Women's Tennis Association - Tournament Categories

Tournament Categories

• The current tournament structure was introduced in 2009. Premier Tournaments replaced the previous Tier I and Tier II events, and International Tournaments replaced Tier III and IV events.

1. Grand Slam tournaments (4)
2. Year-ending championships (WTA Tour Championships)
3. Premier tournaments:
   1. Premier Mandatory: Four combined tournaments with male professional players, with U.S.$4.5 million in equal prize money for men and women. These tournaments are being held in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, and Beijing.
   2. Premier Five: Five $2 million events in Dubai, Rome, Cincinnati, Toronto / Montreal, and Tokyo
   3. Premier: Ten events with prize money from U.S.$600,000 to U.S.$1 million.
4. International tournaments: There are 31 tournaments, with a prize money for every event at U.S.$220,000, except for the year-ending Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions, originally held in Bali but now in Sofia, which has prize money of U.S.$600,000.
5. Challenger tournaments (since 2012): There are 2 tournaments, with prize money for every event at U.S. $125,000.

Ranking points are also available at tournaments on the ITF Women's Circuit organised by the International Tennis Federation, which comprises several hundred tournaments each year with prize funds ranging from U.S. $10,000 to U.S. $100,000, and at the Olympic Games.