The ATP tour is essentially a tennis event itself. In fact, it’s the biggest tennis event of the year. The person who finishes the year number 1 is the number 1 player in the world and the WORLD CHAMPION for that year. From 1 January, it starts all over again. Yes we have a rolling number 1 so we know who has had the best 12 months at any one time, but no trophies are given out for rolling number 1s.
The ATP describes the ATP rankings as follows:
“The year-end Emirates ATP Rankings is based on calculating, for each player, his total points from the four (4) Grand Slams, the eight (8) mandatory ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals of the ranking period, and his best six (6) results from all ATP World Tour 500, ATP World Tour 250, ATP Challenger Tour and Futures tournaments. For every Grand Slam or mandatory ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament for which a player is not in the main draw, and was not (and, in the case of a Grand Slam, would not have been, had he and all other players entered) a main draw direct acceptance on the original acceptance list, and never became a main draw direct acceptance, the number of his results from all other eligible tournaments in the ranking period, that count for his ranking, is increased by one (1). In weeks where there are not four (4) Grand Slams and eight (8) ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in the ranking period, the number of a player’s best results from all eligible tournaments in the ranking period will be adjusted accordingly. Once a player is accepted in the main draw of one of these twelve (12) tournaments, as a direct acceptance, a qualifier, a special exempt or a lucky loser, or having accepted a wild card, his result in this tournament shall count for his ranking, whether or not he participates.”
Source: http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Rankings-FAQ.aspx#pointvalue
Therefore it can be seen that the year end number 1 ranking is a bigger achievement than winning any individual slam. Any half decent player can string 7 matches together. In fact, you can have 4 different players do it throughout the year. But only 1 player can finish the year as number 1 in the world. By the same token, all it takes is a couple of loose points or service games, a red hot opponent, an injury or just having a bad day and you can miss out on winning a slam. The race to number 1 allows for some upset losses, injuries and a bout of poor results/form but that means you must work harder later on in the year to make up for it if you want to finish number 1.
The number 1 ranking at year end is more important than total weeks at number 1. So if I finish the year number 1, the fact I finished number 1 is going to be more of an achievement than the 3-4 weeks that I’m number 1 whilst no events are on.
The season incorporates the slams, the WTF winner, the masters, and to a lesser extent the 500s and 250s. Your consistentcy and your ability to peak for the matches that count are taken into account. Your results on all surfaces are also taken into account, unlike an individual slam. So if you have finished the year number 1, you deserve to be the world champion.
The only thing that I can think of that would be seen as more prestigious than the year ending number 1 ranking is the CYGS. But the CYGS is so rare it’s rarely done. Every year, someone has the opportunity to win the year end number 1 ranking. It is an annual competition, it is up for grabs every year irrespective of who is playing and who is not.
No one thinks that an individual F1 grand prix is more important than the World Drivers championship, I see no difference with tennis.
The ATP describes the ATP rankings as follows:
“The year-end Emirates ATP Rankings is based on calculating, for each player, his total points from the four (4) Grand Slams, the eight (8) mandatory ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals of the ranking period, and his best six (6) results from all ATP World Tour 500, ATP World Tour 250, ATP Challenger Tour and Futures tournaments. For every Grand Slam or mandatory ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament for which a player is not in the main draw, and was not (and, in the case of a Grand Slam, would not have been, had he and all other players entered) a main draw direct acceptance on the original acceptance list, and never became a main draw direct acceptance, the number of his results from all other eligible tournaments in the ranking period, that count for his ranking, is increased by one (1). In weeks where there are not four (4) Grand Slams and eight (8) ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in the ranking period, the number of a player’s best results from all eligible tournaments in the ranking period will be adjusted accordingly. Once a player is accepted in the main draw of one of these twelve (12) tournaments, as a direct acceptance, a qualifier, a special exempt or a lucky loser, or having accepted a wild card, his result in this tournament shall count for his ranking, whether or not he participates.”
Source: http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Rankings-FAQ.aspx#pointvalue
Therefore it can be seen that the year end number 1 ranking is a bigger achievement than winning any individual slam. Any half decent player can string 7 matches together. In fact, you can have 4 different players do it throughout the year. But only 1 player can finish the year as number 1 in the world. By the same token, all it takes is a couple of loose points or service games, a red hot opponent, an injury or just having a bad day and you can miss out on winning a slam. The race to number 1 allows for some upset losses, injuries and a bout of poor results/form but that means you must work harder later on in the year to make up for it if you want to finish number 1.
The number 1 ranking at year end is more important than total weeks at number 1. So if I finish the year number 1, the fact I finished number 1 is going to be more of an achievement than the 3-4 weeks that I’m number 1 whilst no events are on.
The season incorporates the slams, the WTF winner, the masters, and to a lesser extent the 500s and 250s. Your consistentcy and your ability to peak for the matches that count are taken into account. Your results on all surfaces are also taken into account, unlike an individual slam. So if you have finished the year number 1, you deserve to be the world champion.
The only thing that I can think of that would be seen as more prestigious than the year ending number 1 ranking is the CYGS. But the CYGS is so rare it’s rarely done. Every year, someone has the opportunity to win the year end number 1 ranking. It is an annual competition, it is up for grabs every year irrespective of who is playing and who is not.
No one thinks that an individual F1 grand prix is more important than the World Drivers championship, I see no difference with tennis.