Is tennis as we know it, with its Grand Slam tournaments, its Masters 1000, ATP 500, etc., disappearing?
While the best players on the circuit compete this week in Indian Wells (United States), the main leaders of the little yellow ball are competing behind the scenes to impose their vision and revolutionize the calendar.
On the one hand, the ATP received a disproportionate proposal from Saudi Arabia, while the Grand Slams imagine themselves creating their own closed circuit.
Explanations.
What is Saudi Arabia's proposal?
Earlier this year, the Saudi investment fund PIF had already announced a “multi-year strategic partnership” agreement, notably to become the “official partner of the ATP Rankings”, which will now officially be called the PIF ATP Rankings.
ATP and Public Investment Fund (@PIF_en) today unveiled a new multi-year strategic partnership, marking a significant shared commitment to enhancing global tennis for players, fans, tournament organizers and stakeholders at all levels of the sport.
Read more ⤵️
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 28, 2024
But now the Gulf country wants to go much further.
According to The Telegraph, Saudi Arabia presented a package of 2 billion euros of investments to the leaders of the ATP.
A sum to take or leave within 3 months.
Behind this offer hide several things.
First the creation of a common circuit between the ATP and the WTA, then the organization in Saudi Arabia of a Masters 1000 to open the men's season, and the women's Masters to close it.
A project imagined with the boss of the ATP men's circuit Andrea Gaudenzi.
How did the Grand Slams react?
Very bad.
And that's an understatement.
Starting with Craig Tiley, the boss of the Australian Tennis Federation and the Australian Open.
The one who now leads the revolt against Andrea Gaudenzi and Saudi Arabia, especially does not want an event in January which would compete with a part of the year normally 100% dedicated to his country (United Cup, Brisbane and the OA normally open the season).
And as Tiley has been thinking about it for several months, the idea of a new separate circuit with the four Grand Slam tricks has resurfaced.
Concretely, Craig Tiley imagines creating a “First Tour” composed only of the Majors, 10 other major tournaments (like the Masters 1000 but without Monte-Carlo or Paris according to rumors), and a team competition .
The operation of Roland-Garros, in particular the choice of participants, could change in the event of a closed Super League.
LP/Olivier Arandel
All this over just twenty short weeks in the year to satisfy players who complain about an overloaded schedule.
But this circuit is intended to be closed, therefore not accessible for everyone.
Only Top 100 players would have access to these tournaments.
Then, the players ranked from 100th to 300th place will have their own circuit, the “Contender Tour” where they will try to earn their place for the “Premier” throughout the year.
What are the direct consequences on the circuit?
For the first Saudi proposal, we would not be talking about a revolution but rather a big change in the calendar.
Players would therefore be present at all tournaments at the same time, and two big tournaments would be organized in Saudi Arabia.
A novelty.
But the future of Roland-Garros and the 3 other Grand Slam tournaments is not yet very clear in the Saudi offer.
On the other hand, for the “First Tour”, we would witness a real earthquake, with a brand new parallel circuit.
The Grand Slams will therefore do as they please in the way they operate and choose the participants.
We could also see the big players playing a very small number of tournaments each year.
The less good would be forced into an up/down system like in team sports.
Read alsoTennis: between apologies and promises, Gilles Moretton tries to extinguish the “social chaos” in the federation
One thing is certain, in both proposals, the women's circuit remains the big winner with in both cases an increase in prize money and total equality with their male counterparts.
This new war for the direction of world tennis still strangely resembles that waged in golf between the PGA Tour and the brand new Saudi circuit of the LIV.
This conflict has so far resulted in the defection of some of the golf stars to Saudi Arabia to earn large sums while playing less.
A revolution which has especially weakened the little white ball with big names absent from each tournament.
The tennis world may be heading in the same direction.