ITF Press Release, December 25, 2020
The ITF Men’s and Women’s World Tennis Tour (WTT) has still seen almost 5,000 players compete in over 300 tournaments in 2020, with a number of impressive performances and milestones, despite the disruption of the calendar caused by the pandemic.
Four-time winners Alessandro Bega (ITA) and Kacper Zuk (POL) top the list for most titles on the Men’s WTT. Lucas Catarina (MON) won a tour-leading 36 singles matches and Evan Furness (FRA) recorded the longest match-winning streak of the year with 19 consecutive wins in October and November, picking up three consecutive M15 titles in the process.
Qinwen Zheng (CHN) and Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) also finish the year with the most titles on the Women’s WTT with four titles each, while Andreea Amalia Rosca (ROU) recorded the most singles match-wins, with 43. Sina Hermann (GER) had the best match-winning streak of the year with 15 consecutive singles wins in September and October, as she won the titles at W25 Grado and W15 Monastir.
The year began positively with an increased number of events scheduled in the first quarter compared to the first quarter of 2019 before the shutdown of the WTT in March. The Tours were able to resume in August under the ITF Return to Tennis protocols to protect the health and safety of all participants. Tunisia finish the year having hosted more WTT events than any other country, with two tournaments in the final two weeks taking their total to 44 in 2020.
Provisional calendars for 2021 are now available on itftennis.com across the ITF circuits, Men’s and Women’s World Tennis Tour, UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, World Tennis Tour Juniors, ITF Seniors Tour and the ITF Beach Tennis Tour.
All ITF circuits are working closely with stakeholders to ensure that as far as possible, playing opportunities are maintained, with measures in place to provide flexibility to tournaments and players who continue to face challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Revised ranking system
Across ITF Circuits, the Best of 24-month ranking system will remain in place until March 2021, in line with the ATP and WTA. This system ensures players are provided the opportunity to earn new ranking points while protecting those who are unable or reluctant to travel, by allowing them to retain the points earned between March 2019 and March 2020.
Additionally, to protect the ITF player pathway and in recognition of the lack of opportunities for junior players in 2020, all year-end top 100 juniors born in 2002 will be able to use their year-end junior ranking beyond their 19th birthday for acceptance into Men’s and Women’s WTT events for the entire calendar year in 2021.
Tournament grades and flexibility
Flexibility will be permitted regarding draw sizes in the qualifying and main draw of World Tennis Tour tournaments. Tournament application deadlines and entry and withdrawal dates will also remain altered across the circuits to accommodate the continued uncertainty.
Tournaments on the ITF Seniors and Juniors Tours will be allocated their normal grade and ranking points but will be subject to an analysis of accessibility by the ITF, and where there are significant national border restrictions the status of the tournament may be changed.
It is a reality that the calendars will remain subject to change, with short notice at times, but the ITF will continue to work closely with national associations, organisers and players to provide opportunities to play and earn throughout 2021.
2021 Provisional calendars
The calendars for each ITF circuit can be accessed via the following links:
