Saudi Arabia ATP Masters 1000 key information: Format, start date, and where it fits into the calendar
A new Masters 1000 tournament will be held in Saudi Arabia as early as 2028, with the ATP Tour agreeing a deal with SURJ Sports Investment, the sports investment division of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The Saudi Arabian ATP 1000 will add to the nine existing Masters tournaments, meaning there will be 10 events in this elite category for the first time since it was introduced in 1990.
The tournament will not be mandatory, and it will feature a 56-player singles main draw and be played over a single week, the ATP and PIF have confirmed.
New ATP Masters 1000 event: The key details
- The exact calendar spot, prize money and venue for the tournament are yet to be revealed, although it is expected to take place in February to fit with the current ATP events held in the Middle East
- Andrea Gaudenzi, the chairman of the ATP Tour, described the announcement as a “proud moment” and declared that players and fans will be “amazed by what’s coming”
- The event will add to the significant investment Saudi Arabia has made in tennis in recent years
The new event will join the current ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris. It will be the first Masters tournament introduced since the Shanghai Masters in 2009.
The Masters 1000 series is the highest category of event in men’s tennis outside the four Grand Slam tournaments (excluding the season-ending ATP Finals).
Where will the tournament fit into the calendar? And where will it be held?
The press release explained that “details on the tournament venue and dates will be announced in due course.”
According to The Athletic, the new event is most likely to take place in February, as ATP 500 events in Doha (Qatar) and Dubai (United Arab Emirates) are already held in this month of the calendar.
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How much prize money will be on offer?
The potential prize money for the Saudi Arabian Masters is yet to be revealed, although the pot is likely to be significant given the lucrative rewards offered at current Saudi tennis events, such as the WTA Finals and the Six Kings Slam exhibition.
The ATP Tour sets a minimum prize money amount for all Masters 1000 tournaments.
What have the ATP and PIF/SURJ said?
Andrea Gaudenzi, chairman of the ATP Tour: “This is a proud moment for us and the result of a journey that’s been years in the making. Saudi Arabia has shown a genuine commitment to tennis – not just at the professional level, but also in growing the game more broadly at all levels.
“PIF’s ambition for the sport is clear, and we believe fans and players alike will be amazed by what’s coming. Strengthening our premium events is driving record growth and transformation across the Tour, and we’re grateful to our partners at PIF and SURJ for helping deliver that growth and sharing in this vision.”
Bander Bin Mogren, chairman of SURJ Sports Investment: “Bringing an ATP Masters 1000 event to Saudi Arabia is a major step forward for tennis in the region and a reflection of our shared commitment with ATP to the growth of the game around the world.
“This announcement underscores Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a major destination for world-class sport and strengthens our ambition to support athletes, fans, and the wider tennis community for years to come.
“We are proud to be leading this effort with our partners, and we are committed to delivering a tournament that leaves a lasting legacy for the sport.”
What previous investments has Saudi Arabia made in tennis?
In February 2024, Saudi chiefs agreed a deal with the ATP Tour that saw PIF become partners at ATP events in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing, as well as the Nitto ATP Finals. PIF also became the official naming partner of the ATP Rankings as part of the partnership.
The Next Gen ATP Finals has been held in a Saudi Arabian city, Jeddah, since 2023, and it will remain there until at least 2027.
The Six Kings Slam, an exhibition event, has been held in Riyadh in October in each of the last two years. The six participants earn a $1.5million participation fee, with the winner securing an additional $4.5million.
Saudi Arabia has also invested heavily in women’s tennis, with the WTA Finals held in Riyadh, the nation’s capital, for the first time in 2024. It will remain the host until at least 2026.
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