2.0
You lack court experience and your strokes need developing. You are
familiar with the basic positions for singles and doubles play.
2.5
You are learning to judge where the ball is going, although your court
coverage is limited. You can sustain a short rally of slow pace with
other players of the same ability.
3.0
You are fairly consistent when hitting medium-paced shots, but are not
comfortable with all strokes and lack execution when trying for
directional control, depth, or power. Your most common doubles
formation is one-up, one-back.
3.5
You have achieved improved stroke dependability with directional
control on moderate shots, but need to develop depth and variety. You
exhibit more aggressive net play, have improved court coverage and are
developing teamwork in doubles.
4.0
You have dependable strokes, including directional control and depth
on both forehand and backhand sides on moderate-paced shots. You can
use lobs, overheads, approach shots and volleys with some success and
occasionally force errors when serving. Rallies may be lost due to
impatience. Teamwork in doubles is evident.
4.5
You have developed your use of power and spin and can handle pace. You
have sound footwork, can control depth of shots, and attempt to vary
game plan according to your opponents. You can hit first serves with
power and accuracy and place the second serve. You tend to overhit on
difficult shots. Aggressive net play is common in doubles.
5.0
You have good shot anticipation and frequently have an outstanding
shot or attribute around which a game may be structured. You can
regularly hit winners or force errors off of short balls and can put
away volleys. You can successfully execute lobs, drop shots, half
volleys, overhead smashes, and have good depth and spin on most second
serves.
5.5
You have mastered power and/or consistency as a major weapon. You can
vary strategies and styles of play in a competitive situation and hit
dependable shots in a stress situation.
6.0
to 7.0
You have had intensive training for national tournament competition at
the junior and collegiate levels and have obtained a sectional and/or
national ranking.
7.0
You are a world-class player.
More detail on NTRP is here.
Selected USTA Comments:
The NTRP is used to rate both men and women, but men's and women's ratings are not intended to be equivalent. However, for those individuals wishing to compete against players of the opposite gender, the following can be use as a guide. At approximately the 3.5 rating for a man, a woman with a 4.0 rating will be competitive. When a man reaches the 5.0 level or above a woman needs to be approximately 1.0 higher in order to be competitive.
Players with up to a 0.5 difference is ratings are generally considered "compatible." At a 0.5 difference in ratings, the outcome is predictable with the higher rated player winning routinely. "Compatible" players however, can offer each other recreational, social, and practice benefits.
Of the 300,000+ league players nationally, more than 90,000 will be seeing movement in their NTRP rating that should coincide with their appropriate skills. With almost a third of the players seeing movement, please know that if you are in this group, you will not be alone. We recognize that there may be initial concerns and questions, but we believe rating adjustments are necessary to protect the integrity of the NTRP and insure that the vast majority of all league players will have competitive matches.
The table below shows the movement of players up and down from their previous rating levels. Players will continue to have compatible and competitive matches, although many will now be playing at a different level.
|
Level at Start of Year |
Total Players |
Players Moving Up |
No Change |
Players Moving Down |
|
2.5 |
19,352 |
9,762 |
9,590 |
0 |
|
3 |
82,803 |
35,133 |
45,067 |
2,603 |
|
3.5 |
121,270 |
36,381 |
83,456 |
1,433 |
|
4 |
66,717 |
11,200 |
54,250 |
1,267 |
|
4.5 |
18,605 |
1,333 |
16,307 |
965 |
|
5 |
2,698 |
128 |
2,135 |
435 |
|
5.5 |
143 |
1 |
64 |
78 |