Rackets World Championship Procedures
The Rackets World Championship Procedures (Singles) have been updated and simplified. Key changes are highlight below:
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There will be a maximum of four Qualifying Tournaments (QTs) per season
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There will be two Tier 1 QTs each season – the British and US Opens
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There will be two Tier 2 QTs each season – one in the UK and one in the US
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In 2017/18, these two QTs will be the UK Invitation and the Western Open
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In 2018/19, these will be the US Invitation and the Manchester Gold Racquet
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The former Tier 3 QTs will no longer form part of the process
A Tier 1 QT will attract double the Ranking and Challenge Points of a Tier 2 QT.
Any Challenger must win at least two events in any Qualifying Period.
In order to have the right not to have to defend, the World Champion must win 3 out of the 4 Tier 1 QTs in the Qualifying Period, but only one Tier 2 QT on either side of the Atlantic.
The Rackets World Championship Procedures (Doubles) have also been revised so as to tie in with the modifications to the Singles Procedures. The only notable change is to alternate the Western Open and Manchester Gold Racquet as QTs; therefore, in 2017/18,the Western Open will be a QT; and in 2018/19, the Manchester Gold Racquet will be a QT.
Hence there will be a maximum of three Doubles QTs per season.