View Full Version : Rating system for web Tennis ladder

02-22-2009, 03:06 AM
I'm developing a web application to run a tennis ladder on. I'm trying to think of a good system for ranking/rating the players. Below are some things I've brainstormed.

1) Every time you beat a player you take their spot. This is a simple, fair approach but a little boring.

2) Determine pecking order based on a usta-like rating algorithm that compares scores of the matches. So you will see a rating next to each player to the hundredth that will show where they fit in. This might do some people injustice because these systems often get it wrong and people wonder how they get the rating they got. Maybe I could use 1) for ranking and still generate a rating so that players can have yet another way to gauge their opponents before challenging them.

3) Points system for each win. The problem here is that some people play more than others, and that shouldn't be a factor in determining where you are ranked.

I'd like to hear if anyone has more thoughts.

02-22-2009, 08:46 AM
the only thing i could think of that you have not covered is maybe a points system

or points differential
say set 1 you win 6-1, you lose set 2 6-0, and you win the last set 1-0
have a scoring chart for game differential
if you win set by if you lose set by
6 games (50pts) -50
5 games (25 pts) -25
4 games (20 pts) -20
3 games (15 pts) -15
2 games (8 pts) -8
1 game (3 pts) -3
just adding bonus and penalizing more for goose eggs and then maybe throw in a win match bonus +25
so your points for the above match would be
+25 -50 +3 +25 (winning match) you would only have a plus 3 in this case because of the shutout but you could set the points value and bonus/penalties for whatever you want its the only idea i could think of

02-22-2009, 08:48 AM
you would need a minimum match requirement i guess because if someone won big 1 time and didn't play again but on the flip side if someone played 100 times they might not move up much if there matches are close or they lose sets

02-22-2009, 09:15 AM
Approx how many people do you expect to be on the ladder?


02-22-2009, 02:11 PM


Maybe 15-40. Hard to say how much interest there will be in it.

02-22-2009, 05:02 PM

I think a standard challange ladder with like a 5-7 position challenge range will work best.

If you are curious, this is my local ladder.

I don't play on it, but they are pretty successful, and it seems to work well.



02-22-2009, 06:04 PM
Thanks for the ladder info Jolly,been wanting to put one together for awhile.

02-22-2009, 06:07 PM
Are there any ladders out there that take into account people playing with different partners in doubles? We've always thought about doing challenge ladders for our USTA teams, but run against the problem of AB vs AC vs BC.

02-22-2009, 06:52 PM
I participate in a popular league that uses ladder format.

They debated the rankings heavily last summer.
Here's a link that has great info on ranking systems

That mathematics of a good ranking system can get very interesting.

The league I play has a simple ranking system. I think it's meant mostly to encourage activity rather than have the ideal rankings.

The best players still rise to the top if they are active.

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