The International Tennis Federation announced today that it had completed successful discussions with both the ATP and the WTA Tour to award ranking points for both men and women at the 2004 Olympic Tennis Event in Athens. This is the first time that WTA Tour players will receive ranking points for the Olympic Games.
ATP ranking points were awarded for the 2000 Olympic Tennis Event in Sydney. The satisfactory conclusion of these discussions means that the ITF and the International Olympic Committee have agreed to the following entry criteria for the 2004 Olympic Tennis Event:
The ATP and WTA Tour rankings will be used as the basis for determining the top 48 direct acceptances in the 64- draw for men and women respectively, subject to the limitations outlined below and existing eligibility requirements.
An additional eight of the 16 invitations allocated to the ITF will be based solely on the ATP and WTA Tour rankings
for men and women respectively.
Each nation is eligible for four entries into the men’s and women’s singles – the same for the men as in 2000 and an
increase of one from the previous eligibility criteria for the women. Nations are able to nominate a separate doubles
team by direct acceptance if the doubles rankings are in the top 10 of the ATP or WTA Tour for men and women
respectively.
ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said, ‘This is an significant step forward for the Olympic Tennis Event. We want to thank Mark Miles of the ATP and Larry Scott of the WTA Tour and their boards for their support and their understanding of how important it is for the sport of tennis to be in the Olympic Games. Their decisions reward the men and women equally and will guarantee that as many top players as possible are able to represent their countries in Athens. I also want to thank the IOC and in particular their President Jacques Rogge and Gilbert Felli, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director, for their support throughout these negotiations.’
‘This is very good news’, said IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli. ‘This new system is the result
of a constructive cooperation between all parties involved since the introduction of tennis into the Olympic programme
at the 1988 Games in Seoul and shows the determination to see top tennis players take part in the Olympic
Games.’
‘We’re pleased that we were able to agree on a system of entry based on the ATP Entry Rankings,’ said Mark Miles,
ATP Chief Executive Officer. ‘This provides for objectivity and fairness in determining which players will have the
opportunity to compete, an essential principle to ATP players. We expect the 2004 Olympics competition will be an
outstanding success in Athens, and we’re pleased that we’ll be able to recognize players’ results in the ATP
Champions Race and ATP Entry Rankings.’
‘We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with the International Tennis Federation to award ranking
points to our players for the first time at the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games are truly a special moment in
sports, and this agreement will make the event even more meaningful to our players,’ WTA Tour CEO and Chairman
Larry Scott said. ‘We are equally pleased that the International Tennis Federation and the International Olympic Committee have chosen to use the WTA Tour rankings system to determine player entry, ensuring the Games will
continue to feature the best and most accomplished players in women’s tennis.’
For further information please contact:
Barbara Travers
Head of Communications
International Tennis Federation
Bank Lane
Roehampton
London SW15 5XZ
Tel: +44 (0)20 8878 6464
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8392 4747
ITF Website: www.itftennis.com
ITF Olympic Website: www.itftennis.com/olympics
Davis Cup Website: www.daviscup.com
Fed Cup Website: www.fedcup.com