RG 2020 Wild cards: how does it work?

Set up by the French National Technical Committee, this procedure – which ties in with the federation’s “Act and Win 2020” project – is designed to encourage French players to enter national tournaments in order to promote these competitions, develop a winning and merit-based culture, and help young players to progress on the circuit.

See the procedure for allocating wildcards in 2020 below.

WOMEN’S SINGLES

Wildcards for main draw (2 out of 6)

1 . “French Race”

The French player who earns the most WTA points in the 12 tournaments below will be allocated a wildcard for the main draw.

• Fort-de-France – $15,000 – week of 13th January
• Petit-Bourg – $25,000 – week of 20th January
• Andrézieux-Bouthéon – $60,000– week of 27th January
• Grenoble – $25,000 – week of 10th February
• Mâcon – $25,000 – week of 24th February
• Amiens – $15,000 – week of 9th March
• Gonesse – $15,000 – week of 16th March
• Le Havre – $15,000 – week of 23rd March
• Croissy-Beaubourg – $60,000 – week of 30th March
• Calvi – $25,000+H – week of 13th April
• Saint-Malo – $60,000+H – week of 20th April
• Cagnes-sur-Mer – $80,000 – week of 4th May

Calculation:

• The 4* best singles results (including a maximum of two $15,000 and/or $25,000) in the 12 tournaments held in France between 6th January and 10th May 2020 are taken into account.
• Players must enter at least 3 of these tournaments.  
• The number of points allocated to the players is identical to the number of WTA points won.
• If the “French Race” winner is already entered into the main draw thanks to her WTA ranking, the wildcard will be allocated to the first player on the list who is not entered directly into the main draw.
• In the event of a tie, the player with the highest WTA ranking will be awarded the wildcard.

* If more than 4 tournaments played.

After each tournament, the “French Race” rankings will be published on the FFT website: www.fft.fr

2 .“International Race”

The second wildcard will be allocated to the highest-ranked French player(1) in the WTA Porsche Race Singles rankings on Monday 11th May 2020 who has not been entered directly in the main draw.

(1) If the same player wins the “French Race”, she will be allocated the wildcard for the “French Race” and the second highest-ranked player in the WTA Porsche Race Singles on Monday 11th May 2020, who has not been entered directly into the main draw, will be allocated the wildcard for the “International Race”.

WC for the Women’s Qualifying Rounds (3 out of 8):

Ø  The leading French player in the “French Race” rankings (see above) who has not been entered into the main draw or qualifying draw.  

Ø  The highest-ranking French player (2) in the WTA Porsche Race Singles rankings who has not been entered into the main draw or qualifying draw.

Ø  The highest-ranking French player in the ITF Junior rankings (condition: Top 30 or having won an ITF Grade 1 between 1st January and 10th May 2020).

(2) If the same player wins the “French Race”, she will be allocated the wildcard for the “French Race” and the second highest-ranked player in the WTA Porsche Race Singles as of Monday 11th May 2020, who has not been entered directly into the main draw or qualifying draw, will be allocated a wildcard for the Qualifying Rounds.

MEN’S SINGLES

Wildcards for the main draw (2 out of 6)

1. “French Race”

The French player who earns the most ATP points in the 8 tournaments below will be allocated a wildcard for the main draw.

• Nouméa 90 – week of 6th January
• Rennes 80 – week of 20th January
• Quimper 80 – week of 27th January
• Cherbourg 80 – week of 10th February
• Pau 100 – week of 24th February
• Lille 90 – week of 23rd March
• Saint-Brieuc 80 – week of 30th March
• Aix-en-Provence 125 – week of 4th May

Calculation:

• The 4* best singles results are taken into account in the 8 ATP Challenger tournaments held in France between 6th January and 10th May 2020.
• Only the 2 best singles results are taken into account for any tournaments entered by way of a wildcard.
• Players must enter at least 3 of these tournaments.  
• The number of points allocated to the players is identical to the number of ATP points won.
• If the “French Race” winner is already entered into the main draw thanks to his ATP ranking, the wildcard will be allocated to the first player on the list who is not entered directly into the main draw.
• In the event of a tie, the player with the highest ATP ranking will be awarded the wildcard.

* If more than 4 tournaments played.

After each tournament, the “French Race” rankings will be published on the FFT website: www.fft.fr

2.  “International Race”

The second wildcard will be allocated to the highest-ranked French player(1) in the ATP Race to London on Monday 11th May 2020 who has not been entered directly in the main draw.

(1) If the same player wins the “French Race”, he will be allocated the wildcard for the “French Race” and the second highest-ranked player in the ATP Race to London as of Monday 11th May 2020, who has not been entered directly into the main draw, will be allocated the wildcard for the “International Race”.

WC for the Men’s Qualifying Rounds (4 out of 8):

Ø  The top two French players in the “French Race” rankings who have not been entered into the main draw or qualifying draw.  

Ø  The highest-ranking French player (2) in the ATP Race to London rankings who has not been entered into the main draw or qualifying draw.

Ø  The highest-ranking French player in the ITF Junior rankings (condition: must be in the Top 20).

(2) If the same player wins the “French Race”, he will be allocated the wildcard for the “French Race” and the second highest-ranked player in the ATP Race to London as of Monday 11th May 2020, who has not been entered directly into the main draw or qualifying draw, will be allocated a wildcard for the Qualifying Rounds.  

Please note that, within the framework of the agreement between the French Tennis Federation, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Tennis Australia, one male and one female player from these two countries will be awarded a wildcard for the main draw.

An agreement has also been made with Tennis Australia in 2020 concerning the women’s singles qualifying rounds.