Events & Competition
Navigating and enjoying the world of youth tennis match play – both competitive and otherwise.
In-House Youth Match Play
Competitive but casual match play at Reed Sweat Tennis Center, without UTR or WTN score reporting.
Cities Academy Youth Match Play gives young players the opportunity to hone their skills in a semi-competitive environment—without the pressure of score reporting or tournament fees. Players participate in short matches to practice their singles and doubles play while receiving instruction and feedback from ICT’s Youth Coaches.
Registration opens four weeks in advance for youth with a Youth Membership ($20 annually) and two weeks in advance for youth with a Public Membership ($0).
With questions contact juniors@innercitytennis.org.
USTA Junior Tournaments
From local fun-first events up to the USTA National Championships; the primary youth competition ladder. Registration is most commonly age-based.
Many of our Cities Academy players compete in USTA Junior Tournaments throughout the year. Interested players must obtain a USTA Membership, which is free, and then seek out tournaments in which they are interested. Our coaches can help find tournaments and, schedule permitting, may be able to attend tournaments with their players.
Some USTA Tournaments are hosted by InnerCity Tennis at our Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center. With questions about those tournaments, contact ICT Tournament Director Chris Parker.
UTR Sports Events
Round Robins and Tournaments associated with the popular UTR system. Registration is UTR-based, meaning youth of different ages but similar skill level play each other.
Independent organizations and associations across the country, and many locally, host events sanctioned through the UTR system. They are commonly shorter in duration than USTA events and can feel more casual. While event formats vary, UTR events are commonly structured as round robins, allowing a guaranteed number of matches without a strict tournament structure.
Understanding Youth Tennis Rankings
As your player starts entering tournaments, you’ll hear two numbers constantly: UTR and WTN. Here’s what they are and how to use them.
Overview
| UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) | WTN (World Tennis Number) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Universal Tennis | International Tennis Federation (ITF), also used by USTA |
| Scale | About 1 to 16+ (higher = stronger) | 40 down to 1 (lower = stronger) |
| Updates | After each verified match | Weekly, on Wednesdays |
| Mainly used for | Matching kids into evenly-leveled events | USTA tournament seeding and college recruiting |
UTR was built to find your kid a match they can compete in. It has historically be prominent in college recruiting and still is in some scenarios. WTN, built by the International Tennis Federation, is what USTA tournaments operate on and college coaches now principally lean on recruiting.
How the numbers move
Both look at match scores of verified matches — who your child played, and how the sets went — and update automatically. A close three-set battle against a similarly-rated player helps more than a lopsided win over someone weaker, and a competitive loss isn’t overly punished.
What this means for your family
- Don’t obsess — have fun. Tennis should be a good time. A young player who plays a lot and develops an appreciation for positive competition, both winning and losing, will succeed in the long term. Parents – your player may need help remembering this!
- Play sanctioned, competitive matches. Enter events and divisions in which you’ll face real competition. Losing is part of the sport – competitive matches benefit your rating more than seeking out blowouts or not playing.
- Expect both to fluctuate early on. Ratings need a handful of matches to stabilize – an early dip just means the system is still learning where your player belongs.
Questions?
Your Cities Academy coaches are the best resource for helping navigate the world of competitive play and rankings. Feel very comfortable asking them for guidance.