New rules for WTA $125K in 2013

Tournaments will choose from three choices of draw:

32 Main Draw - 16 Qualifying - 16 Doubles
32 Main Draw - 8 Qualifying - 8 Doubles
32 Main Draw - No qualifying - No doubles

ENTRY RESTRICTIONS

• All $125Ks
o Top 10 Players based on the year-end rankings list and players ranked 1-10 at the Main
Draw Entry Deadline cannot enter, accept a Wild Card or compete in Singles or Doubles.
o Players ranked 11-50 as of the Main Draw Entry Deadline cannot enter but can receive a
WTA-approved Top 50 Wild Card.
• $125K in the Same Week as a Premier or International - Players who would have been, had they
entered, a Main Draw Direct Acceptance into the Premier or International at the entry deadline
cannot enter, accept a Wild Card and/or compete in Singles or Doubles.
• $125K in the 2nd week of a Grand Slam/2-week Premier Mandatory - Players who based on ranking
would have qualified for Main Draw Acceptance into the Premier Mandatory/Grand Slam at the
entry deadline may compete as long as they play the Premier Mandatory/Grand Slam, lose and are
out of all draws by the $125K Qualifying Sign In Deadline. Players still competing after the
deadline will be automatically withdrawn.
• TOC Week/Off Season - Players who qualify for the International Tournament of Champions plus
the 2 confirmed Alternates cannot enter, accept a Wild Card or compete in Singles or Doubles in a
$125K scheduled in the same week or in the off season even if they withdraw from the TOC.

Top 50 Wild Cards:

o Can be used by players with a Tour year-end singles ranking of 11+ and ranked 11-50 at
the Main Draw Entry Deadline.
o 2nd week of a Grand Slam/2-week Premier Mandatory - 4 Top 50 Wild Cards.
o Same week as a Premier or International - 2 Top 50 Wild Cards.
o Off season - 4 Top 50 Wild Cards.
o If not awarded, vacant spots revert to the next players waiting to get into the draw.
o Off season $125Ks must name wild cards no later than Wednesday prior to the start of the
Main Draw. In season $125Ks must name Wild Cards by the Qualifying Sign–In Deadline; if
no Qualifying, then the earlier of 4pm local time the week preceding the Tournament or
by 4pm the day before the draw is made.

Next WTA $125K will be held in Cali, Colombia the week of 11 February 2013

really like these tournaments. Even though they are basically itfs its easier to keep track of whats going on and more likely theyd get at least one or two biggish names

I like ITF players getting WTA tournaments :oh:

:scratch:

I thought 16 player qualifying draws were bad enough :tape:

I wonder what tourneys with no qualies will do if there are last minute MD withdrawals? :confused:

at least WTA put some effort to it.

ITF Circuit stagnating since years. WTA taking things into own hand and holding 10-20-30 tournaments like this (even through off-season) thats just better for lower ranked girls.

Just dont call them WTA title. :rolleyes:

i guess tournaments will want quallies
yeah, to avoid last minute withdrawals, and to give chances to players from their country

i dont get WTA coming up with some option, i don't believe someone sober invented this

I guess they just copied ATP's rules about challengers.

This is really turning into Tier V events from back then, but with worse fields.

i guess tournaments will want quallies
yeah, to avoid last minute withdrawals, and to give chances to players from their country

i dont get WTA coming up with some option, i don't believe someone sober invented this

WTA trying to fuck over the ITF. Basically offer more points, money, in return for better players and the WTA mantle, so that Tournaments choose their model instead of the ITF circuit

Pretty sure we'll see tournaments during Fed Cup weeks soon too.

Pune and Tapei were great events but they should count as WTA Challengers, not WTA Titles.
It just cheapens the whole Tour otherwise.

So, players with ranking high enough to get into the MD at Doha will not be allowed to play Cali now? I think there may be some clay specialists who will be somewhat miffed by this?

Any news about the schedule for this tier in 2013, apart from Cali of course??

This is really turning into Tier V events from back then, but with worse fields.

and less points.

I know they make these restrictions because otherwise Internationals in Asia would get owned by Challengers in Europe but I don't understand why these rules have to be so strict.
For example if there would be a challenger in Germany and an International in China in one weak, many players from Europe could get into the Main Draw in China but don't want to travel. So they could play in Germany but need a wildcard because their ranking of #90 is too high ? That's worse than the ITFs right now. :help:

And don't count it as a tour title if these restrictions do not even allow good players to participate!

So they could play in Germany but need a wildcard because their ranking of #90 is too high ? That's worse than the ITFs right now. :help:

Exactly! This basically "kills" the WTA 125 tournament itself if it is being held in the same week as an unpopular MM; and a lot of free big points for lower-ranked players as well. :help:

For example if there would be a challenger in Germany and an International in China in one weak, many players from Europe could get into the Main Draw in China but don't want to travel. So they could play in Germany but need a wildcard because their ranking of #90 is too high ? That's worse than the ITFs right now. :help:

If they would have made a MD in a proper WTA event during the same week, then they are not allowed to play WTA 125. That includes wild-cards.

Why would a tournament not want doubles or qualifying?? :scratch:

No qualifying draw would be awful.

WTA had Forest Hills not too long ago which was a singles only event. And even hosted doubles only tournaments in the 90s in US & UK.

Any news about the schedule for this tier in 2013, apart from Cali of course??

China will host (at least) a couple of these tournaments. Italy will probably too. Not official yet, just Cali is for sure so far. Bahamas was rejected by WTA as their standards did not meet the criteria and will remain as an ITF.

it is possible to have no Quali?

so we will see BYE`s in a supposed 32 player Maindraw

it is possible to have no Quali?


Hertogenbosch was a main draw-only event in a 30-32 players draw from 1996 to 2005 and never had byes. Of course that was right before Wimbledon so players would go there to have some needed grass practice, but yes it is possible.

China will host (at least) a couple of these tournaments. Italy will probably too. Not official yet, just Cali is for sure so far. Bahamas was rejected by WTA as their standards did not meet the criteria and will remain as an ITF.

The fact that the ITF are allowing Bahamas to go ahead again is a joke. Have they even paid all the players from the 2010 tournament yet?

125 Cali, Columbia will have 32 singles, 16 player qualifying draw and 16 team doubles http://www.wtatennis.com/SEWTATour-Archive/Archive/PressReleases/2012/1214_Cali125announced.pdf

There is nothing on the WTA website about the WTA 125s anymore - maybe they want to hide them away?

http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3010179/title/cali-gets-wta-$125-event-for-2013

:shrug: made news from it tho.

The WTA is really outdoing itself with these ridiculous events :o

This ITF "feud" the WTA is engaging in is pathetic. What next, will the WTA be introducing its own slams? :facepalm:

Love these! :hearts: :drool: :inlove:

That menas that more Top 50 players can play 10s and 25s then can play 125s :spit: