Guidelines for Seeding
ITF Rules to be effective January 1, 2010
ITF-sanctioned tournaments (all Category I Nationals and certain Category II Events) must seed exclusively by current ITF rankings except that wild card seeds are permitted as follows: draws up to 32 players: 2 wild cards; for draws from 33-48: 3 wild cards; and for draws with 49 or more players: 4 wild cards.
The number of seeds must be an even number and shall not exceed 32 for a 128 draw, 16 for a draw of 33-64, 8 for a draw of 17-32, 4 for a draw of 16 and 2 for a draw of 8.
Other ITF rules provide for use of Coman tiebreaks (change ends after the 1st point and every four points thereafter) and match tiebreaks in lieu of third sets in consolations.
USTA "All Factors" Principles
The USTA has traditionally used the "all factors" method of seeding. It gives heaviest weight to head-to-head matches and to indirect results thus a close loss to a strong player could weigh more heavily than a win over a lesser player.
PPR standings alone should not determine seeds as experience has clearly demonstrated that points are a poor predictor of outcomes. (It's not uncommon for lesser players to earn more points from frequent play than world champions who play fewer tournaments.)
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General Approach
Use standings as a starting point then "drill down" to individual player records to review specific wins and losses without regard to points.
Give consideration to players "moving up" from a younger age category and to strong players who haven't played recently;
"Eligible" players appear as the default, but "ineligibles" (those who've not played enough nationals) should also be considered;
Doubles standings are prepared both for teams (preferable) and individuals (use ― with judgment ― for teams without a record);
Rely on the National 12-Month Rolling Standings List solely as they list every match.
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Number and Placement of Seeds
USTA regulations provide that draws of 48-128 should have 8 or 16 seeds. Draws of 24-47 should have 4 or 8 and draws of 12-23 either 2 or 4. Draws with fewer than 12 players should have 2 seeds. Seeds lower than 4 should be grouped, i.e. four number 5's and eight 9's. ITF regulations specify up to 2 seeds for draws of 8, up to 4 for draws of 16, up to 8 for draws of 32, and up to 16 for larger draws.
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Specifics
Here's how to find any player's record using this web site:
Click here to display the current National Standings;
Use the appropriate 12-Month Rolling Standings List;
Click on the player/team name to view their complete record;
Review records for ineligible players too (Use the Show dropdown in the upper left);
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Outside Assistance
Strengthen your seeding by getting reliable outside advice. Here are good practices that Category I Nationals must observe:
Consult your Circuit Chair who is knowledgeable and available for advice;
Discuss the seeds with some of the stronger players before posting them;
Post the seeds a few days before the draw to give players a chance to point out oversights;
