The ATP Tour is proposing rule changes that it says will “reduce the pressure to overplay and help players manage the demands of the season,” following long injury absences this year by stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz sat out 4 1/2 months and missed two Grand Slams with a right wrist injury between April and August. The top-ranked Sinner has not played since he won Wimbledon in July, and he announced last week that he would sit out the rest of the year due to inflammation in his right knee.
Ranking Points Shift Toward the Biggest Events
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi on Thursday outlined a plan to redistribute ranking points so that players who reach the latter stages of bigger events earn more. The plan would also eliminate a policy that lets players replace three weaker Masters 1000 results each year with better results from 500-level or 250-level events later in the season.
Gaudenzi said that policy creates pressure. “That can create pressure to add tournaments after an early loss to make up the points,” he said. “The proposals would remove this, so results at the biggest events count in full and players can plan their schedules around them rather than chasing points and risking overplaying.”
The proposals arrive as the ATP prepares to introduce a new Masters 1000 event in Saudi Arabia, which would raise the annual number of tournaments at that level to 10.
Larger Player Compensation Package
The plan also boosts player pay. The year-end bonus pool would rise from $21.5 million to $50 million. A separate year-end bonus would go to players finishing in the top 250 of the rankings, providing $25 million in career support.
In addition, the ATP would make an annual player pension contribution of approximately $30 million, which would enhance pension and retirement benefits for 300 players each year.
Doubles Changes Tied to the Plan
Earlier this year, the men’s tour said it wants to reduce prize money and tournament sizes for doubles starting in 2028. Gaudenzi said any money reallocated from doubles would stay dedicated to player compensation. “Any prize money reallocated from doubles would remain dedicated to player compensation and is expected to be reinvested into singles qualifying and early-round prize money, helping more players invest in their careers and compete with the world’s best players,” he said in an open letter published on the ATP website.
Gaudenzi added that the package is designed to “give players a clearer framework for planning their seasons, reward performance at the tour’s biggest events and extend support to more players.”
The proposals remain subject to further consultation and approval.