The ATP's new ranking policy (players on equal points are ranked according to the numbers of tournaments played in the last 12 month period, rather than, as previously, the numbers of tournaments in which points have been scored) is leading to an unforeseen anomaly. In the middle and lower levels of the tables, most players don't often score - they may well play seven or eight events between points-scoring. Therefore, when they play, they usually drop a few places in the rankings because they've now played an extra event, rising again when they do have a successful tournament. The corollary, of course, is that players not involved - retired, resting or injured - will rise as their active colleagues fall. Edward Allinson is a perfect example; he hasn't appeared in an event since January, yet his doubles ranking has seen him rise to new career-bests in each of the last two weeks!