Why The ATP Tennis Rankings Misleading... And How This Can Win You Money

Are The ATP Tennis Rankings Just Plain Wrong?

I was asked on Twitter recently who should be in the Top 10 of the ATP Tour World Rankings.

At the time, the bone of contention was John Isner… but it could have been any one of a number of players currently bubbling under the elite group of the men’s game.

Of course… the simple answer is that players are in the Top 10 because they deserve to be in the Top 10.

They get there on merit. By virtue of their performances on tour against their fellow professionals.

In this respect the rankings don’t lie... but speaking as a tennis tipster and sports betting advisor, I think they do…

Because the rankings are just a snapshot of the men’s game as it stands right here, right now.

Sure, they include data from the last 12 months… but in a career that lasts 10, 12 maybe 14 years… any player can have a good/bad season which can artificially raise/lower their rankings. And let's not forget injuries, which can also seriously effect a player's position in the standings.

And so…

Are The Rankings Misleading?

Players currently in (or out) of the Top 10 can be in a false position with regards to their actual talent, achievement, temperament, competitiveness, potential… all the things which determine whether a player is good or not.

That’s why I say Isner... a guy with just 3 career wins at the ripe old age of 27 isn’t a bona fide Top 10 performer… he’s just strung together some good results, whilst others haven’t.

"Take away that huge serve and Isner's all-round game just doesn’t cut it at the highest level… and I’d stand on a chair and tell that to him face-to-face."

But the rankings offer some even more bizarre examples…

Try convincing me Bernard Tomic (stratospheric potential, duly noted) is deserving of a spot in the world’s top 32… which gets him a seeding at the Slams… on the back of a 39:36 career record, no titles and, better yet, not one ATP final appearance.

Oh yes, he will no doubt become a good player… but where’s the form in the book as of today?

Which Players Are Too High In The Lists?

I think guys like Isner, Tomic, Wawrinka, Lopez, Dolgopolov… even Tipsarevic, Fish and Nishikori either have occupied, or currently occupy, false positions in the listings.

Others like Florian Mayer and Alex Bogomolov also spring to mind.

Now some of those guys have got some real talent and potential… but if players can make the Top 20 of the ratings on the back of maybe one career win on the ATP Tour or a couple of finals… maybe some half-decent Challenger Tour results… is that a ranking they fully deserve?

And what does it say about the strength in depth of the men’s game…

Why Has This Happened?

This has come about largely because the ‘Fab Four’ of Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray have combined to win so many Grand Slam, Masters Series and World Tour 500 titles… there is a vacuum of talent (or achievement) below them.

So rather than having the titles spread out proportionately over the top 10, 20 or 30 players in the rankings… we see the top performers winning everything and the rest of the guys, even those just behind them in the Top 10, with relatively few career highlights.

‘Twas ever thus you might say… and if I argue that Isner or Tipsarevic or whoever doesn’t deserve to be in the Top 10… well, somebody’s got to be in there!

How Does This Make For Good Tennis Betting Tips?

Because rankings are used to create draws, and draws are used by bookies to price up tournaments… and if the rankings are fundamentally flawed, then the odds will be too.

That’s the point.

Of course, not everyone is fool enough to take these official rankings at face value… but there’s plenty who do! And that means we can quite easily step in and make ourselves some easy money with good quality tennis betting advice.

See the tennis website for plenty of examples!!