A call for bids on the tenth Master’s 1000 event is open by the ATP, most likely set for the season’s premier week. Saudi Arabia’s rich coffers now vie with other affluent states. Only two weeks ago, Saudi Arabia’s billion-dollar proposal was revealed, carrying a three-month ultimatum.
This proposition, amounting to a total of $1.3bn on men’s and women’s tours, included this Master’s event along with a multitude of sponsorship rights and the obligation to host a WTA finals in Riyadh. This offer, intriguingly preannounced to the ATP directors by Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Head, was initially shared in Indian Wells, shrouded in a cloud of controversy as Grand Slam representatives were strictly absent during the revelation.
Enter Tennis Australia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The ATP has now extended an olive branch, inviting them to rival the Saudis. Thus, a competitive scenario may unfold with a duo of Emirati bids – Dubai and Abu Dhabi, alongside Doha, Riyadh, and Melbourne’s bids. However, insiders speculate Tennis Australia may decline the opportunity.
In a recent interaction with journalists, the ATP strongly endorsed the inclusion of a tenth Master’s event in their vision to unify the sport- a statement that might raise a few eyebrows among representatives who felt sidelined by Gaudenzi’s Saudi Arabia announcement.
ATP’s statement asserts, “Our commitment to increasing collaboration across the board is unwavering. We envisage a shared governance setup, advocating for fair player representation and a centralised strategy for the sport’s commercial interests. Hence, our future roadmap includes the potential foundation of a tenth ATP Masters 1000.”
It is understood now that Saudi Arabia has withdrawn their initial $1.3bn proposal, yet speculation is rife about their intent to submit a fresh bid as part of the ongoing tender process. With the ATP board planning to deliberate the received proposals during Madrid Masters, a mere five weeks from now, the bidding window may end soon.
Interestingly, the same Madrid tournament might become the battleground for a competition between oil-backed ATP project and the Grand Slams’ proposed “Premium Tour.” The co-existence of these two projects in theory, however, may prove challenging, especially if the new Master’s event occurs in the early season, inevitably clashing with Tennis Australia’s United Cup amongst other issues that might escalate tensions between Gaudenzi and Tennis Australia’s Craig Tiley.
One viable option could be rescheduling the new Masters event to a date in February. However, this could result in substantial compensation for the smaller events presently holding that slot.
