Saudi Arabia to Join ATP Masters 1000 Series in 2028
Men’s professional tennis is poised for a significant transformation as Saudi Arabia is set to enter the ATP Masters 1000 series in 2028, marking the first major structural change in nearly four decades, reports BritPanorama.
The announcement was made by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), which confirmed that the kingdom has secured its position as the host of the tenth Masters tournament through an agreement with SURJ Sports Investments, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
This development represents the inaugural expansion of tennis’s elite tournament category since the Masters series was launched in 1990. The existing nine tournaments are held in cities spanning from Indian Wells to Paris.
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi described this milestone as “a proud moment for us and the result of a journey that’s been years in the making” at a press conference in Paris. The new tournament will feature a 56-player field competing on hard courts for one week at the beginning of the tennis season, although the host city is yet to be determined.
Notably, participation in this new event will not be compulsory for players, a departure from most other Masters tournaments. Gaudenzi highlighted this flexibility, asserting, “Our open system has a lot of pros because it provides a lot of freedom, options and choices for the players.” This new tournament’s scheduling is expected to align with existing tournaments in Doha and Dubai in February.
This decision comes amid growing concerns among players regarding the sport’s demanding eleven-month calendar. SURJ chairman Bander Bin Mogren praised the announcement as “a major step forward for tennis in the region,” reiterating Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become “a major destination for world-class sport.” The kingdom’s engagement with tennis isn’t isolated to this event, as it has already hosted the WTA Finals in Riyadh since 2024 and the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah in 2023, which featured the top eight players aged twenty and under.
Moreover, the Public Investment Fund has systematically expanded its influence in tennis through strategic partnerships with established Masters 1000 tournaments, such as those in Indian Wells, Miami, and Madrid. The financial specifics of the deal between SURJ and the ATP have not been disclosed.
As the ATP navigates this evolution, player frustrations regarding the lengthy tour schedule continue to be an underlying theme. Gaudenzi acknowledged these tensions, noting, “But the downside is that they obviously can’t play Slams, Masters, (ATP) 500s, 250s freely. On top of the fact that they also play team events and exhibitions like the Six Kings Slam.” This exhibition, held in Saudi Arabia last week, attracted top talent, including world number one Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic.
Ultimately, Gaudenzi stressed that this partnership reflects Saudi Arabia’s “genuine commitment to tennis – not just at the professional level, but also in growing the game more broadly at all levels.” As the ATP grows increasingly intertwined with Saudi Arabia’s sporting aspirations, the implications for the future of tennis are significant.
