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NTRP explained: what tennis level am I?

Tennis · 6 min read · Updated August 2026

NTRP is the USTA National Tennis Rating Program, the number most American clubs and leagues use to decide who plays whom. It runs from 1.0 to 7.0 in half-point steps. Nearly every adult who has played for a while sits between 2.5 and 4.5.

What the levels look like on court

The USTA publishes a description of every level. This is the short version, in terms you would recognise from a court.

Level	What it looks like
1.0 to 2.0	New to the game. Still working on making contact and keeping a rally going.
2.5	Can sustain a short rally at slow pace. Serve goes in more often than not.
3.0	Fairly consistent on medium-paced shots, but not comfortable with all strokes. Lacks depth and variety.
3.5	Improved consistency and some directional control on moderate shots. Beginning to use net play.
4.0	Dependable strokes, including directional control and depth on both forehand and backhand. Can use lobs, overheads and volleys with some success.
4.5	Starting to vary pace and spin deliberately, handles pace well, and has sound footwork.
5.0 and up	Has good shot anticipation, a reliable weapon to build points around, and can regularly hit winners or force errors. Tournament-level and above.

Self-rating without kidding yourself

Everyone starts with a self-rating, and almost everyone rates their best day instead of their normal one. Judge the shot you hit when you are tired and slightly late to the ball, not the one you hit in the warm-up.

Three questions sort most people out:

Can you put a second serve in the box under pressure, at a pace that does not hand over the point? If not, you are probably 3.0 or below.
Can you choose crosscourt or down the line and mostly succeed? Directional control is the real line between 3.0 and 3.5.
Can you hit a backhand under pressure without slicing it defensively every time? That is usually where 3.5 becomes 4.0.

Self-rating is not a computer rating

Play enough USTA league matches and the USTA issues you a computer rating out of your results, then publishes year-end ratings. That number governs league eligibility, so it is a compliance matter and not a label on your profile. A self-rating well below your real level puts your team's results at risk, not just your pride.

If you play league tennis, use your published rating rather than your own estimate.

NTRP, UTR and WTN are different numbers

They are not interchangeable, and converting between them with a chart from a forum will mislead you.

NTRP: 1.0 to 7.0, half-point steps, higher is better. USTA, mostly American league play.
UTR: 1.00 to 16.50, higher is better. It reads your recent results and the percentage of games you win, so losing narrowly to a stronger player can still raise it.
WTN: 40 to 1, and lower is better. That inversion catches people out constantly, so read the scale before you compare.

How we use your level here

You tell us your NTRP so we can point you at matches and players near your level. The number stays yours: it came from you or from the USTA, we do not produce it, and nothing you do here moves it.

We keep a rating of our own alongside it. That one is an Elo, it moves when you record a match and your opponent confirms the score, and it is what the leaderboard sorts on. Two numbers, two jobs.

Common questions

What NTRP level is a good club player?

Most competitive club players sit at 3.5 or 4.0. Anything from 4.5 up is a strong player who competes in tournaments.

Should I round up or down when self-rating?

Down. It is far more pleasant to be the surprise of the group than the person everyone quietly avoids drawing.

Can my NTRP go down?

A computer rating can, yes. The USTA recalculates it from results, so a year of losses at your level can move you down at year end.

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