ATP builds on record year with 2026 season approaching | ATP tour | Tennis

ATP builds on record year with 2026 season approaching | ATP tour | Tennis

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ATP is building on a record year with the 2026 season approaching

The 2025 season featured significant momentum in player compensation, with a record 88 players earning over $1 million in on-field earnings
January 8, 2026

ATP tour

By press release

LONDON – The ATP enters 2026 after a landmark period of record growth in player compensation, commercial revenue, global reach and fan engagement.

This season will feature 63 tournaments in 29 countries, culminating in the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, as the Tour accelerates its OneVision reforms to take premium events to the next level and strengthen the long-term future of professional men’s tennis.

The 2025 season was marked by significant momentum in player compensation, with a record 88 players earning more than $1 million in on-court earnings, led by world champion Carlos Alcaraz, who took home $21.3 million. Meanwhile, the ATP Masters 1000’s profit-sharing model delivered $18.3 million to 186 players – a 25 percent increase over the Masters 1000’s base prize money – marking a major change in the way success is shared across the Tour.

The bonus pools will grow again in 2026, with $21.5 million available through the ATP Masters 1000 and Nitto ATP Finals Bonus Pool, and $3.07 million in the ATP 500 Bonus Pool. Challenger Tour prize money is expected to reach a record $32.4 million by 2026, an increase of 167 percent since 2022, underscoring ATP’s commitment to players at every level of the journey.

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The continued rollout of 96-player draws during the Masters 1000s and higher standards across all tournament categories have led to major investments in venues in Rome, Cincinnati, Shanghai, Paris and more. By 2025, these upgrades will have contributed to a record 5.55 million fans locally on the ATP Tour, and an expected global broadcast and streaming audience of more than 1 billion through ATP Media.

Commercially, ATP added five new partners and extended six major agreements in 2025, signaling strong confidence in its strategic direction. New brands Polaroid Eyewear, Bitpanda, Stella Artois, Verizon and Purina Pro Plan joined, while long-term partners were renewed including Emirates, Lexus, Rolex and Nitto.

Digital engagement also rose sharply, with 2.9 billion views across social channels, up 30 percent year-on-year, and global ATP views then rose 13.5 percent year-on-year to 13.1 million. Collaborations with creators and platforms such as Overtime, TikTok and Spotify, in addition to ATP’s global marketing campaign ‘It All Adds Up’ and a refreshed brand identity and logo, will further drive fan engagement in 2026.

Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP President, said: “2025 was a landmark year for the ATP. Player compensation, commercial revenue, fan attendance and global viewership are at record highs – a testament to the momentum we’ve built through OneVision. In 2026, our focus is clear: taking our premium events to the next level, delivering lasting value for players and tournaments, and inspiring the next generation of fans worldwide.”

“ATP

2026 in pictures: player welfare, rankings, technology

Building on this progress, the ATP will continue to evolve in 2026, introducing a series of reforms focused on player welfare, rankings, technology and more, including the following initiatives:

  • Rankings and scheduling flexibility
    The rankings breakdown will be reduced from 19 to 18 countable events in 2026, with one fewer ATP 500 commitment to create more scheduling flexibility. Separately, results achieved in the week between the Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals will now count towards next year’s PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, providing a simplified story towards the end of the season.
  • Injury and parental protection
    For the first time, players who miss two consecutive automatic entry events (Masters 1000s or Grand Slams) due to injury can replace these zero points scores (Masters 1000 only) with subsequent results, up to three times per season. Separately, withdrawals related to the birth or adoption of a child will be excused without zero points at Masters 1000 or ATP 500 events.
  • Introducing the heat rule
    A new Heat Rule is being implemented at ATP events, with clear protocols to suspend or adapt play in extreme conditions, reflecting ATP’s commitment to player safety and changing climate realities.
  • ATP Protection Program
    A new Safeguarding Program is being launched across the ATP Tour and Challenger Tour, creating a global, trauma-informed framework to prevent and address abuse and misconduct.
  • ATP 500 Prize Money Formula
    In an important step towards further strengthening cooperation between players and tournaments through transparency and common interests, ATP 500 tournaments will adopt a profit-sharing model in 2026, in line with the principles of the formula already established at the Masters 1000 level.
  • Basic Financial Security Program
    The Baseline program will continue in 2026 after providing more than $2 million in support in 2025 to secure minimum income thresholds for Top 250 players, and to support younger athletes and athletes returning from injury.
  • Expansion of video reviews
    Video judging technology, which has been successfully implemented at ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in 2025, will be available on all courts at ATP 500 events in 2026, while the ATP 250 introduction is planned for 2027. Live Electronic Line Calling will continue to be deployed at all ATP Tour events.
  • Advances in ball centralization
    After major progress in 2025, ball centralization will increase further in 2026, with almost all tournament swings tailored to ball manufacturers to improve playing conditions and reduce variability for players.

Further innovations and reforms will be introduced throughout the season as ATP continues to modernize the Tour through its OneVision strategy.

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