To earn points to rank, a player has to compete in all four of the events that make up a satellite segment. Satellite segments are entry level professional tournaments, divided into four segments, or parts. These tournaments enable unranked or lower ranked players to compete for ranking points, and qualify for higher level tournaments which offer more prize money.

Tournaments:

-Australian Open (Jan 9th)

-Davis Cup (Feb 16th)

-The Family Circle Cup (April 12th)

-US Men's Clay Court Championship (April 12th)

-BMW Open (April 26th)

-Ladies German Open (may 3rd)

-Wimbledon (June 21st)

-Mercedes-Benz Cup (July 12th)

-US Open (Aug 30th)

-International Tennis Championship (Sep 13th)

Different tournaments offer different amounts of prize money for the winners. Some tournaments are considered better then others and attract better, or more well-known players. By using a draw based on players ability and past performances, officials make sure that the best players don't compete against each other until later in the tournaments.