The ATP, the entity that governs men’s professional tennis, announced this Thursday (8) a reduction in the number of mandatory tournaments for the best players, in response to frequent complaints about the demanding calendar.
From 2026, the 30 tennis players with the best position in the ATP rankings at the end of the previous season will be required to play a minimum of four ATP 500 tournaments, one less than what was required until now, the organization said in a statement.
Additionally, players who participate in Masters 1000 or ATP 500 tournaments and withdraw due to the “birth or adoption of a child” will not have any points earned up to that point in the tournament withdrawn.
Participation in the Masters 1000 (the second most important competitions after the four Grand Slams) and the ATP Finals, which brings together the eight best players at the end of each year, continues to be mandatory for the highest ranked tennis players.
Overall, a player’s ATP ranking will be based on results from 18 tournaments per season, rather than the current 19.
With this measure, the ATP introduces some “calendar flexibility” for the tour’s stars, some of whom have been highly critical of the large number of matches they need to play each year, despite some taking part in lucrative exhibition matches outside of traditional tournaments.
Another change announced by the ATP is that the ranking that will determine the eight players who will participate in the ATP Finals will be finalized a week earlier, at the end of the Masters 1000 in Paris, on November 8.
The ATP is also extending the use of video review to all ATP 500 tournaments and, starting in 2027, to ATP 250 tournaments.
Electronic line refereeing will also continue to be used in all tournaments, despite complaints from some players about its reliability, particularly on clay courts.
