The ATP has responded to reports that it has reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia to stage a 10th Masters 1000 tournament by 2027.
On Thursday, Tennis Magazine Italia published a report following a meeting involving various tennis stakeholders in Madrid, where a joint ATP and WTA 1000 is currently ongoing.
One of the agenda items was the possible inclusion of a 10th Masters 1000 tournament on the men’s calendar, which would be held on Saudi Arabian soil for the first time.
Secondly, the creation of a breakaway tour, referred to as a premium tour, although any backstage discussions remain discreet. In the aforementioned report, Riccardo Bisti wrote that the tennis season would start in Saudi Arabia with the inception of a new Masters tournament in 2027.
Last year, the president of the Italian Tennis Federation, Angelo Binaghi, revealed that in 2025, either a Masters 1000 or a combined 1000-level tournament would be held in Saudi Arabia.
Binaghi’s claims had an element of truth when a reported merger of the ATP and WTA tours was floated around. The Telegraph reported Saudi Arabia’s increased interest in launching a takeover of tennis earlier this year, and a whopping $2 billion offer was put to the table.
The ATP has since issued a statement regarding the current report of Saudi Arabia hosting a 10th Masters tournament, rebuffing it as “inaccurate” and saying that no decision has been reached so far.
“We are aware of reports in the media claiming that a decision has been reached concerning a 10th ATP Masters 1000 tournament. We would like to clarify that these reports are inaccurate. No decisions have been made and any updates will be communicated at the appropriate time.”
It is unclear what has transpired since the takeover reports, considering that Saudi Arabia issued an ultimatum on the deal. Through its Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Gulf Kingdom has begun stamping its authority in tennis.
Recently, the men’s governing body announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, PIF, to become the official sponsor of the ATP rankings. Moreover, PIF would also partner with several top-tier tournaments for courtside branding.
