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USTA rating system: how NTRP levels work
TL;DR USTA rates adult players with NTRP, the National Tennis Rating Program, on a scale from 1.5 (beginner) to 7.0 (touring pro) in half-point steps. Most league players get a computer rating published each December; new players self-rate. UTR and the World Tennis Number are separate systems with no role in USTA league eligibility.
A player's NTRP level decides which USTA leagues and NTRP tournaments they can enter, and USTA League generally offers 2.5 through 5.0. Rules on this page are quoted from the USTA NTRP ratings FAQ. Player counts come from the 23,170 rostered players in our app, mostly in Northern California.
What are the NTRP levels on the USTA scale?
Each NTRP level covers half a point of hidden dynamic rating. A 3.5, in the USTA's words, can fall anywhere between 3.01 and 3.50, and a 3.01 against a 3.49 would typically end 6-0, 6-0 for the higher player. League play concentrates between 2.5 and 5.0.
| NTRP | Share of men | Share of women | Typical singles UTR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 | 1% | 10% | women 1.0 to 2.1 |
| 3.0 | 18% | 31% | men 2.8 to 4.3, women 1.4 to 2.6 |
| 3.5 | 34% | 32% | men 4.1 to 5.4, women 2.2 to 3.4 |
| 4.0 | 30% | 18% | men 5.2 to 6.6, women 3.3 to 4.5 |
| 4.5 | 13% | 6% | men 6.5 to 7.9, women 4.5 to 5.6 |
| 5.0 | 4% | 1% | men 8.2 to 9.8, women 5.5 to 7.2 |
| 5.5 | under 1% | under 1% | too few players |
Shares are of 11,958 men and 11,212 women on the league rosters in our app. Levels 1.5 to 2.0 and 6.0 to 7.0 exist on the NTRP scale but barely appear in league play. The UTR column is the middle half of computer-rated players at each level; the UTR to NTRP chart has both directions.
What does the letter after an NTRP rating mean?
TennisLink shows an NTRP level with a letter, such as 4.0C. The letter says where the rating came from, and it decides whether you can be disqualified mid-season: C is a computer rating, S self-rated, A appealed, M mixed exclusive, T tournament and D disqualified.
| Letter | Type | How you get it | Our rosters |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Computer (year-end) | Calculated from at least three valid matches in USTA League Adult play, and in some sections NTRP tournaments and other leagues. Published each December. | 65% |
| S | Self-rated | Entry rating for a new player, or one returning with only a Mixed or Tournament rating, from the self-rate questionnaire in TennisLink. | 23% |
| A | Appealed | Granted after a request to play at a higher or lower level: an automatic, committee-reviewed or medical appeal. | 2% |
| M | Mixed exclusive | For players who play only USTA League Mixed and hold no valid computer rating. | under 1% |
| T | Tournament | For players who play only USTA NTRP tournaments. | under 1% |
| D | Disqualified | Given to a self-rated or appealed player after a dynamic disqualification or an upheld grievance. | under 1% |
Computer (C), mixed exclusive (M) and tournament (T) players cannot be dynamically disqualified. All other players in Adult Divisions can, which in practice means self-rated and appealed players.
How is the NTRP year-end rating calculated?
The USTA describes the NTRP algorithm as expected result against actual result. Before each match it uses the dynamic ratings of you, your partner and your opponents to predict a score. After the match it compares the real score with that prediction and moves your dynamic rating up, down or not at all.
Position played, winning or losing, age and team standing do not enter the calculation directly. A year-end rating needs at least three valid matches, and a valid match is one with at least six games completed. District, sectional and national championship matches are included. The result is rounded to the half point and published each December, and it decides which leagues and NTRP tournaments you can enter the following year. It stays valid for up to three years if you are 59 or under and up to two years if you are older, or until a new rating replaces it.
Dynamic ratings, calculated to the hundredth, are never published. The USTA also states that third-party sites claiming to show NTRP ratings are not endorsed by it and cannot be relied on. The full mechanics, including how championship matches are weighted, are in how the USTA calculates NTRP year-end ratings.
How do NTRP self-rating, appeals and strikes work?
