Dynamic NTRP Coming to a Tennis Court Near You

The USTA, in it's infinite wisdom, has determined that there is a better way to track your NTRP rating. Not that the old system was bad, but was so subjective that it had become a joke.

In a multi-year rollout plan, the USTA will be implementing a dynamic rating method to determine NTRP ratings for all players. The objective is to eliminate the 2-year ratings and need for visual rating sessions, thus making it easier to attract new players to the game. The DNTRP system is also expected to produce more realistic results and keep players at the appropriate level.

Under Dynamic NTRP, all results from league and tournaments will be tracked and used to calculate a perpetual player rating. The USTA will monitor these ratings, and if it passes a certain threshold, you or your team may be disqualified.

The new system sounds almost like a golf handicap, but not exactly. Rumors have been circulating amongst players that every practice match will be tracked as well, but that is not the case. Only results from Adult, Senior and Mixed league, plus other approved leagues and tournaments will be used. That means that your regular Sunday morning game doesn't count towards a dynamic rating. And it shouldn't.

DNTRP was designed by USTA NorCal Director of Information Technology Michael Friedman. The program has been in testing and development for over eight years. The original intent was for all player results to be recorded via the internet and used in the calculation of a current rating, including results of practice sets. In its final adoption of DNTRP, the USTA will include only league and tournament results.

This new rating method will be used by four USTA sections in 2002, with a planned rollout to all sections for the 2003 league season. As with any new program, there will certainly be bugs in the system and problems to work out. Be thankful if you don't play in any of the Mid-Atlantic, New England, Northern, or Texas sections. You can be sure they will be experiencing some intense growing pains as they work through this new system.

Will the Dynamic NTRP rating system guarantee that everyone is playing at the appropriate level? Of course not. The game of tennis has long been filled with cheaters who will do anything to win. DNTRP won't change that. It can't. There are ways to get around any system that is put in place. This will just be a deterrent until the dishonest players find a way to manipulate it, just as they have the current systems.