The Rating System in the USA

[johnthecoach]

upper level 3.5 or solid 4.0 to 4.5 and there are some 5.0 and above.

Now can someone explain to me in not more than a million words your rating system.
1. What do you start at?
2.Is the higher the number the better the level or reverse?
3.How do you change your rating?
4.Does your rating stay with you all year or will it go down if you dont play?
5.Is the rating the same for all of the USA?
Pheeewwww...answers please.

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

johnthecoach:

Check out the United States Tennis Association's website www.usta.com and from there scroll down on the left hand column and click on "USA League." From there, again scroll down the left hand side and click on "NRTP" (which is the National Tennis Rating Program).

Or, try the www.tennisone.com website; again scroll down the left hand column and click on "Instruction." From there, again scoll down the left hand side and click on "NRTP."

It's fairly concise in the description of the various N.R.T.P. levels, and (to your delight) it also "comes in" under a million words. Good luck.

 

[johnthecoach]

Thanks Sean,
That says it all..the USTA site

 

[kevhen]

Typically you will self-rate yourself a 3.0 or 3.5 if you don't know and don't want to pay to have yourself rated by someone certified.
Higher the better. 1.0 is beginner and 7.0 is pro.
Computer will bump you up if you win too much at your level.
Rating stays the same while you don't play.
Ratings are supposed to be the same for the entire US, but it's not perfect.

 

[johnthecoach]

Thanks Kev,
Are there tourneys for individual ratings...ie are there events just for 2 or 3 rated players, or are all events covering the whole range of players?
And if you are for example a 5, and keep losing will you be bumped down straight away or does it take time?

 

[kevhen]

Around here the tourneys are like this:
Small tourneys have age divisions (35, 45, 55, 65) and open (5.0) level.
Large tourneys have age and open divisions plus 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 NTRP levels.

Largest draws are 3.5, 4.0 and Open levels with 15-25 or so in each.