ATP Cup 2021 FAQ
What is the ATP Cup?
The 2021 ATP Cup is a 12-country team competition with a base-level prize money of 7.5 million USD*. A player can earn a maximum of 500 singles and 250 doubles FedEx ATP Rankings points. The ATP Cup is staged in partnership with Tennis Australia. (*Subject to any reductions based on permitted attendance)
When and where will it be played?
The 2021 ATP Cup will be played from 1-5 February. The five-day tournament (Monday-Friday) will take place at Melbourne Park alongside two ATP 250 events. Those three events will occupy Week 5 of the ATP Calendar, the week prior to the Australian Open.
How does the tournament work?
The 12 teams are divided into four groups of three for group stage, round-robin play. The winners of each group emerge to contest the knock-out stages, with the four remaining teams playing the semi-finals.
What is the format?
Each tie will be comprised of two singles matches and one doubles match. The country that wins two matches will win the tie. Every country will be guaranteed to play two ties in the group stages. Singles will be best-of-three tie-break sets. Doubles will feature No-Ad scoring and a Match Tie-break in lieu of a third set.
What is the order of play?
There is a day session and an evening session each day. The No. 2 players will play first in each tie, followed by the No. 1 players, with the doubles to follow. All doubles matches will be played regardless of whether the tie is decided after the two singles matches except if the final is decided after the two singles matches. In that event, the doubles will not be played.
How does a country qualify for the ATP Cup and which of its players get to play?
A minimum of three ATP-ranked players, including two members with singles FedEx ATP Rankings points, are required for a country to be eligible to qualify. A country may have up to four players.
How do entries work?
The Top 11 countries in the ATP Cup Standings gain acceptance into the event based on the singles FedEx ATP Ranking and entry of the country’s No. 1 singles player at the entry deadline. Host country Australia is granted a wild card into the event to make up the 12-team field.
Rankings to be used for entries are the FedEx ATP Rankings. A Protected Ranking can be used to enter provided the player’s Protected Ranking is valid through the entry deadline. Protected Ranking will not be used for team seeding.
What are the ATP Cup Standings?
The ATP Cup Standings is a provisional entry list for the ATP Cup, ordered by the FedEx ATP Ranking (or Protected Ranking) of a country’s highest-ranked singles player. ATP Cup Standings also show which players within each country would qualify for a place in their country’s team, subject to player entry rules.
When will the draw and seeding be made?
The draw is scheduled to take place on 20 January 2021.
Will a Team Captain be assigned?
Each team will have a captain, selected by the No. 1 singles player in consultation with their team members. The No. 1 singles player will be the captain should one not be selected. The captain must meet one of the following criteria: be a Division I ATP player member, an ATP coach member or a qualified coach of a national federation. If a captain is requested that does not fulfill either criteria requirement, a request for an exemption can be made. In 2021, due to the extraordinary circumstances related to COVID-19, the No. 1 singles player may request, subject to ATP approval, to appoint a captain of a different nationality.
Is on-court coaching allowed?
Yes. Coaching will be permitted by the team captain, the competing player’s individual coach or fellow player team members. Coaching advice is not limited to changeovers and set breaks, but it shall not interfere with the speed of play.
Can a player play singles and doubles?
Yes. The team captain decides who plays doubles. The on-site FedEx ATP Ranking order must be respected for singles matches. For example, the No. 1-ranked player on a team based on on-site FedEx ATP Rankings at the start of the competition cannot play No. 2 singles. Protected Ranking will be considered the official ranking for line-up position.
POINTS & RANKING
What is the maximum number of points a player can earn?
Singles: An undefeated player who plays and wins all possible singles matches could earn 500 FedEx ATP Rankings points.
Doubles: An undefeated player who plays and wins all possible doubles matches will earn 250 FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings points.
Who can earn points at this event?
All players who compete will have the opportunity to earn FedEx ATP Rankings points and prize money.
How will the points for each player be awarded in a team competition?
Singles: FedEx ATP Rankings points are awarded for a match win in each round. The amount of ranking points awarded depends on the ranking of the player, the ranking of the opponent and the round of the result.
Doubles: FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings points are awarded for a match win in each round. The amount of ranking points awarded does not depend on the ranking of the opponents.
How will the ATP Cup points work in a player’s FedEx ATP Ranking?
ATP Cup will be included in the player’s Rankings Breakdown as one of his best 19 results.
How much is the prize money?
Base-level prize money of ATP Cup is $7.5 million before any reductions based on permitted attendance are applied. There are three different components of total prize money awarded to players, including a participation fee, prize money for individual match wins and prize money for tie victories.
FedEx ATP Rankings Points
Singles
| Opponent Ranking | 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-50 | 51-100 | 101-250 | 251+ |
| Final | 220 | 180 | 140 | 100 | 75 | 45 | 30 |
| Semi-final Win | 150 | 130 | 100 | 70 | 45 | 30 | 20 |
| Group Win | 75 | 65 | 50 | 35 | 25 | 20 | 15 |
Maximum 500 points for undefeated player
Ranking as of Monday 25 January 2021
Singles Player Ranked 251+
| Opponent Ranking | 1-100 | 101-250 | 251+ |
| Final | 55 | 45 | 30 |
| Semi-final Win | 45 | 30 | 20 |
| Group Win | 25 | 15 | 10 |
Doubles
| Win vs. Any Team | |
| Final Win | 100 |
| Semi-final Win | 75 |
| Group Stage Win | 50 |
Maximum 250 points for undefeated player
*All the above information is subject to change by the ATP rules and regulations.