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WTA points to be allotted in Olympics

NEW DELHI MAY 30. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has announced that WTA ranking points would be allotted for the women's tennis events in the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

ATP points were successfully awarded for the men's events for the first time in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

After discussions between the ATP, WTA and the ITF it has been agreed that rankings of the international bodies will be used as basis for determining the top 48 direct acceptances in the 64-draw for men and women, subject to stipulations and eligibility requirements.

An additional eight of the 16 invitations allocated to the ITF will also be based purely on the ATP and WTA rankings.

Each nation will be eligible for four entries into the men and women's singles events, an increase of one entry in the eligibility criteria for women from the previous edition.

Countries will be able to nominate a separate doubles team by direct acceptance if the doubles rankings are in the top 10 of the ATP or WTA.

``The decisions reward the men and women equally and will guarantee that as many top players as possible are able to represent their countries in Athens,'' ITF president, Francesco Ricci Bitti, was quoted as saying.

``We are equally pleased that the International Tennis Federation and the International Olympic Committee have chosen to use the WTA Tour rankings system to determine player entry, ensuring the Games will continue to feature the best and most accomplished players in women's tennis,'' the WTA Tour CEO and chairman Larry Scott was quoted, by the ITF release.

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