A serious injury can keep a professional tennis player away from competition for months — sometimes more than a year. During that time, their world ranking can fall dramatically. A player who was ranked inside the Top 20 before an injury might return to find themselves outside the Top 100,Continue Reading
Follow a major tennis tournament and you will regularly hear that a player has moved into the Top 10, reached a career-high ranking or dropped several places — even though the official rankings haven’t been updated. That’s because commentators and fans increasingly follow live tennis rankings. Live rankings calculate howContinue Reading
For most of their careers, professional tennis players compete for themselves. At the Olympic Games, everything changes. Players compete under their national flag. Doubles partners must represent the same country. Rankings can get a player into the tournament, but a high enough ranking doesn’t necessarily guarantee a place. And losingContinue Reading
The ATP Tour is the highest level of professional men’s tennis. It brings together the world’s best players to compete in tournaments across every continent, with ranking points, prize money and prestige on the line. Whether you’re watching the World No. 1, No. 50, or No. 100, every ATP eventContinue Reading
The WTA Tour is the highest level of women’s professional tennis, taking the world’s leading players to tournaments across the globe throughout the season. But the structure behind it can initially seem complicated. What is the difference between a WTA 1000 and WTA 500? Are the Grand Slams part ofContinue Reading
Every professional tennis tournament has a qualifying competition where players fight for a place in the main draw. Most who lose are eliminated—but a select few are given a second chance. These players are known as lucky losers. A lucky loser is a player who loses in the final roundContinue Reading
Not every player in a professional tennis tournament earns a place in the main draw through their world ranking. For many players, the journey begins in the qualifying tournament. Those who successfully make it through are known as qualifiers. Qualifying is one of the toughest parts of professional tennis. PlayersContinue Reading
Not every player in a professional tennis tournament earns their place through ranking or qualifying. Sometimes, tournament organisers are given the opportunity to invite players directly into the main draw. These invitations are known as wild cards. Wild cards are a unique part of professional tennis. They can launch theContinue Reading
Quick Answer A standard tennis court measures: The same court is used for both singles and doubles, with the doubles alleys determining the extra width used in doubles matches. Although these measurements remain the same from local clubs to Grand Slam tournaments, understanding what each line is used for canContinue Reading
Quick Answer Embed from Getty Images An official tennis net measures: The centre of the net is held lower than the sides by a centre strap, creating the familiar slight curve seen on every tennis court. These measurements are the same for all professional and recreational tennis matches. What IsContinue Reading
