A brand new ATP 1000 tournament has emerged, promising a massive prize fund.

This decision marks the first expansion of the Masters 1000 series in over two decades.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host a new ATP Masters 1000 event starting in 2028, representing the first expansion of the Masters series in more than twenty years. The tournament is scheduled for February and will last one week, immediately following the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year.

This event makes the Gulf nation the 10th destination in the ATP 1000 circuit, joining well-known tournaments such as Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Paris, and Shanghai. It is a new move in Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) large-scale sports investment strategy, which has already invested in global sports like football, golf, boxing, and Formula 1 racing.

"Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a strong commitment to tennis, not only at the professional level but also in developing grassroots sports. PIF’s ambitions are clear, and we believe fans will be impressed by this tournament.", said ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

Previously, Saudi Arabia hosted the WTA Finals and Next Gen ATP Finals, and became a strategic partner for both ATP and WTA.

Adding another Masters 1000 event will make the global tennis calendar even more demanding. World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has expressed concerns: "They are hurting us in a way. Too many tournaments make players prone to injuries and exhaustion."

The new ATP 1000 event is expected to be non-mandatory, similar to Monte Carlo. However, will top players skip it given that it takes place early in the season and in a wealthy country like Saudi Arabia, promising a huge prize money pool?

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