NTRP and UTR tennis ratings explained

NTRP: the USTA level system

NTRP stands for National Tennis Rating Program. It is run by the USTA, the national governing body for tennis in the United States, and it is the system behind most adult league play. Levels run from 1.5 up to 7.0 in half-point steps. Most recreational players sit between 2.5 and 4.5.

The official descriptions are longer, but this is the general idea at the levels most people play. Treat it as a rough guide, because two people at the same level can look quite different.

• 2.5. Learning to keep the ball in play. You can sustain a short rally with a slow partner, but direction and depth are unreliable, and you are still working on your serve.
• 3.0. Fairly consistent when the ball comes at a medium pace. You can rally for a while, but you have little control over where the ball goes, and shots under pressure often break down.
• 3.5. More control over direction and length on medium-paced shots, and a first serve that is a little more dependable. You are starting to come to the net and use it with some purpose.
• 4.0. Dependable strokes on both sides with direction and depth, and some variety: you can hit with spin, move the opponent and play the net with confidence. Double faults are rare.
• 4.5. Power and spin are used on purpose. You can vary tactics against different styles and handle fast balls well, with reliable serves.
• 5.0 and above. Tournament-level players, many of whom played in college or competed seriously for years. Levels 6.0 to 7.0 are for players with national rankings and world-class competitors.

How you get an NTRP rating

For USTA leagues you rate yourself, using the USTA’s published descriptions, when you join. After that, computer ratings follow from league results, and the USTA updates them, with year-end ratings deciding where players sit the following season. A rating can go up or down, and a player can be moved after a good or poor run.

UTR: a rating from results

UTR stands for Universal Tennis Rating. It runs on a single scale of roughly 1 to 16.5, and it is the same for every player regardless of age or gender, so a junior, a college player and a retiree are all measured on the same ladder.

Unlike NTRP, UTR is calculated from the matches you actually play. The result of each match, the score margin and the rating of your opponent all feed in. That means a close loss to a higher-rated player can help your rating, and a narrow win over a much weaker player may not. Ratings move as you play more matches. Exact details of how the calculation works belong to the company that runs it, so we do not describe the algorithm here.

UTR is common in college and junior tennis and increasingly at clubs. Because it is based on results, a new player usually has an uncertain rating until they have played enough matches.

NTRP and UTR side by side

There is no official conversion between the two, and any chart that claims one is only an approximation. Where a given NTRP player lands on UTR depends on whom they have played and how those matches went. Use each system on its own terms rather than converting.

How to rate yourself honestly

People tend to rate themselves too high. Memory is kind: you remember the winners, not the unforced errors. These checks keep you honest.

• Use results, not your best shots. Think about how you do over a whole set against a range of players, not about the one forehand you hit well last week.
• Read the full descriptions. The USTA descriptions cover serves, returns, volleys and tactics. If you are weak in several areas listed at a level, you are probably below it.
• Ask a coach or a stronger friend. An outside opinion is more reliable than your own, and a coach can tell you in one lesson.
• If in doubt, go a level lower. Playing a slightly weaker group costs you little. Playing above your level for a season is miserable for everyone.

Why ratings matter when you look for a partner

A good match is one where both players win some points and neither is bored or overwhelmed. When the gap is about half a level, you can usually play a competitive set. A full level apart, the match feels different. The stronger player can win most points by playing within themselves, and the weaker player spends the match chasing balls, with little time to settle into a rhythm. The stronger player is often unchallenged, which gets dull.

That does not mean you should avoid stronger players. Hitting with someone a level above you is one of the quickest ways to improve, as long as both of you know that is what you are doing and agree on what you want from the session. A rally session is more forgiving than a match.

Next steps

Once you know your level, our guide to finding a tennis partner covers where to meet people at it. A rating also helps you pick the right kind of court: a beginner may prefer a quiet public court, as covered in finding public tennis courts. To see what is near you, browse the court directory by state or open the map.