For Tennis Parents by a Tennis Parent

As promised in this week’s update, I had the opportunity to chat with Dan Holman, USTA’s National Manager for Youth Tournaments, about the new tournament and ranking structure going into effect January 1, 2021. I asked him the questions you’ve been posting on our Facebook and Twitter feeds in hopes of getting clarification for you before the new structure takes hold. You can view the entire interview here:

For my interview with Lew Brewer taking us step by step through the new tournament search and ranking platform, click below:

During our chat, Dan mentioned several resources available on the USTA website. Here are the links to the various articles and webpages he discussed:

• Main Junior Competitive Structure landing page: https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/youth-tennis/programs/national/junior-competitive-structure-changes-2021.html

Note, there is an email address at the end – juniortournaments@usta.com – where players/parents can send questions/concerns.

• Learn about Level 7 tournaments
• Top 10 Things to Know
• Why these changes are occurring (PDF)
• Comparing the Ranked Event Levels (PDF)
• 2021 Point Tables and Shadow Ranking Philosophy (PDF)
• USTA Press Release
• Click Here to Watch a Webinar Recording about the 2021 changes
• USTA Online Help Center for specific questions regarding Serve Tennis and other areas as well: https://customercare.usta.com/hc/en-us

Also, ParentingAces has some breaking news regarding the upcoming Level 2 tournaments scheduled for February 2021:

Following the cancellation of the USTA National Winter Championships and due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19 that has impacted the ability to host events in certain parts of the country, the USTA is proposing adjustments to the beginning of the 2021 National Junior Tournament Schedule. The goal of these adjustments is to hold additional events in order to regionalize play, thus limiting travel, while still offering high-level competitive opportunities for players across the country.

The USTA plans to double the number of Level 2 tournaments held Feb. 6-8, with the number of events increasing from four to eight in each age division. The events will feature 32-player singles draws and be strategically located to minimize travel.

The March Level 3 tournaments scheduled for March 20-22 will proceed as originally planned due to the fact that those tournaments are widely distributed across the country.

As the situation remains fluid, the USTA may propose additional adjustments to ensure a competitive balance and provide players with competitive opportunities closer to home.  

If you haven’t already, I encourage you to listen to my earlier interview with USTA’s Lew Brewer explaining the new structure in its entirety – click here. I will continue to have these conversations with Lew, Dan, and others at USTA as more information becomes available. This new system has a built-in fluidity which allows USTA to make the necessary tweaks and updates quickly, and USTA has committed to doing video chats on an on-going basis with ParentingAces to get updated information to all of you in a timely manner.

Happy Holidays to you and your family! Stay safe and stay masked!