Most tennis tournaments are played on a knockout basis, and this means that the draws or schedules have to be made with precision. The organisers take care of the draws and make sure that all the players who are available are given the opportunity to play against top-ranked opponents in the tournament.
While most major tournaments, including the Grand Slams, give players their draws based on what their rankings are, some also allow wildcard entries to those who are not ranked very high on the ladder. These rankings and wildcard entries allow players of all hues and colours to participate.
One of the biggest decisions that the organisers of a tournament have to make is whether they want it to feature only high-ranked players or those with low ranks too. If they want to feature only the former, then they can use the seeding system, and if they want to feature the latter, they can use random draws.
The draws system is made good use of by the organisers as it allows them to feature big-name players. The presence of these big-name players attracts a lot of people to the venue, who buy tickets to watch the matches and, in turn, help in generating revenue, which the organisers so desperately need.
However, organisers also understand that only the presence of big-name players cannot help their tournament grow. They have to bring on board some young stars too who will use the platform to showcase their skills and grow in their careers. These tournaments are often seen as the stepping stones for a lot of players.
Wildcard entries are often given to players who have been doing well in recent tournaments but are not ranked highly enough to get a direct chance into the draw. This allows promising players to showcase their potential and rub shoulders with big names in major tennis tournaments.
Seeding and Random Draws in Tennis Tournaments
What you must understand at the outset is that the draws for any tennis tournament are made randomly. The use of a computer with software specific to the purpose makes sure that players do not lose out on the experience and get opponents based on their standard or level.
Only players who are seeded, that is, the top-ranked players, are not a part of this draw. The organisers make sure that the top seeds are drawn in such a way that they do not face their immediate rivals until the quarterfinal or semifinal stage. This ensures that the tournament gets interesting towards the end.
However, not every player can enjoy the luxury of being a seeded one. It is only those who have been consistently ranked highly on their respective rankings over the last year or so who can afford the luxury. These players, who are typically big names, are drawn in such a way that they face lesser opponents at first.
These seeded players are expected to pick off their weaker opponents in the initial rounds of the tournament and then meet with their top-ranked rivals in the latter stages. This happens usually in the quarterfinal or semifinal stages, as mentioned earlier.
Players are seeded according to their performances in recent tournaments as well as their rankings in their respective categories. While the men are judged based on their standing in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings, the women are seeded according to their WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) standings.
While the current rankings of the players are crucial, so is their performance in the tournaments leading up to the Grand Slams, in which they are keen on getting seeded. All four Grand Slams – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open – follow this process to make the draws.
It has to be understood that all draws in tennis tournaments are random, and even seeded players are asked to play with random opponents. It is only towards the latter phase of the tournaments that seeding becomes more helpful, as the higher-ranked players usually defeat their lower-ranked opponents and move upwards.
As mentioned earlier, the higher-ranked or seeded players are kept on one side of the probability draw as organisers do not want them to face their immediate rivals in the opening rounds. This allows them to make the tournament exciting towards the end and have big names play against each other.
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