WTA to change classification of tournaments to 'create consistency' across professional tennis

Paris: The WTA on Wednesday announced that it was changing the classification of its tournaments to put its tour in line with that of the men's ATP tennis tour.

The tour's highest Premier Mandatory and Premier 5 tournament categories will from 2021 be renamed WTA 1000, mirroring the ATP 1000 tournaments which are one step down from the Grand Slams.

The Premier tournaments will become WTA 500, the Internationals will be renamed WTA 250 and the 125Ks will take the name WTA 125.

This is for the women of the past, present, and future who do it for the love of the game and everything in between.

This is for Us.

For You.

For Them.

For Her.

This is for the game. #WTAForTheGame pic.twitter.com/WcF31mhj23

— wta (@WTA) December 2, 2020

"The WTA worked with the ATP to create consistency and alignment across professional tennis," the WTA said in a statement.

In April Roger Federer said that he wanted the ATP and WTA tours to merge, with seven bodies managing the professional tennis competitions that the likes of the Swiss and Serena Williams compete in.

In addition to the ATP and WTA, there is also the International Tennis Federation, which is the sport's governing body, and separate organisers for each of the four Grand Slams — the US and Australian Opens, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.