The ATP has officially announced the introduction of a new Masters 1000 event to be held annually in Saudi Arabia starting as early as 2028. The tournament will be played on hard courts and is expected to take place at the beginning of the tennis season, though the exact host city has yet to be revealed.
According to ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi, the event will run for one week and represents a significant milestone for professional men’s tennis.
This development marks the first-ever expansion of the prestigious Masters 1000 category since its establishment in 1990.
The Saudi event will join the existing nine tournaments on the ATP calendar—Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris.
Gaudenzi described the addition as a proud achievement for the sport, emphasizing that it was the result of several years of strategic planning and discussions.
The creation of the Saudi Masters event comes amid growing debate about the demanding length of the ATP calendar, which stretches from January to November.
However, the new competition will not be a mandatory event for players, allowing greater flexibility in participation. Despite concerns over scheduling, ATP officials believe the addition will bring valuable opportunities to expand tennis into new markets.
The tournament’s launch forms part of a broader agreement between the ATP and SURJ Sports Investments, a company linked to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Although the financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, it is understood to be a major investment in the global growth of the sport.
Saudi Arabia has significantly expanded its influence in tennis in recent years. The country began hosting the WTA Finals in Riyadh in 2024 and has also staged the Next Gen ATP Finals since 2023.
Additionally, the PIF has formed sponsorship partnerships with several existing Masters 1000 events, including Indian Wells, Miami, and Madrid, and is now the title sponsor of the ATP Rankings.
The introduction of the new Masters 1000 event reinforces Saudi Arabia’s growing footprint in world tennis and global sport at large.
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