 1000 and 2 WTA 500 tournaments during the year. Missing any of their commitment tournaments will result in a 0 point penalty.
All Top 10 Commitment players can play 2 WTA 250 level tournaments (1 for each half of the year), provided they have fulfilled their mandatory commitment. Additionally, if a player has fulfilled her commitment the previous year, she can play an additional 3rd WTA 250 tournament the next year.

AGE REQUIREMENT RULES

Players under the age of 14 may not count any tournaments and cannot obtain a WTA Ranking.
Players between 14 and 15 years of age, may only count 8 ITF Level tournaments, only 3 of which may be at tournaments paying over $60000. Any higher level tournament Wild Card reduces the count.
Players between 15 and 16 years of age, may only count 10 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 3 Wild Cards into higher level tournaments.
Players between 16 and 17 years of age, may only count 12 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 4 Wild Cards into any tournaments.
Players between 17 and 18 years of age, may only count 16 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may receive the tour maximum of Wild Cards.
Players over 18 years of age, may count an unlimited number of Professional level tournaments.

TIES

When two or more players have the same number of points, ties shall be broken with the following rules:

Total points from all Grand Slams, WTA 1000 tournaments and WTA Finals, and if still tied, then,
Total points from all WTA Level tournaments (included 125K level) and Grand Slams, and if still tied, then,
The fewest events played (all penalties count as a played tournament), and if still tied, then
The total number of points from the players' best tournament, then, if needed, the second best, and so on.

POINTS

Players are given points according to the round they lose in and the tournament's category.
Players reaching the second or any round of a tournament by drawing a Bye shall receive first round points if they lose in the first round they play in.
Players drawing a Walkover before she has won a match shall receive points from the previous round.
Players who enter a tournament by means of a Wild Card shall receive as many points as any other player accepted into the draw.
The table below shows the point distribution for tournament category, tournament main draw and qualifying draw sizes and round. The colors in this table are the same used inside the Ranking tables from this site on ranking weeks where this system applies.

FINALS>>>	MD		W				F				RR
WTA FINALS	8		+420 (max. 1500)				+330 (max. 1080)				250 for W, 125 for L (max. 750)
WTA ELITE	12		+260 (max. 700)				+200 (max. 440)				120 for W, 40 for L (max. 240)
CATEGORY	MD	QD	W	F	3RD	SF	QF	R16	R32	R64	R128	Q	QR3	QR2	QR1
GRAND SLAM	128	128	2000	1300		780	430	240	130	70	10	40	30	20	2
WTA 1000 MANDATORY	128	64	1000	650		390	215	120	65	35	10	30		20	2
WTA 1000 MANDATORY	64	ANY	1000	650		390	215	120	65	10		30		20	2
WTA 1000	64	64	900	585		350	190	105	60	1		30	22	15	1
WTA 1000	64	48/32	900	585		350	190	105	60	1		30		20	1
WTA 500	64	ANY	470	305		185	100	55	30	1		25		13	1
WTA 500	32	48/32	470	305		185	100	55	1			25	18	13	1
WTA 500	32	24/16	470	305		185	100	55	1			25		13	1
WTA 250	32	32	280	180		110	60	30	1			18	14	10	1
WTA 250	32	24/16	280	180		110	60	30	1			18		12	1
WTA 250	32	8	280	180		110	60	30	1			18			1
WTA 125	48	4	160	95		57	29	15	8	1		4			1
WTA 125	32	16	160	95		57	29	15	1			6		4	1
WTA 125	32	8	160	95		57	29	15	1			6			1
ITF W100+H [2022]	64		150	90		55	28	14	7	1		6		4	0
ITF W100+H [2022]	32		150	90		55	28	14	1			6	4	0	0
ITF W100	64		140	85		50	25	13	7	1		6		4	0
ITF W100	32		140	85		50	25	13	1			6	4	0	0
ITF W80+H [2022]	64		130	80		48	24	12	6	1		5		3	0
ITF W80+H [2022]	32		130	80		48	24	12	1			5	3	0	0
ITF W80	64		115	70		42	21	10	6	1		5		3	0
ITF W80	32		115	70		42	21	10	1			5	3	0	0
ITF W60+H	64		100	60		36	18	9	5	1		5		3	0
ITF W60+H	32		100	60		36	18	9	1			5	3	0	0
ITF W60	64		80	48		29	15	8	5	1		5		3	0
ITF W60	32		80	48		29	15	8	1			5	3	0	0
ITF W40	64		70	42		25	13	7	4	1		4		2	0
ITF W40	32		70	42		25	13	7	1			4	2	0	0
ITF W25+H	64		60	36		22	11	6	3	1		2
ITF W25+H	32		60	36		22	11	6	1			2
ITF W25	64		50	30		18	9	5	3	1		1
ITF W25	32		50	30		18	9	5	0			1
ITF W15	32		10	6		4	2	1	0

UNITED CUP [2023-]

Points in the United Cup are awarded relative to the ranking of the defeated opponent, ranking of the player receiving the points and the round the tie/match is played in. Ranking is considered from the Monday preceding the tournament.
Follow the table below only in case 18 teams participate, for the values of points granted to players:

OPPONENT>>>	1-10	11-20	21-30	31-50	51-100	101-250	251+
ROUND
F	180	140	120	90	60	40	35
SF	130	105	90	60	40	35	25
CITY	80	65	55	40	35	25	20
RR	55	45	40	35	25	20	15
MAXIMUM	500	400	345	260	185	140	110

If none of the matches of a tie are played, no point is awarded for the matches forming part of it.

