The bonus pool more than doubles to $50 million
The finance package is the largest single element. The ATP is offering a central investment of more than $100 million annually from 2028, in addition to on-site prize money and tournament-level profit sharing. Taking all three into account, it puts the total player compensation at $350 million per year starting in 2028.
As part of that, the ATP’s bonus pool, which rewards players who commit to the biggest events, will rise from $21.5 million to $50 million. Another $25 million will be awarded in end-of-career support to players who finish in the Top 250 of the PIF ATP Rankings, with the goal of costing them to compete at that level.
And approximately $30 million annually will be provided for enhanced pension and retirement benefits for 300 players annually.
The leaderboard will stop rewarding chasing
The second pillar is the rebalancing of the rating system. The stated intention is to give major events more weight to results throughout the season, and reduce the incentive that players currently have to add tournaments after a bad run to defend or regain points.
“Awards should follow where fans are most engaged,” Gaudenzi writes. The letter does not specify unit values.
Dedicated weeks by category, and less than 250
The calendar suggestion will group events into categories with dedicated weeks, rather than leaving the levels overlapping. The structure in question includes 10 weeks of ATP 250s, eight weeks of ATP 500s and 10 Masters 1000 events, reducing the total number of 250-level tournaments.
Gaudenzi defines the goal as “making the season more consistent for players and fans” and insists the principle behind it is “encouragement, not obligation; players choose where and when to compete.” Players will remain free to compete throughout the tour.
Saudi Arabia becomes the 10th Masters 1000
The 10th Masters 1000, in Saudi Arabia, has been confirmed to the letter as part of the 2028 draw. Gaudenz refers to it as a “pre-announced addition to the 10th ATP Masters 1000 event in Saudi Arabia” rather than news, and places it within a wider effort to strengthen the top tier. It will join Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris.
Double money will carry over to the singles qualifiers
The ATP is also reviewing doubles formats and draw sizes. The letter clearly states where any savings can go. “Any monies redistributed from doubles will remain in player compensation,” specifically singles qualifying and early-round prize money. No draw sizes, formats or numbers are given.
The timing puts it all before the ATP Council and Players Council in Turin in November at the Nitto ATP Finals. It also comes in the fall when the calendar was the sport’s loudest argument, when the PTPA’s antitrust case against the ATP, WTA and Grand Slams survived every motion to dismiss on Sept. 30 and is now headed for discovery, with a number of top players pulling out or questioning the schedule’s density.