Every USTA league player needs a valid computer rating or a self-rating. A self-rating comes from the questionnaire in TennisLink, which asks about tennis history (school, college, junior rankings, pro events) and sets a minimum level. Self-rated and appealed players can also collect strikes, and three strikes in a rating year is a dynamic disqualification.
Computer-rated and mixed-exclusive players can appeal their year-end rating up or down in TennisLink. Self-rated players can appeal only up there; moving a self-rating down goes to a section review. A denied appeal cannot be appealed again, and the only way to learn whether you are inside the appeal range is to file. A strike comes when a dynamic rating lands clearly above the player's level. Details and the 2026 changes are in NTRP self-rating and appeals.
Which matches count toward an NTRP rating?
According to the USTA, NTRP ratings are generated by play in the Adult 18 & Over, 40 & Over, 55 & Over and 65 & Over divisions and in Mixed 18 & Over, 40 & Over and 55 & Over. Some sections also include NTRP tournaments and other leagues.
Combo and Flex are not on that list, so check your section before assuming a Combo season moves your rating. A player who plays only Mixed gets a Mixed (M) rating; three or more Adult Division matches produce a computer rating, which takes precedence.
What is the difference between a USTA rating and ranking?
The USTA draws a line between a rating and a ranking. A rating is a number for your playing ability, and it sets your league level. A ranking is your position on a list relative to other players, and the USTA says rankings come only from tournament play. A 4.0 league player has a rating; a ranking requires sanctioned tournaments.
People search for a "USTA ranking system" when they mean NTRP, the rating.
How do NTRP, UTR and WTN differ?
UTR, from Universal Tennis, runs from 1 to 16.5, rates singles and doubles separately and updates after every eligible match. The World Tennis Number, from the ITF, runs the other way: lower is stronger. Neither UTR nor WTN affects USTA league eligibility, which runs on NTRP alone, though both show up on league rosters.
Across our rosters, most 4.0 men hold a singles UTR of 5.2 to 6.6 and most 4.0 women 3.3 to 4.5.
How do you find your NTRP rating?
Your official NTRP level and its letter are on your USTA account in TennisLink, the same place you self-rate and file appeals. TennisLink shows the published year-end level, rounded to the half point; dynamic ratings are never published. Levels and divisions for league play are covered in USTA divisions and levels.
Key takeaways
- USTA rates adult players with NTRP, a scale from 1.5 to 7.0 in half-point steps; USTA League generally offers 2.5 through 5.0.
- Most league players get a computer year-end rating each December, calculated from at least three valid matches; new players self-rate in TennisLink.
- The letter after a level, such as 4.0C, says where the rating came from and whether a player can be disqualified mid-season.
- A rating sets your league level, while a ranking comes only from tournament play.
- UTR and the World Tennis Number are separate systems and play no part in USTA league eligibility.
Frequently asked questions
What is the USTA rating system?
USTA rates adult players with the National Tennis Rating Program, NTRP, developed in 1978. Levels run from 1.5 (beginner) to 7.0 (touring pro) in half-point steps, and USTA League generally offers 2.5 through 5.0. Your level decides which leagues and NTRP tournaments you can enter.
How is my NTRP rating calculated?
For each match the algorithm expects a result from the dynamic ratings of you, your partner and your opponents, then moves your dynamic rating up or down by how the actual score compared. Position, win or loss, age and team standing do not count directly. Your year-end rating is published each December, rounded to the half point.
What is the difference between a USTA rating and a ranking?
A rating is a number for your playing ability and decides your league level. A ranking is your position against other players on a rankings list, and the USTA says rankings come only from tournament play. A 4.0 league player has a rating; a ranking requires sanctioned tournaments.
How long is an NTRP rating valid?
According to the USTA, a year-end rating is valid for up to three years for players 59 and under and up to two years for older players, or until a new rating is generated. The year-end rating is published each December and sets the levels you can play the following year.
Is UTR part of the USTA rating system?
No. UTR comes from Universal Tennis and has no role in USTA league eligibility. Many league players carry one anyway: most 4.0 men on our rosters hold a singles UTR of 5.2 to 6.6. Our UTR to NTRP chart shows what each level typically holds, for men and women.
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