Sir, – News that Ireland is introducing the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Number ranking system to allow players to be matched purely by ability sounds like progress and, assuming sporting life resumes this summer, it should enhance competition ("Tennis Ireland to launch new tennis ranking system", Sport, April 8th).
Reporting on the matter, Johnny Watterson points out that it will allow “a 14-year-old girl to compete against an 80-year-old man”, provided they have similar rankings.
Innovative as it is, I might suggest to Tennis Ireland that in seeking to attract younger participants they should not overemphasise this attribute of the system. – Yours etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
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Kinsale, Co Cork.