PARIS - The ATP unveiled plans to change its ranking system, centre the tour more on its Masters 1000 events and increase bonus payments for players from 2028 on Oct 15.

Players take their best results from 19 regular-season tournaments, as well as the eight-man ATP Finals should they qualify, to form their ranking.

The current system allows players to replace up to three of their results from the eight mandatory 1000-level events with better performances from lower-tier competitions.

But the ATP wants to take away that possibility, ensuring points from all Masters tournaments count towards a player’s ranking regardless of their results.

“Today, players can replace up to three of their weaker results from ATP Masters 1000 events with better results from ATP 500 or ATP 250 events later in the season,” the ATP said in a Q&A posted on its website.

“That can create pressure to add tournaments after an early loss to make up the points.

“The proposals would remove this, so results at the biggest events count in full and players can plan their schedules around them rather than chasing points and risking overplaying.”

Top players have regularly complained of burn-out in recent seasons, with several notable absentees from big events, especially later in the year.

World number one Jannik Sinner has not played since winning Wimbledon in July due to a knee injury, while seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz was also sidelined for large parts of 2026.

“The demands of the season fall hardest on the players who go deepest at the biggest events,” the ATP said.

“Many players, including those in the mid-rankings, find it hard to protect time for recovery when the system rewards them for adding one more tournament.”

The governing body for the men’s tour added it was looking into weighting ranking points more favourably for players who go deep into tournaments.

It is also “reviewing a limit on how many ATP 250 results count towards the rankings of top players”.

Extra bonus prize money

Several players, including Sinner, protested against perceived low prize money at both this year’s French Open and Wimbledon.

The ATP does not organise the Grand Slam tournaments, but it has announced plans for a large increase in bonus payments and pension contributions from the tour.

Players ranked in the world’s top 250 would share a year-end rankings bonus worth a total of US$25 million, while the bonus pool for top-ranked players available at 1000 events is slated to increase from QUS$21.5 million to US$50 million by 2028.

“The proposals would take ATP’s annual central investment in the sport through player compensation and support to more than US$100 million from 2028,” ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said in an open letter.

The ATP also said it would push ahead with its reforms of the doubles game, despite fierce pushback from doubles specialists.

It is planning to cut down the size of doubles draws, reallocating prize money to the early rounds and qualifying of singles tournaments. AFP