ATP sets out its 2028 blueprint: $350 million to players, a rankings overhaul and a calendar built around dedicated weeks

ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has published an open letter setting out the most far-reaching package of changes the men’s tour has proposed since the OneVision strategy was adopted, with a target date of 2028 and a decision point at the year-end meetings in Turin next month.

The letter, published on Thursday, covers player compensation, the ranking system, the shape of the calendar and the future of doubles. None of it is settled. Gaudenzi describes the proposals as subject to further consultation and approval, and says the aim is “bringing a final package forward for consideration at our year-end meetings in Turin.”

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The bonus pool more than doubles, to $50 million

The financial package is the largest single element. The ATP is proposing central investment of more than 100 million dollars a year from 2028, on top of on-site prize money and tournament-level profit-sharing. Counting all three, it estimates total player compensation at 350 million dollars a year from 2028.

Within that, the ATP Bonus Pool, which rewards players who commit to the biggest events, would rise from 21.5 million dollars to 50 million. A further 25 million dollars would go in year-end career support to players finishing inside the Top 250 of the PIF ATP Rankings, aimed at the cost of competing at that level.

And roughly 30 million dollars a year would go into enhanced pension and retirement benefits covering 300 players annually.

Rankings would stop rewarding the chase

The second pillar is a reweighting of the ranking system. The stated intention is to give results at the biggest events more weight across the season, and to reduce the incentive players currently have to add tournaments after a poor result in order to defend or recover points.

“Rewards should follow where fans engage most,” Gaudenzi writes. No point values are given in the letter.

Dedicated weeks by category, and fewer 250s

The calendar proposal would group events by category into dedicated weeks rather than leaving tiers to overlap. The structure under discussion runs to 10 weeks of ATP 250s, eight weeks of ATP 500s and 10 Masters 1000 events, with a reduction in the overall number of 250-level tournaments.

Gaudenzi frames the purpose as making “the season more coherent for players and fans,” and insists the principle behind it is “incentive, not obligation: players choose where and when they compete.” Players would remain free to compete across the full tour.

Saudi Arabia becomes the 10th Masters 1000

The 10th Masters 1000, in Saudi Arabia, is confirmed in the letter as part of the 2028 picture. Gaudenzi refers to it as “the previously announced addition of a 10th ATP Masters 1000 event in Saudi Arabia,” rather than as news, and places it within the broader effort to strengthen the top tier. It would join Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris.

Doubles money would move to singles qualifying

The ATP is also reviewing doubles formats and draw sizes. The letter is explicit about where any savings would go: “Any prize money reallocated from doubles would remain dedicated to player compensation,” specifically to singles qualifying and early-round prize money. No draw sizes, formats or figures are given.

The timing places all of this in front of the ATP’s board and player council in Turin in November, during the Nitto ATP Finals. It also arrives in an autumn in which the calendar has been the sport’s loudest argument, with the PTPA’s antitrust case against the ATP, the WTA and the Grand Slams having survived every motion to dismiss on September 30 and now heading into discovery, and with a succession of leading players withdrawing from or questioning the density of the schedule.