Ratings now reflect performance, not just wins or losses — your rating can go up if
you win or lose, itʼs all about outperforming expectations.
How it Works
Each match has an expected score based on the ratings of the teams/players in a match.
- The team that performs better than the expected score goes up.
- The team that performs worse goes down.
All other parts of the algorithm work the same as before.
- Players with higher reliability move less, and newer players move more.
- The DUPR algorithm handles rally scoring matches differently than traditional side-out scoring.
- Club and tournament matches have more impact to ratings than self-posted ones.
With this update, DUPR is focusing on accuracy above all else. Instead of judging
matches just by wins and losses, the system now looks at performance at the point
level — giving a more precise picture of a playerʼs true skill.
Many players like the idea of going up after a close loss to a stronger opponent.
However, many of these same players think the winning team should never have their
rating go down. But the truth is, if a team underperforms compared to expectations,
that match still gives useful information about their rating.
DUPRʼs goal isnʼt just to reward outcomes — itʼs to build the most accurate rating
system possible. That means sometimes making adjustments that donʼt feel gratifying
in the moment, but lead to more fairness and precision in the long run.
A lot of players say theyʼre fine with the losing team going up if they overperform —
but they push back on the idea of a winning team going down. The problem is, you
canʼt have it both ways. If neither team went down, the system would just inflate over
time and lose its meaning.
The system stays balanced by tying rating changes to how teams perform relative to
expectations. When a result is far off from what was expected, both teams will move
more significantly. But when itʼs close — maybe a team is expected to win 115 and
won 116 — the movement is small. Slight overperformance moves a rating up a little,
and slight underperformance moves it down a little.
Over time, those shifts balance out — unless a player is consistently outperforming or
underperforming, which is exactly what ratings should reflect.
Itʼs totally fair for players to worry about things like wind, bad calls, net cords, their
partner being targeted, or just having an off day. But the reality is — some days those
breaks go against a player, and other days they go their way.
The key thing to remember is this: DUPR doesnʼt judge a player off one match or one
tournament. It looks at their full body of results. Over time, the highs and lows cancel
out — and whatʼs left is a rating that reflects their true level.
With the updated system, things may feel a bit different for players at the top —
especially for those who built their rating by consistently winning against lower-rated
opponents. Now, itʼs not just about winning — itʼs about meeting or exceeding
expectations.
High-level players often donʼt get as many even matchups or opportunities to play as
the underdog, which means theyʼre usually expected to win — and win convincingly.
But that doesnʼt mean their rating is at risk. As long as they perform at the level theyʼve
already proven, their rating will hold steady.
This change helps ensure that top ratings truly reflect consistent high-level play — and
for players who belong there, it will feel stable and fair.
This update might feel familiar to players whoʼve been around a while — and thatʼs
intentional. Weʼve taken elements that worked well in previous versions and combined
them with improvements weʼve made over time, like faster updates and greater
transparency.
Itʼs not about going back — itʼs about building on whatʼs worked to create more
accurate ratings and a better experience for players today.
How this Change Impacts Players
The Inflated Player
Before this change, some players would intentionally ‘play downʼ — choosing weaker opponents to guarantee wins and avoid seeing their rating drop. Over time, those easy wins could inflate a playerʼs DUPR, making their rating no longer reflect their true level.
With this update, that strategy doesnʼt work the same way. If a player chooses to play down, they have to prove theyʼre at that level by meeting or exceeding expectations. If they donʼt, their rating will adjust down — even in a win.
This helps prevent inflation and keeps ratings more honest across the board.
The Accurately Rated Player
This update wonʼt drastically affect players who are already rated accurately. Their rating will continue to move slightly after each match, just as it always has — but the timing of those movements might shift.
Instead of going up just for a win, theyʼll go up when they outperform expectations, which may happen in different matches than before. Over time, their rating stays in the right place — because theyʼre consistently playing at their level, winning some, losing some, and proving their skill through performance.
The Underrated Player
Some players have played close, competitive matches against strong opponents — but have more losses than wins. Because ratings were previously tied to win/loss outcomes, these players may have been underrated.
Now, if they overperform in a tough match — even in a loss — their rating can adjust upward to better reflect their skill level.
That said, this isnʼt a strategy for boosting your rating by playing up. You only move up long-term if you consistently show youʼre playing at a higher level. Playing up might help avoid the frustration of going down with a win, but it doesnʼt guarantee anything — every match still carries an equal chance of your rating going up or down.