Association of Tennis Professionals facts for kids
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| Sport | Professional tennis |
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| Abbreviation | ATP |
| Founded | September 1972 |
| Location | United Kingdom (HQ) Monaco United States Australia |
| Chairman | Andrea Gaudenzi |
| CEO | Massimo Calvelli |
| Official website | |
| Current season: 2025 ATP Tour 2025 ATP Challenger Tour |
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The Association of Tennis Professionals, or ATP, is the main organization for men's professional tennis. It runs the two biggest circuits for male tennis players: the ATP Tour and the ATP Challenger Tour. The ATP was created in September 1972 by players Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale. Their goal was to look out for the interests of professional male tennis players.
Since 1990, the ATP has organized the worldwide men's tennis tour. The tour is now named after the organization. The ATP has its main headquarters in London, with other offices in Monaco, the United States, and Australia.
Contents
How the ATP Started
The ATP was founded in 1972 to give players a voice in the sport. Jack Kramer was the first executive director, and Cliff Drysdale was the first president. Kramer also created the professional players' ranking system in 1973, which is still used today to see who the best players are.
For many years, the men's tour was run by a group that included tournament directors and the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The players felt they didn't have enough say in how things were run. This led to a major change in 1988.
The 1973 Wimbledon Boycott
In 1973, a top player from Yugoslavia named Nikola Pilić was suspended by his country's tennis association. This meant he was not allowed to play at the famous Wimbledon tournament.
The ATP believed this was unfair. They threatened that if Pilić couldn't play, no one would. As a result, 81 of the world's best players, including the champion Stan Smith, boycotted Wimbledon to support Pilić. This event showed how powerful the players could be when they worked together.
Creating the ATP Tour
By 1988, players were still unhappy with how the sport was managed. Led by the world's number one player at the time, Mats Wilander, the players decided to break away and form their own tour.
On August 26, 1988, the ATP announced it would create its own tour starting in 1990. This new tour, called the ATP Tour, gave players more control over their sport, from the schedule to the prize money.
ATP Tournaments
The ATP Tour is made up of different levels of tournaments. The main ones are the ATP Tour Masters 1000, ATP Tour 500, and ATP Tour 250 events. The names come from the number of ranking points the winner receives.
The ATP also manages the ATP Challenger Tour, which is for players trying to break into the top level. However, the four biggest tournaments, called the Grand Slams, and the Olympics are run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), not the ATP. But players still earn ATP ranking points at the Grand Slams.
Here is a look at the different types of tournaments:
| Event | Number | Total prize money (USD) | Winner's ranking points | Governing body |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam | 4 | See individual articles | 2,000 | ITF |
| ATP Finals | 1 | 4,450,000 | 1,100–1,500 | ATP (2009–present) |
| ATP Tour Masters 1000 | 9 | 2,450,000 to 3,645,000 | 1000 | ATP |
| ATP Tour 500 | 13 | 755,000 to 2,100,000 | 500 | ATP |
| ATP Tour 250 | 40 | 416,000 to 1,024,000 | 250 | ATP |
| ATP Challenger Tour | 178 | 35,000 to 168,000 | 80 to 125 | ATP |
| ITF Men's Circuit | 534 | 15,000 and 25,000 | 10 to 20 | ITF |
| Olympics | 1 | See individual articles | 0 | IOC |
The ATP Finals
At the end of each year, the top eight singles players and doubles teams compete in the ATP Finals. This special event is the grand finale of the tennis season. To qualify, players must earn the most ranking points throughout the year.
Recent Events
In 2022, the ATP responded to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. It moved a tournament from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Kazakhstan. The ATP also decided not to award ranking points for the Wimbledon tournament that year. This was because Wimbledon had chosen not to allow players from Russia and Belarus to compete.
How ATP Rankings Work
The ATP publishes weekly rankings to show who the best players in the world are. These are called the ATP rankings.
The rankings are based on a player's performance over the last 52 weeks. Players earn points by winning matches at tournaments. The more important the tournament, the more points a player can win. The player with the most points at the end of the year is called the world No. 1.
These rankings are very important. They decide which players get into tournaments and where they are "seeded." Seeding helps to make sure the top players don't have to play each other in the early rounds.
Current Rankings
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Current tennis rankings |
Current tennis rankings |
How the ATP is Organized
The ATP is led by a chairman and a chief executive officer (CEO). As of 2020, the chairman is Andrea Gaudenzi and the CEO is Massimo Calvelli.
The organization is run by a Board of Directors. This board includes representatives for both the tournaments and the players. This structure ensures that both sides have a say in the decisions that affect men's professional tennis. There is also an ATP Player Advisory Council, where players can give their opinions and suggestions to the board.
See also
In Spanish: Asociación de Tenistas Profesionales para niños
- International Tennis Federation
- ATP Challenger Tour
- ATP rankings
- List of ATP number 1 ranked singles tennis players
- List of ATP number 1 ranked doubles tennis players
- ATP Awards
- ATP Tour records
- Grand Prix Tennis Circuit
- World Championship Tennis
- ATP Champions Tour
- Grand Slam (tennis)
- Women's Tennis Association
- Tennis Integrity Unit
- International Tennis Integrity Agency
