General Information
Please click on the following link for additional information on how to start participating on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors: http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/players/start-playing.aspx.
Q. What is the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors?
A. The ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors is comprised of a series of international junior tennis tournaments open worldwide to successful national standard competitors. The circuit gives players the opportunity to compete against the best players from other nations. It also provides experience of international competition, as a junior player transitions into a career in professional tennis.
Q. How old do I have to be to compete on the 2019 ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors?
A. The 2019 ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors is open to players born between the 1st January 2001 and 31st December 2006. Players are eligible to compete on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors in the year they turn 13 years of age, if they have reached their 13th birthday on or before the start of the Singles Main Draw of the tournament they are competing in, until the end of the year in which the player turns 18 years of age.
Q. Are there different standards of tournaments?
A. Yes, the standard of events is determined by its ‘grade’. Tournament grades range from Grade A, which is the highest category and includes the four Grand Slam junior tournaments, to Grades 1-5, with Grade 5 being the lowest category.
Q. How do I know whether I’m good enough to get into the qualifying draw or main draw of a tournament?
A. Players starting out on the circuit should already be performing at a very high level in national tournaments. Ideally, the player should have experience of international competition, having already participated in tournaments organised by their regional association (for example Tennis Europe) before participating on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors.
We recommend that a new player considers Grade 4 and 5 tournaments to begin with.
Q. Is there a way of measuring the strength of particular tournaments other than grade?
A. Yes. We recommend that players use the Cut Offs document as a guide. This document explains what ITF Junior World Ranking, if any, was required to be accepted into the Qualifying Draw and Main Draw of a tournament in 2018 and in previous years. The Cut Off Ranking is taken from the Acceptance List at the time of the tournament Freeze Deadline, the final point at which a player can make a withdrawal online via IPIN. This information can be used by players as a guide when organising a schedule of tournaments to enter via the IPIN online service.
The Cut Offs document is available here. This can be found in the “Tournaments” section of the ITF Juniors website.
IPIN
IPIN refers to the International Player Identification Number. All players that wish to participate in an ITF tournament must first register for an IPIN. Registration is available here: www.itftennis.com/ipin
The IPIN system is used by the ITF to communicate with players. It is also the online portal where players need to enter and withdraw from ITF tournaments. Players can also find the junior circuit regulations via their IPIN accounts as well as stay up to date with ranking information and their code of conduct violations.
We refer you to the IPIN FAQs
Please note it is important that you keep your registered email address up to date as all communication regarding tournament entries, withdrawals and code of conduct are sent to this account. To change your registered email address, or password, login to your IPIN account and go to the ‘My Profile’ section, and then the ‘Security Details’ section.
Entering ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournaments
Q. Do I need an IPIN?
A. Yes. To play ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournaments a player must first register for an IPIN. Each player has a unique IPIN number and this will remain the same throughout their playing career.
The membership fee for an IPIN costs $40 USD per annum and can be obtained at www.itftennis.com/ipin
Q. How do I enter tournaments?
A. Players must enter tournaments via the IPIN Online Service. A player must login to their IPIN account and select the Enter/Withdraw tab to view a weekly calendar of upcoming tournaments. Within the calendar tab, the player will be able to select a date range in order to see all tournaments in that specific week.
To submit an entry, select the correct tournament week and then click the “ADD” button next to the tournament of your choice and follow the instructions. It is possible to select up to three tournaments in the same week.
The entry will be confirmed via email and the player’s name will appear on the entry list, which is also visible in IPIN. The player can select the ‘My Schedule’ page via their IPIN account which will show what tournaments they have entered.
Q. Is there an alternative method of entering a tournament?
A. All entries must be submitted online through the IPIN online service, only in exceptional circumstances will a completed and signed Official Entry form be accepted. The Official Entry form must be sent via email to juniors@itftennis.com or via fax to +44 208 392 4735. It must be received prior to the Entry Deadline. It remains the player’s responsibility to check that an Entry Form was received.
The Official Entry Form can be found here.
Q. Can I enter more than one tournament a week?
A. A player may enter up to three (3) ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournaments in a tournament week and they must state a priority (1,2,3) at the time of entry. If no priority is stated, the ITF will assign a priority based on the timing of the entries. The priority number acts as a reminder of which entry is the player’s preferred, but it does not guarantee acceptance.
Q. Is there an Entry Deadline?
A. Yes. Tournaments that are Grades 1 to 5 have an Entry Deadline of 14:00hrs Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the Tuesday twenty seven (27) days prior to the Monday of the tournament week. Grade A tournaments and their warm-up events have an entry deadline at 14:00 hrs GMT on the Tuesday either forty-one (41), thirty-four (34) or twenty-seven (27) days prior to the Monday of the tournament week.
