How ATP Rankings Work: Points, the 52-Week Rule and Year-End No. 1
The ATP rankings rank men's professional tennis players by the points they earned at tournaments over the previous 52 weeks. They decide who gets into tournaments and who is seeded.
Points for winning each level
| Tournament | Points for the winner |
|---|---|
| Grand Slam | 2,000 |
| ATP Finals | Up to 1,500 (unbeaten champion) |
| ATP Masters 1000 | 1,000 |
| ATP 500 | 500 |
| ATP 250 | 250 |
Players also earn points for each round they reach, so a Grand Slam finalist gets 1,300 points and a semi-finalist 800.
The rolling 52 weeks
Rankings update every Monday. Points from a tournament stay on a player's ranking for 52 weeks, then drop off when that event comes round again. That is why players talk about defending points: a champion who loses early the following year loses most of the points from the previous title.
Which results count
A player's ranking is the total of their best 19 results: the four Grand Slams and the eight mandatory Masters 1000 events, plus their best seven other results. Qualifiers for the ATP Finals can add that as a 20th result.
The year-end No. 1
The player on top of the rankings after the last tournament of the season, the ATP Finals in November, is the year-end No. 1. It is one of the most respected achievements in tennis because it reflects a full year of results, not one great tournament.
The live ranking
During a tournament, fans follow the live ranking, an unofficial calculation of where players would stand if the event ended that day. The official ranking only changes on Monday.
The women's rankings
The WTA uses a similar 52-week system with its own tournament levels, including WTA 1000, 500 and 250 events and the WTA Finals.
For how points are won on court, read how tennis scoring works and the four Grand Slams explained.