LTA ratings

A rating is a measuring tool indicating a standard of play and allowing players to record their progress. An accurate rating should give a player access to appropriate level competition.

For most competitions ratings takes precedence over rankings for both acceptance and seeding.

For junior and adult players there are 20 rating bands, starting with 10.2, which is the lowest, progressing to 10.1, 9.2, 9.1, 8.2 etc. until you reach 1.1, which is the highest rating.

For Mini Tennis players there is a separate ratings process. View Mini Tennis ratings. 

To get a rating you need to be an LTA Member. The rating system is open to players of all ages but different criteria apply according to whether you are a Mini Tennis player, a junior, in the open (adult) age group or in a senior age category.

Join LTA Membership.

Once you have a rating you will appear on the LTA player search.

If you are an experienced player, with a competitive record, and think you should be assigned a higher rating than the entry level of 10.2 then you can email info@LTA.org.uk with as much information as possible about your playing experience, foreign rating/ranking and results. It may be possible to assign you a provisional equivalency rating.

Alternatively an adult player may request a rating (up to 7.2) by submitting an online adult rating self-assessment form.

A junior player’s rating cannot decrease (unless a correction is necessary). An adult player’s rating can decrease but not to a level lower than 6.2. An adult player's rating will decrease if, in the previous two competition seasons, he/she has recorded no results or, in failing to meet the rating increase criteria, has recorded no qualifying wins and more than one qualifying loss within the previous two competition seasons. A player’s rating will only decrease in the end of summer season ratings run.

 An adult Player can apply prior to the end of summer season ratings run by emailing info@lta.org.uk to have his/her Rating ‘frozen’ for a period of time where he/she is not competing (for example, due to long-term illness or injury) or where he/she is competing exclusively abroad. Supporting evidence may be required.

An adult player may request a rating, up to 7.2 level, based on self-assessment of playing standard. The adult rating self-assessment form is available in a player's LTA Membership login area. There are four descriptions of playing standard and, by matching one of these to the player's own appraisal of ability, a rating request can be submitted.  This rating may not be automatically assigned since each application is reviewed in the light of match results on record for that player.

It is only possible for players to request a rating using the self-assessment form once.   

The adult rating self-assessment process is designed to facilitate adult players' entry into the rating system and promote enjoyable competition by encouraging players to measure their progress against similarly rated opponents.

Mini Tennis Ratings are designed to help you get the most out of competitive tennis. The ratings are designed to reward you for competing, inspire you to develop your game and offer the opportunity to compete more regularly and to be the best you can be.

Find out more about Mini Tennis ratings.

Junior and adult players rated 10.2, 10.1, 9.2 or 9.1 can improve their ratings by recording qualifying wins* as follows: 

• 4 qualifying wins (singles matches) to move from a 10.2 to 10.1
• A further 4 qualifying wins (singles matches) to move from a 10.1 to 9.2
• A further 4 qualifying wins (singles matches) to move from a 9.2 to 9.1
• A further 4 qualifying wins (singles matches) to move from a 9.1 to 8.2

These wins can be achieved at any time and may include wins from mixed singles matches as well as from yellow ball 'timed tennis' format competitions. Your rating will automatically change once you have the correct number of wins and results have been recorded on your player profile. 

This overnight, rolling rating system takes into account players' ratings as they stand at the time the calculation is made.

Wins from 'mixed' events and 'timed tennis' do not count as qualifying wins once 8.2 level is reached and are therefore not included in the quarterly, seasonal ratings runs. 

* a qualifying win is a win against an opponent rated the same or better than you.

How to improve your rating 8.2 – 1.1

If you are a junior with a rating of 8.2 or higher you are involved in the full, yellow ball, and the seasonal ratings run system, in order to improve your rating, you need to achieve: 

•  6 qualifying wins with a 60% win/loss percentage in all qualifying matches, within relevant r­­­­­atings run period.* 

If you are an adult player (ie no longer eligible to compete in 18U competitions) with a rating of 8.2 or higher you need to achieve:

• 3 qualifying wins with a 60% win/loss percentage in all qualifying matches, within relevant ratings run period* 

The ratings win/loss calculator will help you find out whether your rating is going to change.

