Senior & Masters Tennis Glossary
If you play competitive senior or Masters tennis, you have probably run into official World Tennis (ITF) terms like IPIN, Tour Zone, and WTN — alongside the informal vocabulary players use every day. This glossary explains both, in plain English.
World Tennis (formerly ITF)
World Tennis is the new name for the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the sport's global governing body. The ITF's trading name officially changed to World Tennis on 1 January 2026, with the full brand rollout continuing through 2026 — following the earlier introduction of sub-brands like the World Tennis Tour and World Tennis Number. You'll still see both 'ITF' and 'World Tennis' used interchangeably during this transition.
ITF Masters Tour (World Tennis Masters Tour / WTMT)
The ITF Masters Tour — officially the World Tennis Masters Tour (WTMT) — is the global tennis circuit for competitive senior and veteran players, organized in age divisions from 30+ to 90+. It runs alongside the main pro tour and crowns World Champions in singles, doubles, and team events each year.
IPIN (now the World Tennis ID)
IPIN (International Player Identification Number) was the unique player ID required to enter Masters/senior tournaments sanctioned by World Tennis (ITF). As part of the ITF's 2026 rebrand to World Tennis, IPIN has been renamed the World Tennis ID, issued through a World Tennis Tour Zone membership — existing login details carry over. No player can accumulate ranking points in a sanctioned event until this registration is active.
World Tennis Number (WTN)
The World Tennis Number (WTN) is a global rating on a 1–40 scale, where 1 represents an elite professional and 40 a beginner — a lower number means a higher level. It's calculated from actual match results across all levels of the game (not just sanctioned tournaments), updates weekly, and is increasingly used as an acceptance criterion for World Tennis Tour events alongside category rankings.
Rankings & ranking points
World/ITF Masters Rankings are calculated from ranking points earned in sanctioned Masters tournaments, based on each event's category and how far a player advances. Rankings determine seeding, direct acceptance, and eligibility for higher-category and World Championship events.
MT50 / MT100 / MT200 / MT400 / MT700 / MT1000
These are the category labels for World Tennis Masters Tour tournaments, ranked from entry-level MT50 up to the elite MT1000 — each level awards a different maximum number of ranking points to the tournament winner, with World Championships (WC) events sitting above MT1000 as the top tier of the calendar. Higher-category events typically draw stronger, more competitive fields.
ITF Tour Zone (now World Tennis Tour Zone)
Tour Zone — now officially World Tennis Tour Zone — is the official online membership service (formerly the IPIN system) where players search the tournament calendar, submit entries and withdrawals, check acceptance lists, and view their ranking and WTN history. It's required for anyone entering a World Tennis (ITF) sanctioned tournament.
Tournament software, search & entry
Tournament software like Tour Zone lets players search a tournament calendar by date, location, category, and surface, then submit a tournament entry or registration before the deadline. Confirmation of entry and any wait-list status typically appears in the player's account shortly after the entry deadline closes.
Draws & lists (Main Draw, Qualifying, Acceptance List, Alternate List, Order of Play, Fact Sheet)
Before a tournament starts, organizers publish an Acceptance List (direct entrants) and an Alternate List (players next in line), followed by the Main Draw and Qualifying draw once entries are finalized. The Order of Play sets daily match schedules by court, and the Fact Sheet summarizes an event's category, surface, prize structure, and deadlines.
Tournament results, withdrawals & confirmation
Once matches are played, tournament results feed directly into ranking calculations. Players who can no longer compete must submit a withdrawal before the deadline to avoid ranking penalties; those who withdraw after acceptance but before the draw is made may still affect alternates moving up.
Age categories (30+ to 90+ tennis)
Masters/senior tennis is organized into age divisions — 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+, 85+, and 90+ — so players compete against others in a comparable age and fitness bracket. Racketlovers supports age categories for tournaments you organize yourself, independent of any sanctioning body.
Masters / senior / veteran / adult player terminology
'Masters,' 'senior,' and 'veteran' tennis all describe the same competitive 30-and-over segment of the sport — the terminology varies by region and federation, while 'adult tennis' more broadly covers any non-junior play. A Masters tennis player is typically someone who competes regularly in an age-division tournament, whether sanctioned or club-level.
Singles, doubles & mixed doubles (Masters)
Masters tournaments typically offer singles, doubles, and — at many events — mixed doubles draws within each age category, mirroring the formats available in open-age competitive tennis.
Court surfaces (clay, hard, grass, indoor, outdoor)
Masters tournaments are played on all standard surfaces — clay, hard, and grass court tennis, both indoor and outdoor — and surface is one of the key filters players use when searching a tournament calendar, since it strongly affects playing style and results.
World & Team Championships
Each year, World Tennis (ITF) crowns Masters World Champions across age divisions in both World Individual Championships (singles/doubles) and World Team Championships (nations competing head-to-head), the pinnacle events of the Masters tennis calendar.
Player profile & live scores
On World Tennis's own systems, a player profile tracks sanctioned results and ranking history. Racketlovers takes a complementary, independent approach for everyday play: build a player profile with your win-loss record, and let spectators follow live scores from any match you create — club night, local league, or your own private tournament — no sanctioning required.
Getting started with World Tennis (ITF) Masters events
How do I enter the ITF Masters Tour (World Tennis Masters Tour)?+
You'll need an active World Tennis Tour Zone membership (the service formerly called IPIN), then submit your entry for a specific tournament before its entry deadline — acceptance depends on your ranking or WTN relative to the field. Check the official World Tennis (ITF) website for the current tournament calendar and entry rules, since these are managed entirely outside Racketlovers.
How do I get an IPIN (World Tennis ID)?+
Register for a World Tennis Tour Zone membership through World Tennis's (ITF's) official player portal, which issues your unique World Tennis ID (what used to be called an IPIN) once your details are verified. This is a World Tennis (ITF) service — Racketlovers doesn't issue or manage these accounts.
How do I renew my IPIN (World Tennis ID)?+
Log in to your existing World Tennis Tour Zone account before your membership expires and follow the renewal steps on the official portal; an expired membership can prevent tournament entry and ranking-point eligibility until it's renewed. Again, this is handled entirely by World Tennis (ITF), not Racketlovers.
Track your own Masters and senior matches
Whether or not your matches are sanctioned, Racketlovers lets you score live, build a player profile, and let friends and family follow along — for tennis and padel, any age category.