Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner among the star names set for a share of $18.3 million cash windfall
The top names in men’s tennis are set to benefit from a huge $18.3 million windfall, after the ATP Tour confirmed that the increased cash sum will be handed out to players based on their performances at last year’s nine Masters 1000 tournaments.
This is part of a profit-sharing plan introduced in 2022, with this year’s financial numbers taking this scheme to the next level.
The 2024 figure is a huge increase from the $6.6 million handed out to players at ATP Masters events in 2023, with the ATP Tour confirming the final payments for last year will take the prize pot for players to a record $261 million.
These are staggering figures that will be handed over to players on top of huge earnings, with the ATP Tour confirming the total prize money for the year was $378 million when combined with Grand Slam earnings.
“This is exactly what profit sharing was designed to do. Ensure that players and tournaments share equally in the sport’s financial upside,” said ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.
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“$18.3 million is a huge milestone. For us, it’s proof that strengthening the premium product and aligning interests creates value. We’re proud to be strengthening our partnership and building a stronger, more sustainable ATP Tour.”
Much of this increased prize money and revenue has been generated by the decision to expand ATP Masters 1000 events from one week to almost two in all-but two of the nine annual competitions.
This allows tournaments to generate more ticket sales and some of that money is being filtered down to the stars on the courts.
Yet the debate over the extended Masters 1000 events rumbles on, with world No 3 Alexander Zverev among those critical of the changes.
Speaking on Nothing Major, Zverev didn’t hold back in his view that the longer tournaments are not enjoyable for players, as he suggested one-week tournaments were preferable.
“You have the nine Masters 1000 events, which are mandatory; most of them are two-week-long events now, except Monte-Carlo and Paris Bercy,” he stated.
“Which I think are the best two weeks now on the ATP calendar. I think for a fan and every single tennis player, Paris Bercy was awesome last year.
“I mean, I won it, which was even more awesome for me, but you get there, you play your five matches, and you get out of there.
“You do not have to stick around or practice in between matches. That is how Masters events used to be and I think all the players loved it.
“Now the ATP has made four mandatory 500 events for you to play, which used to be three, now it’s four. So you don’t get under 20 events except if you are pulling out of the big events.”
2024 ATP Masters 1000 winners
Indian Wells – Carlos Alcaraz
Miami – Jannik Sinner
Monte Carlo – Stefanos Tsitsipas
Madrid – Andrey Rublev
Rome – Alexander Zverev
Montreal – Alexei Popyrin
Cincinnati – Jannik Sinner
Shanghai – Jannik Sinner
Paris – Alexander Zverev
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