*There are 4 ratings run periods each year which fall into 2 competition seasons - summer and winter. The summer season runs from April 1 to August 31 and the winter season from September 1 to March 31. There are ratings runs at the end of each season and also mid-season runs, which take place half way through each summer and winter season. The bi-annual seasonal runs look at all results recorded during both halves of the competition season. The quarterly runs look at results recorded from the beginning of the competition season up to a (published) mid-season cut off date.  Players are more likely increase their ratings at the end of a competition season than during the shorter mid-season periods.

What is a qualifying win/loss?

For yellow ball, a qualifying win is a win against an opponent rated the same or higher than you. Example: if your rating is 6.2 and you beat a player rated 6.2 or 6.1 or 5.2 and so on up, this will be recorded as a qualifying win for you.

A qualifying loss is a loss against a player rated lower than you. Example: if your rating is 7.1 and you lose to a player rated 7.2, 8.1 or 8.2 this is a qualifying loss.

Which matches count?

For yellow ball, the quarterly ratings run system event end dates dictate the season in which matches will count for your rating. For example, if you play a match in August, but the competition event ends in September, that match will not count until the mid-season winter ratings run. The only exceptions to this rule are events in summer county closed tournaments (results from these events will count for summer end of season ratings runs) and league matches in which match dates have been set. 

• Walkovers: a walkover in a match does not count as a ratings win or loss. At least one point has to be played for a match to count for ratings purposes. Example: you are scheduled to play a match but your opponent, rated the same as you, fails to appear. You are given a walkover into the next round but do not benefit from ratings win from the no show.
• Retirements: a retirement during a match may count for ratings purposes. Example: you suffer an injury after one game in a match and have to retire. Your rating is 5.1 and your opponent's rating is 5.2. This counts as a qualifying loss for you. 
• Grade 7 'internal' matchplay competitions: in club or squad 'closed' competitions only one win against the same opponent can count for a player in any single ratings move. This is to encourage competition against a variety of opponents and support the accuracy of the ratings measure.
• Ad hoc or challenge matches do not count for ratings purposes; in order to be valid for ratings matches must be part of an officially approved competition.
• Matches count for ratings in competitions grade 1 - 7. Grade U (purely recreational competition) is excluded. 
• Grade 6 and 7 competitions (4.2 or higher): Junior players rated 4.2 or higher (4.1, 3.2, 3.1, etc.) may only count up to 3 qualifying wins from grade 6 (matchplays) and grade 7 (internal) competitions combined in any given ratings calculation.

When can your rating change?

If you are a player with a rating of 8.2 or higher you have the opportunity to increase your rating by one level 4 times a year in the automated ratings runs. Your new rating will depend on results achieved during the previous half season period or entire season. Match results must be processed and showing on your player profile in order to count.

Results used to increase your rating in the mid-season calculation will also be used for the end of season review as this takes into account competitive activity over the entire winter or summer competition season. Ratings runs always look at players' ratings as they stand at the time of the run.

What is a mid-season ratings run?

Mid-season ratings runs take place half way through each of the two main summer and winter competition seasons. Mid-season runs provide players who are recording sufficient good results to progress more quickly up the ratings levels without having to wait until the end of the competition season. Results from mid-season runs are included again in the end of season run, taking into account players' mid season adjustments. The calculations looks at players' ratings as they stand when the run actually takes place.

Example: your rating is 7.1 and you have beaten a player rated 7.2 in the first half of a competition season. In the mid season run this win does not count as a qualifying win. However your 7.2 rated opponent moves up to a 7.1 in the mid season run and your rating stays at 7.1. Your results against the player who has moved to 7.1 will now count as a qualifying win for you in the end of season run.

Conversely: your rating is 7.1 and, early in the season,  you lose to another player rated 7.1. In the mid season run this does not count as a qualifying loss for you. However, if your rating increase to 6.2 in the mid season run and your opponent stays at 7.1, this match will count as a qualifing loss in the end of season run.

