ATP and WTA edge closer to commercial merger, Gaudenzi says, as 250 tournaments face further cuts
The ATP and WTA are moving closer to a historic commercial merger, with ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi expressing optimism about finalizing a non-binding agreement at the ATP Finals in Turin. “I am positive and optimistic, even though we are a month-and-a-half away [from the ATP Finals], because I would say there are a couple of … Continued
Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Finals 2025 | © Ch. Caillaud / PsNewz
The ATP and WTA are moving closer to a historic commercial merger, with ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi expressing optimism about finalizing a non-binding agreement at the ATP Finals in Turin. “I am positive and optimistic, even though we are a month-and-a-half away [from the ATP Finals], because I would say there are a couple of outstanding items that if we can sort those out, everything will fall nicely into place,” Gaudenzi told reporters on Thursday.
The new entity, called “Tennis Ventures,” would house the commercial assets of both tours, including broadcast, data, and central sponsorship rights, and could become operational by early 2027.
Gaudenzi emphasized the importance of the merger for the future of tennis. “We are in a good place,” he said. “It’s not a done deal. The last few outstanding items are always the hardest ones, otherwise they wouldn’t be outstanding.” The governance and financial structure of the new entity remain critical points of negotiation, with the final agreement expected to be finalized in 2026.
38 to 29 ATP 250 events
At the same time, the ATP is reducing the number of 250-level tournaments from 38 to 29, with further cuts expected by 2028 as the tour adds a new Masters 1000 event in Saudi Arabia. Gaudenzi explained that the changes are designed to optimize player workload and calendar flow. “We try to balance it for all the cohort of players, including challengers, because the challengers are also very important for the pathway and to build the champions of the future,” he said.
The merger and calendar changes reflect the ATP’s broader strategy to modernize tennis and address longstanding concerns about player fatigue and scheduling complexity. The new Tennis Ventures entity will not affect tournament scheduling, player and tournament relations, or prize money, but will consolidate key commercial assets under one roof.
The ATP and WTA have tapped major consulting firms to analyze the landscape and produce a revenue split figure, with the ATP currently generating significantly more revenue than the WTA. The final split will be determined as part of the merger negotiations.
Seven weeks off ?
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has called for a longer off-season, suggesting that players should have at least seven weeks away from competition each year. “I think it definitely needs to be longer than what we have today,” Gaudenzi said. “Some players would say six, some say seven, some say eight. Surely a player needs one or two weeks off, then one or two weeks when they start building their body, which is athletics, gym, then they pick up the racquet again.”
He stressed that the extended break would allow players to rest, recover, and spend time with family, helping to prevent burnout and injuries.
On the expanded Masters 1000 events, Gaudenzi defended the 12-day format that players deeply challenge, noting that tournaments like Indian Wells and Miami have seen strong financial results and increased prize money.
If you look at the top-line revenue, that I cannot disclose, it’s going really up high
“If you look at the top-line revenue, that I cannot disclose, it’s going really up high,” he said. “We paid out almost $20 million in profit sharing. That was coming from $6 million. That was a 25% on top of the usual prize money, which was already increased.”
Gaudenzi acknowledged that the longer format is particularly challenging for top players, who are required to stay longer and compete more matches, but emphasized that the changes are part of a broader effort to optimize the calendar and provide more value to all players.
