Olympic Tennis Fix: Who Gets To Play Olympic Tennis?

Just four months until the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and you're probably wondering, just who gets to play Olympic tennis? Well, since men's and women's doubles and singles qualify as both ATP and WTA events, with the opportunity to earn points based on your Olympic finish, its not surprising that a player's pro rankings determine participation.

To qualify for a spot in singles, here are the specifics:

• The top 56 players in world ATP and WTA rankings on June 11, 2012 will qualify for the Olympics.
• But - entry is limited to four players from a country. So players who qualify from countries with four higher-ranked players already participating cannot participate, and players outside of the top 56 from countries with less than four players already participating may qualify.
• A player can only compete if they have made themselves available to be drafted to represent their country in Davis Cup or Fed Cup play for any two of these years - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012.
• The player must have played Davis Cup or Fed Cup in either 2011 or 2012.
• There are eight wildcard slots. Six of these will be filled by the ITF's Olympic Committee, taking into account ranking and spread of nations represented.
• The other two wildcard slots will be awarded by the International Olympic Committee to players from small nations.

In doubles, 24 teams will automatically qualify as per the rankings June 11, 2012 with a maximum of two teams per nation. Players in the top ten of the doubles rankings can reserve a place, provided they have a partner to compete with. The remaining eight teams will be decided by the ITF's Olympic Committee.

Mixed doubles entries will be confirmed at the Games. Meaning I don't know what. Maybe they just haven't figured it out yet.


© Kim Selzman 2012 All Rights Reserved