Gulfport tennis player Cooper Payne finished 7,353rd in December in the junior Boys’ 16 category of the United States Tennis Association.
They started December ranked 7,629th.
By the end of the month they’d earned 51 points across singles and doubles tournaments.
Players earn points per round in tournaments, winning higher points the further into a tournament they advance.
Jarett Cascino of New York Tennis Magazine says tennis is one of the most competitive youth sports.
“There is always someone better than you on any given day, even if you are the number one player in the world!” he said.
Rankings are released weekly.
Junior Boys’ 16 rankings in December
| Name | Starting Rank | Ending Rank | Total Points at end of December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryland Buford | 1,587 | 2,375 | 314 |
| Caiden Karetas | 3,242 | 3,199 | 216 |
| Benjamin Vance | 5,538 | 5,495 | 90 |
| Cooper Payne | 7,629 | 7,353 | 51 |
| Tucker Payne | 9,311 | 8,631 | 35 |
