The WTA has announced adjustments to the WTA Ranking system to account for the continued schedule modifications affecting the Tour calendar following the 2020 pandemic-shortened season.

WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon stated, “The WTA has worked closely with the WTA Players’ Council, players, and WTA Board over the past several months to identify appropriate changes to the WTA Rankings that will help serve as a pathway to return to the traditional 52-week WTA Ranking system.”

The underlying principles to the latest ranking modifications include the following:

  • Return to the traditional 52-week ranking system in the fairest possible way
  • Whenever possible, WTA points should be on a player’s ranking for a minimum 52 weeks and not exceed 104 weeks
  • Players should have the opportunity to defend points that are dropping
  • When WTA ranking points drop, they will drop at 100%

The adjusted system will be implemented beginning Monday, April 5, at the conclusion of the Miami Open. 

Guidelines and a breakdown per below:

2019 events not played in 2020, but are scheduled in 2021: Points earned at 2019 events that were not played in 2020, but are scheduled in 2021 (such as WTA 1000 events in Miami and Madrid and WTA 500 Charleston) will drop off after 104 weeks.

2019 events not played in 2020 and are currently not scheduled in 2021: Beginning with the WTA Rankings on April 5, points earned at these tournaments will drop off at the time the event is next scheduled.

2020 events rescheduled outside of the event’s normal date:

If the event was rescheduled outside of four weeks of the normal tournament date – Roland Garros, Rome, Istanbul and Strasbourg – the following applies:

  • 2019 points will drop off after 104 weeks
  • 2020 points will stay on for 52 weeks if the points earned are better than the 2021 results or the player does not compete at the event in 2021
  • In the event that 2020 points are used, they will drop off after 52 weeks, being replaced by the 2021 points 
  • If the event was rescheduled within four weeks of the normal tournament date - such as Lexington, Prague and Palermo - points earned in 2019 will drop off after 104 weeks. When the event is played in 2021 or after 52 weeks (whichever is earlier) the 2020 points will drop off as the 2021 points are added.

2020 events not being played in 2021: For these tournaments, such as Brisbane, Auckland and Shenzhen (WTA 250), the 2020 points will drop off after 104 weeks.

2021 events played under the “Better of" system that were held in 2020: When 2020 points are retained on a player’s ranking, the points will drop off after 104 weeks. When the event is played in 2022 or after 52 weeks (whichever is earlier) the 2021 points will drop and the 2022 points will be added. These events include the Australian Open, Dubai, Doha, St. Petersburg, Lyon, Guadalajara and Monterrey.     

Click here for an overview of the initial rankings revision and “Better of" system. 

The announced modifications aim to provide a pathway of transition between a challenging season that included a period of suspended play and travel restrictions, back to the traditional WTA ranking structure, while still protecting the integrity of the rankings system.