Tennis rankings are based on points earned over the previous 52 weeks. Only a player’s best results from a set number of tournaments count, so a bad week doesn’t drag them down.
Where the points come from
The bigger the tournament and the further a player goes, the more points they earn. A Grand Slam title is worth 2,000 points and a runner-up finish 1,300. Winning a Masters 1000 or WTA 1000 event is worth 1,000.
Defending points
Because the rankings roll over, points from a tournament drop off exactly a year later. If a player won a title last year and loses early this time, they lose most of those points. That is what commentators mean when they talk about a player defending points.
