The International Tennis Federation has shared a number of updates after a Strategic Planning Review. Most notable among the changes is the renaming of the various Grades of Junior Tournaments on the World Tennis Tour Juniors (WTTJ) calendar.
In a communique sent to Tournament Organizers and Directors, the following will be effective January 1st 2023.
Junior Grand Slams will remain Junior Grand Slams.
Grade A will now be called J500
Grade 1 and B1 will be called J300
Grade 2 and B2 will be called J200
Grade 3 and B3 will be J100
Grade 4 will be J60
Grade 5 will be J30.
According to Matt Byford, Head of Juniors and Masters, “The ITF ranking is the primary measure for the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors, and as such the tournament grade will reflect the number of ranking points awarded to the singles winner at each event. For example, an existing Grade 1 tournament, which awards 300 points to the singles winner, will be presented as J300.”
It is considered that the new grade names will make for easier understanding of tournament levels and players’ position on the pathway.
“The ITF is a dynamic Organization always looking at ways to make our sport inclusive and better. We will learn quickly and adopt these changes come January 1st, 2023,” World Tennis Tour Juniors Tournament Organizer, Roger Crawford said in Accra.