GPR is a Pickleball Performance Ranking that uses only top 12 Best Results achieved by any player in previous 52 weeks.
GPR is an Age Based (every player will have one Home Age Ranking), with two "non-age based" Pro Rankings (Pro and Senior Pro) and Pro-active as the players can play as many tournaments as they want to, knowing that only 12 best results will count into their final ranking.
GPR is a Match Results Based Ranking giving the players the points only for the matches that they won and does not punish the players for bad match results, so the players can enjoy competing without any fear that a potential loss will bring their ranking down.
The goal of the GPR is to motivate players to finish up in their "Home Age Group" ranking as high as their performance allows.
End-of-the-year rankings will be of paramount importance. This simple procedure will curtail the on-going practices of sandbagging.
This means that all results will show in player’s Home Age category.
Example:
Joe is 32 years old.
All his results will show in 30+ ranking table.
This means that, for example, 35 years old player can play in 19+ category - but never in the older category (40+, etc.).
This means that playing in PRO level means for everyone to "play up" as this is the highest available category.
Playing in SENIOR PRO category means to "play up" for everyone older than 50 years as this is the highest senior category.
In such a case, the player gets the ranking points in two categories.
Example:
Joe is 32 years old and he played in a PRO division.
He will get the ranking points:
Example:
Joe is 32 years old and he played in following divisions:
2 tournaments in the 19+ category
3 tournaments in the 30+ category
2 tournaments in the PRO category
The 30+ ranking will show ALL his results (this is his Home Age category)
The 19+ ranking will show only his 19+ results
The Pro ranking will show only his PRO results.
So, if a player is very good and plays up, he will bring down to his Home Age category all the points he achieved in the "higher" category.
Players can play as many tournaments as they wish, but only the best 12 results will count into the Counted Ranking Points.
The ranking points from other tournaments would serve for the players as a "ranking points reserve".
The Counted Ranking Points older than 52 weeks will automatically drop out 52 weeks later and if there were any ranking points in the "reserve" these will automatically "kick in".
GPR recognize the following main categories:
These main ranking categories are age based:
19+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+ and 80+.
There are also two professional categories:
Pro and Senior Pro.
The value of the ranking points achieved for the matches won, depends on the combination of two factors:
GPR currently recognizes three different tier levels:
Tier 1 – any local tournament
Tier 2 – local and regional tournaments of an important level
Tier 3 – tournaments with a clear national or international impact
For the list of tier 2 and tier 3 tournaments, please, see read the section “List of Tier 2 and Tier 3 Tournaments)
GPR currently recognizes four different skill level:
Beginners level – IFP 2.999 and less
Intermediate level – IFP 3.000 – 3.999
Advanced level – IFP 4.000 – 4.999
Elite level – IFP 5.000 and more
Tier 1 tournament:
Tier 2 tournament:
Tier 3 tournament:
The more matches and more wins will bring players more ranking points.
Therefore the tournaments with larger draws will bring the players more ranking points.
The match wins in the back draw are worth only 50% of the main draw match wins.
If the main draw will bring the player 100 points, the back-draw win will bring the players only 50 points.
By simply playing the best possible tournaments at the best possible skill level.
"Sand-bagging" will not provide an incentive as competing in a lower skill level will not offer enough points to have a player progress in their ranking.
Playing up and not playing down to the level of competition will garner the most points in a tournament setting.
Receive extra points by winning in the age or skill division that is higher than a player’s current level will be the only way how to keep improving the player’s ranking.
Example:
You are 52 years old and a good intermediate player.
With the Pickleball Global Rankings Program, you will have the following options:
As GPR challenges the players to "play up" (outside of their home age ranking), the players will automatically get ranking points in two rankings.
One, in the category they "visit" (by playing up), and another one in their Home Age Category.
As the 19+ ranking is considered as the "second best" (right after a Pro Level), the "open tournaments" or "elite" tournaments will attract the attention of many good older players.
So, if 32 years old player (and has his/her "Home Age Ranking" in 30+ division) will compete in 19+ division, he/she will get ranking points in TWO rankings for himself/herself – one into 19+ Ranking (where he/she plays as a "visitor") and another in his/her "Home Age Group") – in this case 30+ Ranking.
So, Pickleball Global is intending to make the age rankings desirable, because they will also serve as a transition to the Pro level, if necessary.
When the time comes to decide "who is going to be admitted" to the Pro tournament, then the following directives will be followed closely:
So, the 19+ division is extremely important as it will serve as a "reserve" from which the players for the Pro tournaments will be picked, if necessary. You will receive more points at the higher quality tournament skill levels - and other events that feature weaker fields will not.
Based on our talks with the top players, we have selected the tournaments that have traditionally enough pro players.
These top players really do not travel 30 weeks per year (as the tennis players do), so we had to make a selection of the tournaments based on this fact.
Currently the ranking is based on the top 12 results because we did not want to "water down" the results of the best players just because they cannot travel enough.
The ranking is a new thing for the pickleball players who used to fix their eyes only on the rating.
So, we are walking on very thin ice as everyone somehow recognizes the best players and we did not want our rankings to contradict this general perception.
On the other side, even those best players need to compete at least in some tournaments - and that is why we ended up (for the time being) on the number of maximum 12 tournaments that would count into the ranking.
Based on this fact and in cooperation with the top players, we have selected the following list of pro events - this list will, of course, keep changing, as the life will keep bringing us new opportunities.
So, as per today, these are the tournaments currently considered for Pro Ranking:
TIER 3 (the highest level)
TIER 2
TIER 1 (the lowest level)
This list is not final and will change as the sport progresses.
But for the time being, it gives us a good starting for the pro circuit.
And also - it is based on the existing tournaments, recognizing the efforts of all current tournament directors and their teams.
Plus, these pro events are also part of the tournaments, basically keeping pros together with other players.
We believe, that currently, it is the best way how to promote and develop this sport.
If the player is 24 years old and he/she competes in the "Pro" category" he/she will also build another ranking in his/her "home age" – in this case 19+.
And, naturally, one of these players will become the best in this age category.
In certain situations, some players that maintain a high ranking would be eligible to play in both Pro and Senior Pro divisions. Pickleball Global feels it is important to keep these two divisions sole and separate.
It provides an exclusivity feel to each division and generates more interest.
Pickleball Global realizes that:
Example:
To attain the level as best player in the country in the 19+ division would be an honor as it is the second-best category after Pro.
At the same time, all "open" tournaments are considered to be 19+ division tournaments and the points received in these tournaments will establish the ranking for ALL players competing in this division, regardless of the age of the player.