The Entry Deadline of each tournament can be found on the tournament’s fact sheet, published within IPIN under the ‘Calendar’ tab and on the ITF Juniors website calendar. A “countdown” clock also exists in the “Enter/Withdraw” tab in IPIN. This shows how much time remains before the tournament’s Entry Deadline.
Q. What happens if I miss the Entry Deadline?
A. Late entries cannot be accepted.
A player is still eligible to sign in for the Qualifying event as an On-Site Alternate. There is no guarantee of acceptance as an On-Site Alternate. A player may also request a Wild Card from the Tournament Director. There is no guarantee of receipt of a Wild Card.
Q. Can I play more than one tournament a week?
A. No, only one tournament per week is permitted. This includes all other tournaments, not just ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors events. Please refer to Article II.B.3a “Playing Another Event/One Tournament per week”, page 45 in the 2019 ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Regulations.
Q. The tournament I want to enter is not available for entry in IPIN, but other tournaments in the same week are. Why is this?
A. Each tournament must submit a fact sheet to the ITF at least 10 weeks in advance of the tournament start date. If the fact sheet is late, entries via IPIN will be closed until the ITF receives a satisfactory fact sheet.
Acceptance Lists
Q. When are the Acceptance Lists published?
A. Acceptance Lists are published via IPIN and on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors website a few hours after the Entry Deadline (see below).
Q. What are the criteria for acceptance into ITF Junior tournaments?
A. Please refer to Regulation 44, Criteria for Acceptances, page 19 in the 2019 ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Regulations.
Q. What rankings are used for acceptance into tournaments?
A. The ITF Junior World Rankings and ATP/WTA rankings as at the time of the Entry Deadline. Once an Acceptance List has been published, it will not be updated with subsequent ranking changes.
Q. Is my national ranking considered?
A. Yes, but only if you do not have an ITF Junior World Ranking or ATP/WTA ranking. National rankings will be used to order unranked players from the same nation that enter the tournament.
Each National Association can submit four National Ranking Lists to the ITF per calendar year. These lists consist of 75 boys and 75 girls, all without an ITF Junior World Ranking or ATP/WTA ranking. If you have any queries regarding your eligibility to appear on this list, please contact your National Association.
Q. How many Acceptance Lists for tournaments in the same week can I appear on?
A. A player may enter three (3) tournaments in one week and can appear on up to three (3) Acceptance Lists. The Acceptance Lists will remain open until the Freeze Deadline, 14:00hrs Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on Wednesday five (5) days before the Monday of the tournament week. The lists will update as players withdraw from the tournament.
It is a player’s responsibility to know his/her position on the Acceptance List(s) of all entered tournaments.
If a player enters more than one tournament in the same week, it is the player’s responsibility to choose which tournament to play in and withdraw from the other tournament(s) entered prior to the Withdrawal Deadline.
Withdrawing from ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournaments
Q. How do I withdraw?
A. All withdrawals must be made via your IPIN account. You will need to log in to your IPIN account and go to the Enter/Withdraw section to submit your withdrawal.
Q. What happens at the Withdrawal Deadline?
A. If a player is accepted into the Main Draw or Qualifying of more than one ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournament occurring during the same period, he/she will remain on one list and will be immediately withdrawn from the Entry Lists of all other tournaments.
The decision will be based on the player’s status in each Acceptance List (Main Draw acceptance, Qualifying acceptance, Alternate). IPIN prioritises Main Draw acceptance over Qualifying Draw and Qualifying over Alternates.
If a player has equal status in more than one tournament, the tournament entry Priority Number that the player assigned to each entry will be used to decide which tournament the player will play.
IPIN’s decision cannot be reversed. It is our strong recommendation that a player is proactive and makes this decision themselves, prior to the Withdrawal Deadline. For further information on multiple entries, please refer to Regulation 40, page 16 in the 2019 ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Regulations.
Q. After the Withdrawal Deadline, can I change tournament?
A. No. Once the Withdrawal Deadline passes, you are committed to one tournament and you are unable to change this.
There is one exception to this rule, outlined in Regulation 46, on page 21 of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Regulations. In some circumstances it is possible to accept a Wild Card into another tournament, if you move from Qualifying to Main Draw, or if it is for a higher Grade tournament.
Q. What happens if I forget to withdraw, or I do not withdraw via IPIN/Withdrawal Form?
A. A ‘No Show’ penalty will be given to a player accepted in to the Main Draw or Qualifying if they do not sign-in or officially withdraw.
Please see the Code of Conduct section on page 9 of this document for more information on penalties.
Q. If I’m an Alternate do I need to withdraw?
A. No. An Alternate at the Freeze Deadline is not “accepted” into the Main Draw or Qualifying Draw, and is therefore not committed to playing a tournament. Alternates do not need to withdraw. It is a player’s responsibility to know his/her position on an Acceptance List.
