League differences between US and Europe

cneblett

Rookie
I have seen several times mention that tennis ratings are done differently in Europe than in the US. I was wondering if they have the same type of tennis leagues and if not how they are done. I have read here about how you get rating points for who you play and how you do in Europe versus the US ratings level. So would the leagues be based on level grouping or something different? Sorry, this is just a curiousity question and my search did not show anything.

Thanks,
 
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AlexDK09

Guest
In The Netherlands we have different ratings than in the US. For adults 8.0 is the lowest and 1.0 the highest (#1 in NED has 0.9 or something close to that).

US NED
3.0 8
3.5 7
etc.

These ratings are different for Double and Single.
If you lose from a lower rating than you lose points and if you win from someone with a higher rating than you gain points.

In other European countries these ratings are different.
Conversion Chart
 

tennisdad65

Hall of Fame
I prefer the ITN 1-10 scale. 8-10 levels is enough. No need for the 13 NTRP levels.

Also, in the swedish system, 3.0 and lower is not deemed rating worthy?
 
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AlexDK09

Guest
It's indeed easier to just have one international rating, than you can at least compare it without having to look at a conversion chart every time.
 

polski

Semi-Pro
It's indeed easier to just have one international rating, than you can at least compare it without having to look at a conversion chart every time.

Shoot, in America we have people arguing that one state has different levels of players playing at different ratings. I can't imagine how goofy it would get if the USTA would actually try to adopt an international rating policy.

I still say, just eliminate the .5 ratings & go 1 thru 7 in the US & make them all relevant:

1 - 2.5 & below
2 - 3.0 & low 3.5
3 - avg to high 3.5
4 - 4.0
5 - 4.5, low 5.0
6 - club pros / D2, D3 college
7 - former tour players, DI college
 

tennismonkey

Semi-Pro
Shoot, in America we have people arguing that one state has different levels of players playing at different ratings.

i know for a fact that a 3.5 in yugoslavia is a heck of a lot better than a 3.5 in zaire. you better believe that an international rating system will be just as flawed.
 

007

Professional
It's all relative. Like the terrain ratings @ ski areas. A double black diamond @ Jackson Hole not akin to a double black diamond @ Steamboat. A double diamond @ JH is extremely difficult (ie: fall and you slide). At Steamboat, not som much (the mountain is much less steep/rugged/potentially dangerous)
 

Dags

Hall of Fame
This is an interesting topic and deserves more detail about league play rather than being restricted to ratings.

In the UK (and in my experience)...

There are very few public courts, and so if you are in any way serious about tennis you will almost certainly be a member of a club. Clubs will usually have teams entered in the league, the number of teams being determined by the size of the club. To my knowledge, there is no maximum limit per club. Leagues are organised by county (essentially our equivalent of states, but geographically much smaller), and are exclusively doubles. In the summer it is usually divided into mens and womens, and in the winter it is usually a mixed league. For each match there are two couples, and they will play both of the opposing pairs in a best of three sets format. Often a championship tie-break is used instead of a third set, especially during winter when floodlights are required.

Ratings are not given for doubles play, and there is no such thing as a '4.5 team'. The league system is much the same as our other sports, where teams are divided into linear divisions. At the end of each season, the top 2 or so teams in each division are promoted to the division above, taking the place of those who had finished bottom and were hence relegated.

Players are affiliated with their club, and cannot play for another club in the same league during that season. However, within the club they are not firmly allocated to any team. The rules are usually that once you have played 2 matches for a particular team, you cannot 'play down'. For example, if a club has 5 teams (A, B, C, D and E), once a player has played twice for the C team they cannot represent the D or E team that season. There is an element of sandbagging going on, largely because successful teams will attract more players to the club. The most common time for this to occur are at the start of the season, where a player may play 2 games for the C team to ensure they get a good start before playing in the B team for the remainder of the season.

The rating system here is purely based on singles play, which is restricted to either tournaments or matchplay. The vast majority of adults do not have a rating, and those who do will most likely have played fairly competitively as a junior.
 

doctor dennis

Semi-Pro
It's a bit of a coincidence that I've stumbled across this old (very very old) thread.
Dags is right on how it works in the Uk.
I'm actually playing a tournament next week and my first match is against an American who's not long come over here.
The LTA have given him a 7.2 rating based on his US one which lookin at the conversion charts roughly equates to about 3.5. One of the coaches has said he's complained that he should be rated higher which means he is (or thinks he is) a 4.0+ player.
It's interesting because I'm a UK 9.2 but on these boards I'd rate myself as a 4.0 looking at the US criteria.
I can't wait for the match and I'll question him on his actual US rating.
If I lose I could roughly be a 3.0 - 3.5 if I win I could be 4.0 - 4.5.
Can't wait for the Match.

Kind regards
 

fleabitten

Semi-Pro
If I lose I could roughly be a 3.0 - 3.5 if I win I could be 4.0 - 4.5.

Actually, that is a wide margin for one match. I think you could just ask your opponent what US level he'd say you are. Most people that play a lot can spot a 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5. Good luck.
 

doctor dennis

Semi-Pro
Actually, that is a wide margin for one match. I think you could just ask your opponent what US level he'd say you are. Most people that play a lot can spot a 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5. Good luck.

Cheers

Yeah, I'll ask him after the match. Hopefully I can come through with a win.
I'll post up what he thinks my US rating could be.

Kind regards
 

doctor dennis

Semi-Pro
Actually, that is a wide margin for one match. I think you could just ask your opponent what US level he'd say you are. Most people that play a lot can spot a 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5. Good luck.

Hi

Just a quick update. I won convincingly 0-1. Didn't face any break points or deuces on serve and he got to deuce once on his own.
He is a 3.5 in North Carolina and reckons I'd be in the 4.5 range.
He is a really nice chap and we had a good old chat about tennis in the UK and US.
Back to the ITN scales however, I'm not sure there very accurate as he was given a 7.2 UK rating and I'm a 9.2. I'd say a 3.5 is a Uk 9.2 and 4.0 would be a 7.1-8.2 player.
The ITN scales should be really used as a very rough guide as there are many nuances that it cannot calculate.

Kind regards
 

spaceman_spiff

Hall of Fame
Hi

Just a quick update. I won convincingly 0-1. Didn't face any break points or deuces on serve and he got to deuce once on his own.
He is a 3.5 in North Carolina and reckons I'd be in the 4.5 range.
He is a really nice chap and we had a good old chat about tennis in the UK and US.
Back to the ITN scales however, I'm not sure there very accurate as he was given a 7.2 UK rating and I'm a 9.2. I'd say a 3.5 is a Uk 9.2 and 4.0 would be a 7.1-8.2 player.
The ITN scales should be really used as a very rough guide as there are many nuances that it cannot calculate.

Kind regards

He definitely had the wrong rating. USTA 3.5 really is like a 9.2 in LTA like you noticed.

ITN is either overestimating USTA ratings or underestimating LTA ratings.
 
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