ATP announces new yearly tournament to be played in Saudi Arabia

Overview

• Andrea Gaudenzi confirmed a new yearly ATP tournament to take place in Saudi Arabia, potentially starting from 2028
• The ATP Chairman confirmed through a video conference that the tournament will be played in the early part of the season
• Gaudenzi hoped to align the schedule with that of the WTA to have a combined male and female tournament

Andrea Gaudenzi confirmed a new yearly ATP tournament to take place in Saudi Arabia, potentially starting from 2028. The ATP Chairman confirmed through a video conference that the tournament will be played in the early part of the season. Gaudenzi hoped to align the schedule with that of the WTA to have a combined male and female tournament.

"All we can say at this stage is that it’s going to be at the beginning of the season … first part of the season. The exact position on the calendar is not yet decided. Obviously, February is one of the options. … It is a possibility, but not decided yet," Andrea Gaudenzi said to reporters in a video conference.

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The new tournament is backed by SURJ Sports Investment, which is known to be an organization behind funding many sports events in Saudi Arabia. It is said to be the Saudi sports entity, which is backed by the Public Investment Fund. The announcement has come amidst an increasing demand to reduce the Tennis schedule in a season.

"The calendar discussion is a sensitive one," - ATP Chairman 

Saudi Arabia has already been hosting the Six Kings Slam Tournament since 2024, which provides the highest prize money for the winners across disciplines in Tennis. The addition of a new tournament has led to backlash from the fans and experts who vouch for a balanced schedule for the players.

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In his statement, the ATP Chairman agreed that the Tennis calendar is packed. Hence, he hoped to align with the schedule of the WTA. "The calendar discussion is a sensitive one. There is a goal to try to align with the WTA’s events in February," the ATP Chairman added.