The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) is the sanctioning body for men’s professional tennis. The ATP Tour is named after this organization. It is known for major tournaments and includes four Grand Slam events. The ATP Tour was founded in 1990 and the season runs from December to December. Roger Federer has won the most titles with 103 wins to his name.
The founding of the ATP Tour
Before the ATP Tour, tennis tournaments existed in various groups and forms. Since 1990 when the ATP Tour was founded more than 30 years have gone by. It is still the world’s premier tennis circuit today.
Many tournaments make up the ATP Tour and it spans 31 different countries. The 68 tournaments are divided into different categories. The ATP 250, ATP 500, ATP 1000, and the ATP Cup are all part of the ATP Tour. It culminates with the ATP Finals at the end of the year. Depending on the tournament level, winners and top finishers get a certain number of points. The points contribute towards ATP ranking and help players to qualify for the ATP Finals.
In the U.S., legal sports betting became very popular in 2018 after the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Tennis fans in the U.S. can bet now at sportsbooks that offer bets on major tennis tournaments.
Major ATP tournaments
Some of the major tournaments include the Grand Slam events like the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. The Australian Open takes place in January. The French Open is in May at Roland Garros. Wimbledon takes place in July and is followed by the U.S. Open in August. In November, the ATP Finals take place.
The men’s tennis schedule for October 2023 included the Rolex Shanghai Masters in China, the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, Japan, and the BNP Paribas-Nordic Open in Stockholm, Sweden.
ATP Tiers
The ATP 250 is the lowest tier of men’s tournaments. It consists of about 40 tournaments and the winners get 250 points. The ATP 500 is the fourth-highest tier of men’s tournaments and winners get 500 points. The ATP 1000 is the third highest tier behind the Grand Slams and finals, and winners get 1000 points.
ATP Rankings
The ranking system started by the ATP in 1973 is still in operation today. It provides an objective way to determine tournament entries. Grand Slam events are not official ATP events but players do earn ranking points.
ATP men’s singles ranking points used to be on offer at the Olympics but this was stopped in 2016 at the Rio Olympics. However, ATP rankings still play a role in qualification for the Olympics. Tennis tournaments at the 2024 Olympics in Paris are scheduled to take place in late July or early August at Roland Garros. It starts only two weeks after Wimbledon so players will have to quickly make the switch from grass to clay courts.
ATP Finals
The ATP Finals are held at the end of the year with the top eight singles players and doubles teams competing for the final title of the season. The event is held in Turin, Italy and one player earns the prestigious number one ranking in the world.