A manual rating adjustment is an upgrade to a rating which allows the player in question to accelerate up the ratings levels when he/she has been performing consistently well against higher rated opponents in a ratings run period. 

Manual ratings adjustments are not automatic but must be applied for by emailing info@lta.org.uk. The minimum requirement is:

• 6 wins for juniors (3 for adults), achieved in the current ratings run period against higher rated players and recorded exclusively in competitions graded 1 - 5, with at least a 60% win/loss percentage, at that higher level. In this context, a retirement does not qualify as a win but losses in any grade of competition count.

The cut off for applications is one week before the next ratings run is due to go live. 

Example: Your rating (as a junior player) is 5.2; in order to be considered for a manual rating increase, outside the quarterly ratings run periods, you need a minimum of 6 x 5.1 wins, recorded in competitions grade 1-5 in the correct ratings run period, and no more than 4 losses at 5.1 level and lower recorded in any grade of competition.

Please refer to appendix five (page 47) of the LTA Competition Regulations.

View the full list of LTA regulations.

The LTA sends all results from 12U – Open singles events at Grades 1 – 7 to Universal Tennis for inclusion in the Universal Tennis Rating system. Results are sent weekly to Universal Tennis on a Friday for the previous week. 

Based in the US, Universal Tennis aim to provide tennis players worldwide a common scale to determine their level of play. The 16-level scale (from beginners to elite world-class professionals), precisely and reliably determines individual players’ ratings based on actual match results without regard for age, gender or where the matches are played. Universal Tennis helps US college bound student athletes understand their competitive level, and how to use Universal Tennis Ratings to help find the right college fit.

Universal Tennis have 4 guiding principles:

• Competition is good - Universal Tennis believes that playing competitive matches is the key to the development of tennis players.
• Staying close to home - Staying close to home is good for junior tennis development, regardless of where home is.
• W-L record - A win/loss record is not the best indicator of a player’s level of play.
• Playing to win every game - Continuing to play hard ‘til the end is beneficial to the development of both players of a match.

To date 3 million results have been added to Universal Tennis’ system for over 250 thousand players in 200 countries. These results have been provided from:

• ATP / WTA / ITF / Tennis Europe
• USTA / ITA
• Tennis Canada
• LTA

For more information on Universal Tennis Ratings visit www.universaltennis.com.

• 2018S End of Season Go Live: 17/09/2018

• 2018W Mid-Season Cut Off: 16/12/2018
• 2018W Mid-Season Go Live: 02/01/2019 (Wednesday)
• 2018W End of Season Cut Off: 31/03/2019
• 2018W End of Season Go Live: 15/04/2019

• 2019S Mid-Season Cut Off: 09/06/2019
• 2019S Mid-Season Go Live: 24/06/2019
• 2019S End of Season Cut Off: 31/08/2019
• 2019S End of Season Go Live: 16/09/2019

• 2019W Mid-Season Cut Off: 22/12/2019
• 2019W Mid-Season Go Live: 06/01/2020
• 2019W End of Season Cut Off: 31/03/2020
• 2019W End of Season Go Live: 15/04/2020 (Wednesday)

• The 2019 Summer Mid-Season ratings run, for players rated 8.2 and higher, will take into account matches played between 1^st April 2019 and 9^th June 2019.
• Results from (non-team) events with end dates after 9^th June 2019 will count for the 2019 Summer End of Season ratings run.
• Ratings runs calculate players' ratings as they stand at the time the run takes place. This means that you should check your qualifying wins and losses in advance of the run, and not base your calculation on the ratings of your opponents as they show after the run, because your opponents' ratings may have changed.
• If you do not agree with the outcome of the run, because results on your profile are missing or incorrect, you may submit an online appeal. The appeal form is available until 23:59pm on Sunday 30^th June 2019.
• Please do not submit an appeal on the grounds of illness or injury or narrowly missing out on meeting the increase criteria; regrettably such appeals will be rejected.
• Please make sure that you check your results well in advance of the next ratings run to avoid the delay of an appeal.