Understanding Protected Rankings

A protected ranking is a special provision in professional tennis designed to help players who have been forced to take a significant break from the sport due to injury or, in the case of women, maternity leave. It allows them to enter tournaments based on a ranking they held *before* their absence, rather than their current, lower ranking.

This system is crucial because a player’s ranking directly impacts their ability to enter tournaments.Lower-ranked players often have to qualify, which adds extra matches and physical strain. Protected rankings bypass this, allowing players to reintegrate into the tour more smoothly.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a protected ranking, players must meet specific criteria set by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for men’s tennis and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for women’s tennis.

• Injury: Players must be absent from all tennis events for a minimum of six months due to a physical injury.
• Maternity Leave: Women returning to competition after giving birth are automatically eligible for a protected ranking.

How Protected Rankings are Calculated: ATP vs. WTA

The method for calculating a protected ranking differs between the ATP and WTA tours.

ATP Protected Ranking Calculation

for men, the protected ranking is calculated as the average of the player’s ranking over a three-month period promptly preceding the injury.According to the official ATP Tour rules, players can utilize this ranking for either the first nine tournaments they enter or for nine months following their return, whichever comes first. If a player is sidelined for more than a year, this allowance extends to 12 tournaments or 12 months.

For example, if a player was consistently ranked between 20 and 30 before an injury, their protected ranking would fall within that range. This allows them entry into tournaments where they might or else be ineligible based on their current ranking.

WTA Protected Ranking Calculation

The WTA’s system is more straightforward. As detailed on the official WTA Tour website, a woman’s protected ranking is simply the ranking she held at the time of her injury or the start of her maternity leave.She can use this ranking to enter up to eight tournaments within a single season. If her absence exceeds one year, she’s granted access to 12 tournaments.

This approach ensures that players returning from maternity leave, in particular, aren’t penalized for time away from the tour to start a family.

Using a Protected Ranking in Tournament Entry

Players seeking to utilize a protected ranking must formally petition the ATP or WTA. The application