Top Dog is a Grading List of all competitive tennis players in New Zealand. All players, regardless of age, are in the same list, however there are separate lists for males and females.

Top Dog gradings are based on results in head to head matches. The number of points a player has denotes their Grade on a scale of 1 to 12 where 1 is best. Each Grade encompasses a range of about 300 points (see Gradings Table)

A Player’s position in the Grading table is based on results in Interclub and Tournament matches. Each match generally results in the winner gaining points and the loser losing points. The number of points gained or lost depends on the relative gradings of the two players at the date of the match.

A Player automatically moves up, or down, a grading whenever their points move into the range of the next grading. A player is not rewarded just for playing many matches - unless he/she consistently wins against higher ranked opponents.

The following Adjustments tables were updated on August 1^st, 2010. At this date the points gained for winning in grades 1-8 were increased. Matches before that date used the same adjustments for winners and losers in all grades. 

Adjustments when Winner has the Higher Points

Adjustments when Winner has the Lower Points 

Top Dog also maintains individual Doubles Gradings. The average of each partnership’s points is used to determine adjustments made to each player.

How often are Gradings recalculated ?

Top Dog gradings are recalculated as at the 1st and 15th of each month, except there is no update on January 15th.  The recalculation takes all new match results and processes them in date order. The actual recalculation is done a day or two after these dates in order for results to be captured in time. The Top Dog website is updated immediately. 

What are manual Adjustments and why are they made ?

Manual Grading adjustments are occasionally made to fix mistakes when results were captured or to correct anomalies (e.g. a player may have been givien an initial grading that is too high or low). Only Tennis NZ may make manual adjustments.

What effect do ATP, WTA and ITF rankings have on Top Dog ?

Players with ATP or WTA points are manually placed at the top of the Top Dog ranking list. Juniors who have ITF rankings in the top 150 are also manually placed in Top Dog in a position that is relative to other players with ITF rankings.  These adjustments are made on a quarterly basis.

Am I in Top Dog already ?

Go to www.tennis.org.nz and search for your name. You can also search the list by Grading, Association, Club, and Age group. Also view your own match history or that of your friends or opponents.

How do I get on Top Dog ?

You need a Top Dog Player Code. This is a 6-7 character code that uniquely identifies you. It has the format AACCSSS where AA = your Association, CC = your Club, and SSS are your initials. Your Club or Association can assign you a Player Code.

Do I have to start at the bottom Grade ?

No – you will be assigned a starting Grade that places you at a level relative to your ability. Thereafter, actual match results will gradually move you up, or down, to your correct position.

Is there a minimum age to be in Top Dog ?

No – but results are only counted from events open to 10 year olds or older. So an 8 or 9 year old could be in Top Dog if they are playing in 10s events. Results from 8s or 9s events are not included.

What results count towards my Grading ?

All results count from tournaments on the Tennis NZ Calendar, including consolation events, that are run using TP (Tournament Planner system). Results from matches between New Zealand players in overseas events are also captured (eg ATP, WTA, ITF).

Results from regional and club events can also be included when they have been flagged as counting towards Top Dog. National Teams events as well as many inter-provincial teams events are captured, also Interclub competitions run using the Top Dog Interclub system will count. The more matches you play then the more accurate will be your Grading.

Are defaults or retirements counted ?

Matches that are defaulted before a point is played are not counted for Top Dog points. If a player retires or defaults for any reason after a match has started, then the result is counted as a loss and they will lose points. 

Do mixed gender singles matches count ?

Yes - girl versus boy singles matches count for Top Dog points so long as both players are graded S10, S11 or S12. The inclusion of S10 players was introduced in August 2010.

Can I play Tournaments without a Player Code ?

You must have a Player Code otherwise your results cannot be included in Top Dog. It is important to always include your Player Code when entering a Tournament.

What does Top Dog have to do with Interclub ?

Top Dog can assist Associations to run Interclub competitions. It can even enable Team Captains to enter their results directly via the Internet. Points tables and team results can all be viewed on the Top Dog website. Click the Menu in the top left corner and select Competitions List.What about privacy ?

What about privacy ?

The only personal details shown on the website are name, association and club. Players may also request that their playing history be blocked from public view. Contact your Association to request this option.What if I play for 2 clubs ?

What if I play for 2 clubs ?

You have to nominate a home Association and Club that will be used for your code. You can use the same code even if you play interclub for another club. This is so that all your results contribute to your grading. What about Doubles ?

What about Doubles matches ?

Top Dog also calculates Doubles Gradings - based only on results from Doubles and Mixed matches. You do not have to have both a Singles and Doubles grading. It just depends on what competitive tennis you play.Where did Top Dog originate ?

Where did Top Dog originate ?

Top Dog is based upon the same grading concepts that originated with NZ Squash more than 15 years ago. Auckland Tennis has also been using a grading system to organise interclub since 1997.

What benefits does Top Dog bring to Tennis ?

• Encourages and enables more competitive play and provides an incentive for players to improve.
• Creates a common interest and boost enthusiasm amongst players
• Encourages competitiveness - all matches count towards ranking points providing incentive for players to improve and reach their potential
• Assists selection of teams – locally, regionally and nationally
• Facilitates the running of more tournaments including those for players who are not A graders
• Assists qualifying and seeding of players for tournaments
• Allows for play anywhere at a level matching abilities
• Enables set-up and monitoring of interclub competitions
• Reduces mis-matches in interclub competitions - evenly matched teams according to player gradings

Questions

Please direct any questions to topdog@tennisnz.com