RANKING RULES BETWEEN 2021 AND 2023

WTA took the decision in 2021 to create a system that better alligns with the ATP system. Although most of the point structure was the same, tournament categories were renamed to reflect the equivalent at ATP level, and a more robust system was created to keep rules less confusing.

SYSTEM SPAN: 52-WEEK ROLLING SYSTEM [Tournaments counted for each player drop out of their breakdown 52 weeks after they enter the system]

SYSTEM TYPE: CATEGORY BASED [Tournaments have different point weights according to the type of tournament a player has entered. The higher category, the more points scored]

POINTS: ADDITIVE [Players receive points according to the round they are eliminated in. These points are added and players are ordered according to their total points]

TOURNAMENTS: BEST 16 [Only the best 16 tournaments results can be counted.]

MINIMUM COUNT: 3 OR 10 POINTS [Players are ranked only after getting points at 3 tournaments or 10 points at a single tournament.]

BASE RULES

The 2021 system allows players to count their best 16 results and form a point total. Players are ordered according to this total. In addition, players are allowed to count the WTA Finals as a 17th result, until the Monday of the start of the next year's edition of the tournament.

In order to be ranked on the WTA rankings, any player must gain points at 3 tournaments or gain 10 points at a single tournament.

All tournaments are counted immediately after they are finished (on the upcoming Monday). Exceptions to this rule are ITF Lower Level tournaments which are counted one week later. Once into the system, tournaments remain counted for 52 weeks.

The rankings are published every Monday of the year. Exception to this rule are the mid-Mondays of tournaments lasting for more than one week: Grand Slams, Indian Wells and Miami tournaments.

A commitment player is defined as a player who has finished in the Top 10 at the year end rankings of the previous season.

All players must count all WTA Finals, 4 Grand Slams and 4 WTA 1000 Mandatory tournaments for which they are a direct acceptance on the original acceptance list as well as their other 8 best results from all other tournaments.

If a player has both WTA Finals and WTA Elite Trophy in her rankings, she will count only the tournament that provides her with the best net gain of points, but she may only count one of them.

If the player is not part of the original main draw acceptance list of a mandatory event and decides to not participate before the draw is released, they may count an extra non-Mandatory event.

In weeks in which a player does not have the mandatory 8 events, she is allowed to count extra non-Mandatory events to a total of 16.

Once a player becomes part of the main draw of any of the 8 Mandatory events, either as a qualifier, lucky loser, direct acceptance, special exempt or wild card, that tournament counts for her rankings.

COMMITMENT PLAYER RULES

All Top 10 Commitment players must play in at least 4 WTA 1000 and 2 WTA 500 tournaments during the year. Missing any of their commitment tournaments will result in a 0 point penalty.

All Top 10 Commitment players can play 2 WTA 250 level tournaments (1 for each half of the year), provided they have fulfilled their mandatory commitment. Additionally, if a player has fulfilled her commitment the previous year, she can play an additional 3rd WTA 250 tournament the next year.

AGE REQUIREMENT RULES

Players under the age of 14 may not count any tournaments and cannot obtain a WTA Ranking.

Players between 14 and 15 years of age, may only count 8 ITF Level tournaments, only 3 of which may be at tournaments paying over $60000. Any higher level tournament Wild Card reduces the count.

Players between 15 and 16 years of age, may only count 10 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 3 Wild Cards into higher level tournaments.

Players between 16 and 17 years of age, may only count 12 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may also receive 4 Wild Cards into any tournaments.

Players between 17 and 18 years of age, may only count 16 Professional level tournaments, plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy if she qualifies. She may receive the tour maximum of Wild Cards.

Players over 18 years of age, may count an unlimited number of Professional level tournaments.

TIES

When two or more players have the same number of points, ties shall be broken with the following rules:

Total points from all Grand Slams, WTA 1000 tournaments and WTA Finals, and if still tied, then,

Total points from all WTA Level tournaments (included 125K level) and Grand Slams, and if still tied, then,

The fewest events played (all penalties count as a played tournament), and if still tied, then

The total number of points from the players' best tournament, then, if needed, the second best, and so on.

POINTS

Players are given points according to the round they lose in and the tournament's category.

Players reaching the second or any round of a tournament by drawing a Bye shall receive first round points if they lose in the first round they play in.

Players drawing a Walkover before she has won a match shall receive points from the previous round.

Players who enter a tournament by means of a Wild Card shall receive as many points as any other player accepted into the draw.

The table below shows the point distribution for tournament category, tournament main draw and qualifying draw sizes and round. The colors in this table are the same used inside the Ranking tables from this site on ranking weeks where this system applies.

UNITED CUP [2023-]

Points in the United Cup are awarded relative to the ranking of the defeated opponent, ranking of the player receiving the points and the round the tie/match is played in. Ranking is considered from the Monday preceding the tournament.

Follow the table below only in case 18 teams participate, for the values of points granted to players:

If none of the matches of a tie are played, no point is awarded for the matches forming part of it.