ATP will launch a new Masters 1000-level event in Saudi Arabia, the tour announced Thursday.
In collaboration with SURJ Sports Investment, part of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the tournament is expected to appear on the tennis calendar as early as 2028. Saudi Arabia is currently hosting the year-end WTA Finals and ATP Next Generation Finals.
The new Masters Tournament marks PIF’s latest foray into tennis. The foundation is the official naming partner of both the ATP and WTA world rankings and is affiliated with a variety of prestigious events including Indian Wells and Madrid. PIF is also the sponsor of WTA’s newly launched maternity leave program.
The Middle Eastern country has faced widespread criticism for human rights abuses. Critics argue that Saudi Arabia has committed to sportswashing and invested the country’s wealth in global sports initiatives to boost its reputation on the world stage. Before the WTA announced it would hold its year-end finals there, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova voiced their opposition in a 2024 op-ed for The Washington Post, writing that it “represents a significant setback, not progress.”
ATP President Andrea Gaudenzi said in a statement Thursday that the new tournament is a “proud moment” for the organization.
“(This) is the result of a journey that has been many years in the making,” Gaudenge said. “Saudi Arabia has shown a real commitment to tennis, not just at the professional level, but in growing the game more broadly at all levels. PIF’s ambitions for the sport are clear and we believe fans and players alike will be amazed by what lies ahead.”
The exact timing of the Saudi Arabian Games, as well as the host city and venue, have not been announced. This will be the ATP’s 10th Masters Tournament (the highest level of non-major tennis events) and the first since the category was introduced in 1990.
ATP players with rankings that allow direct entry are currently required to compete in eight of the nine Masters 1000-level tournaments, with exceptions due to injury. Monte Carlo, held in April, is the only Masters event that is not mandatory.
A number of players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff, expressed concerns about the length and intensity of the globe-trotting season, in addition to the extended format (1 week to 12 days) of some 1000-level events. The addition of another mandatory tournament to the men’s tour could draw mixed reactions.