Ian Willms for The New York Times
TORONTO — In a subterranean food court in downtown Toronto, shoppers bustled past Maria Patrascu without a glance, unaware that the young woman sipping green tea was the leader of a growing rebellion in professional tennis.
A year ago at this time, Patrascu was a little-known left-hander playing obscure tournaments in Egypt as she tried to get her world ranking under 600. But now she is unable to enter tournaments because of controversial new International Tennis Federation rules designed to slash the ranks of pro players.
So, instead of playing, Patrascu, 22, remains at home, seeking to upset the I.