Q. What is a Late Withdrawal?
A. A Late Withdrawal is any official withdrawal made after the Withdrawal Deadline. The Withdrawal Deadline is at 14:00hrs Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on Tuesday thirteen (13) days prior to the Monday of the tournament week. The player must withdraw via IPIN after the Withdrawal Deadline. If the Freeze deadline has passed, 14:00hrs Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on the Wednesday preceding the tournament week, players must send the official Withdrawal Form signed to the Tournament Supervisor with the ITF in copy.
Q. Will I be penalised for a Late Withdrawal?
A. The first three Late Withdrawals in a calendar year will not be penalised. All further Late Withdrawals will result in a penalty. The player must always withdraw via IPIN or the official Withdrawal Form.
Q. Will I be penalised with a Late Withdrawal penalty if i withdraw late due to medical reasons?
A. Yes. If you have used all three late withdrawal amnesties you will be penalised.
Q. Do I need to submit a medical form to withdraw from a tournament?
A. No. A player can withdraw online via IPIN or send an official Withdrawal Form.
Q. I have a long term injury and have withdrawn late from a series of tournaments in a row. Will I be penalised for all of these Late Withdrawals?
A. If a player withdraws late from more than 2 consecutive tournaments, these can also be combined on request. The player must submit medical documentation covering the dates of all tournaments. The ITF will then combine the Late Withdrawals together.
If this is one of the first three Late Withdrawals that calendar year, there is no penalty. If the player has already made three Late Withdrawals, the first Late Withdrawal in the sequence will be penalised.
Rankings
Q. How do I win ITF Junior World Ranking points?
A. A player must play and win at least one round of the Main Draw of an ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournament in order to be eligible for ranking points*.Advancement by virtue of walkover, or by retirement following the commencement of a match, will be equivalent to winning a round. An abandoned tournament counts as a tournament played if the player had not withdrawn before the decision to abandon was taken.
A table of all available ITF Junior World Ranking Points can be found in Regulation 32, page 11 of the 2019 World Tennis Tour Juniors Regulations.
*Junior Grand Slam tournaments award ranking points in qualifying, specifically 30 points for qualifying and 20 points for reaching the last round of qualifying
Q. How is my ITF Junior World Ranking calculated?
A. The ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors uses a Combined Rollover Ranking, updated on a weekly basis, with the new rankings published after each new round of tournaments has been completed.
A Junior Ranking is comprised of the six best singles results plus one quarter (¼) of the six best doubles results in ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors tournaments. (Note: bonus points will no longer awarded at Grade A or Junior Grand Slam tournaments.)
Q. When are the rankings published?
A. Every Monday, taking into account the results from the previous week’s tournaments.
Q. What rankings are used for acceptance into tournaments?
A. The ITF Junior World Rankings and ATP/WTA rankings as at the time of the Entry Deadline. Once an Acceptance List has been published, it will not be updated with subsequent ranking changes.
Q. What ranking is used for seeding purposes?
A. The most recent rankings available to the Supervisor will be used for seeding purposes.
Q. I have a long term injury. Can I have my ITF Junior World Ranking protected?
A. No, rankings are not protected on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors.
Code of Conduct
The ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Code of Conduct can be found in Appendix D, page 43 of the rule and regulations here.
Q. How does the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Code of Conduct work?
A. There are Entry Offences and On-Site Offences. A player that commits an offence will receive a penalty, in the form of Suspension Points.
The player will receive email notification of any suspension points given.
Q. Where can I see my Code of Conduct status?
A. There is a Code of Conduct page inside each player’s IPIN account.
Q. Can I make an appeal if I believe an error has been made?
A. Yes. A player can submit an appeal via email to the ITF Juniors dept before the Appeal Deadline.
The Appeal Deadline is written in the penalty email notification sent to the player and is also visible on the Code of Conduct page inside the player’s IPIN account.
Q. How many Suspension Points can a player accumulate?
A. If a player accumulates 10 or more Suspension Points in a 52 week period, the player will be suspended from the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors for a minimum of four (4) weeks. At the end of the suspension, the 10 Suspension Points will be cancelled. Please refer to Appendix D, X. Suspension Points on page 57 of the 2019 ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Regulations for the breakdown of suspension points.
Q. If I am suspended can I still play on the ITF World Tennis Tour Men’s or Women’s?
A. Yes, the suspension applies to ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors only.
Q. Do I lose ranking points if I get Suspension Points?
A. No. Ranking points are separate to Suspension Points. We do not deduct Ranking Points as a penalty. However, please note that there are some offences that mean a player is ineligible to receive Ranking Points from the tournament where the offence occurred.
How to Contact the ITF Juniors Dept
Our general email addresses are juniors@itftennis.com and ipinjuniors@itftennis.com.
Our general telephone number is +44 208 392 4652
Our general fax number is +44 208 392 4735
Our address is ITF, Bank Lane, Roehampton, London, SW15 5XZ