The National Schedule was designed with the philosophy in mind that all juniors should compete in a variety of matches: matches they are expected to win, matches in which they meet opponents of equal skill and matches they are expected to lose. It allows players to compete at different levels in order for their tennis to be challenging. The schedule also helps define a pathway from entry level events to the very top junior national events. And it is player centered – players make their own decisions!
One important note: Entries into National Championships and National Opens are limited to U.S. Citizens or holders of current alien registration receipt cards. Please check with the USTA if you have questions in this area.
Below is a brief overview of some of the key features of the National Schedule implemented in 2000:
National Opens.
National Opens are open to any age-eligible player. Selection for the National Opens is based on the most recently published National Selection and Seeding List as of the entry deadline. Other important features of the National Opens are:
1. Selection Procedure. Players are accepted into the draws and given preference in their choice of site in the following order:
- Up to 32 players (up to 8 per draw) from the top 200 players on the most recently published National Standings List of the next-younger age division in the order in which their names appear on this list;
- Up to 224 players (up to 56 per draw) from the most recently published National Standings List for the division in the order in which their names appear on this list;
- players not yet in the draw whose names appear on the most recently published National Standings List of the division in the order in which their names appear on the list;
- players not yet in the draw whose names appearon the most recently published National Standings List of the next-younger age division in the order in which their names appear on the list; and
- the remaining entrants in the order of strength of their records.
Players not selected for their first choice shall remain in the pool of applicants for entry into other concurrent USTA National Opens. Those players who have not been selected after all four USTA National Open Draws have been filled shall be placed in alternate pools at all concurrent USTA National Opens for which the players indicated a preference.
2. Automatic Entry into the National Championships. Entry into the National Championship immediately following the National Open is guaranteed if you place high enough in singles or doubles. The top three singles finishers at each National Open qualify to compete in the next Super National. The doubles finalists at each National Open qualify to compete in the doubles at the next National Championship. Doubles qualifiers do not have to play with the same partner at the National Championship as they did at the National Open. Also, doubles finalists are rewarded by being sigles alternates (if not already in) even if they are not on their section's endorsement list for the next National Championships.
3. Location, Location, Location! Four different National Opens are held in four separate locations in each age division and have been distributed geographically to help ease the cost of travel.
4. Opportunities. National Opens provide players who have been out with an injury and/or have failed to qualify for sectional endorsement with a way to earn entry into a National Championship. Also, players who change age groups between events and who haven’t had an opportunity to go through sectional endorsement procedures in the older age division may play the National Open in the older age group and have the opportunity to gain entry into the next National Championship.
The National Championships.
These tournaments represent the highest level of US junior competitive tennis. There are four National Championships held each year in each age division: Spring National National Clay Courts, National Hard Courts and the Winter Nationals.
The USTA entry system provides many ways for a player to qualify for the National Championships. Below is a description of these pathways:
Pathway, In Order of Acceptance | Spring & Winter Nationals (Draws of 128) | Clay & Hard Court Nationals (Draws of 192) |
National Championship Selection List | | |
Boys' & Girls' 18s | Players numbered 1-32 on List** | Players numbered 1–40 on List** |
Girls' 16's, Boys' 16s, Boys' & Girls' 14s, and Boys' and Girls' 12s | Players numbered 1–16 on List | Players numbered 1-24 on List |
** Includes: 1)16 players from USTA National Standings List (players must have played at least one National Event in 18’s Division in last 4 months of list effective date and two other National Ranking Tournament in the same division, 2) Top 1000 ATP or Top 600 WTA, 3) Remaining spots to players rank in the top 100 in order off the ITF Ranking.
National Open Qualifiers | 12 players | 12 players |
These players do not need to go through sectional endorsement. They do not count against their Section’s quota.
Sectional Quota Players | 60 players | 100 players |
These players must meet sectional endorsement requirements.
Wild Cards | Up to 4 players | Up to 8 players |
Up to the number of Wild Cards indicated MAY be available. Wild Cards are ONLY awarded by the USTA’s Junior Wild Card committee. Wild Cards do not count against their Section’s quota.
Remaining Vacancies in the Draw | * | * |
Any remaining vacancies in the draw are filled by sectionally endorsed players that appear on the National Selection and Seeding List. See below for a description of the National Selection and Seeding List.
The LISTS.
The USTA system of tournaments uses a series of various Lists - Ranking Lists, Bonus Points lists, National Standings Lists and National Championship Selection list. It all may seem confusing! For a detailed description of all the lists check the National Junior Tournament Schedule. A description of the National Championship Selection List and National Standings Lists are below.
National Standings List (NSL). To be eligible for this lists, players must have played at least one National Ranking Tournament in the division and have accumulated at least 1 point.
National Championship Selection List (NCSL). The USTA shall publish the NCSL for each division with effective dates of January 15, May 1 and October 1. Sectional endoresment is not required to appear on the NCSL. Each list shall consist of players who are age eligible for the subsequent USTA National Championship as follows:
- players who have an ATO singles ranking of 1000 or better or who have a WTA sngles ranking of 600 or better as of the effective date- these players shall be listed in the order of their ranking and placed on the list;
- players not previously listed who have an iTF singles ranking of 100 or better as of the effective date - these players shall be listed in the order of their ranking and shall be placed directly below the first group of players; and
- players not previously listed who have (1) played in at least one National Ranking Tournamnt in the listed division during the 4 months before the effective date of the NCSL, and (2) at least two other National Ranking Tournaments in the list's division during the 12 months before the list effective date of the list. These players shall be listed in order of their strength of singles record calculated as of the effective date in the same manner as the National Standings List and shall be placed directly below the second group of players.
Note that the May 1 NCSL is used for both the USTA National Clay Court and The USTA National Championships, except immeditely after the USTA National Clay Coyurt Championships the list is republished and any players who are not age eligible for the USTA National Championships are removed and replaced with the next-highest player.
USTA National Junior Schedule
More Questions???
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact jrcomp@usta.com.
Last Update: March 2008