ATP tennis announces reduction in obligatory events

The ATP on Thursday announced a slight compromise with disgruntled players by reducing the number of obligatory tournaments they must play each year in an ever more packed schedule.

Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner and world No 1 Carlos Alacaraz are among the top male players to have complained about the heavy workload, with an increasing number of players succumbing to injury and burn-out.

The ATP said it was reducing the number of ATP 500 events players must take part in each year from five to four, and also cutting back the maximum number of events used to calculate ranking points, from 19 to 18.

The ATP said this was done "to create more scheduling flexibility".

Top 30 ATP players are obliged, unless injured, to compete in the four Grand Slams, the nine Masters 1000 tournaments, the ATP Finals (if they qualify) and four ATP 500 events.

Alcaraz played 80 matches in 2025, winning 71 of them, while Sinner played 79 matches in both 2023 and 2024, when he won 73 of those.

Another compromise announced by the ATP to alleviate the pressure on players is that anyone who pulls out of an ongoing tournament due to the birth or adoption of a child will now keep the ranking points they have gained up until then, meaning they would not have to play in an extra tournament to gain ranking points for the ATP Finals.

While players have complained about packed schedules, some have nonetheless chosen to take part in lucrative exhibition matches when they could be resting.

The ATP also announced an expansion of the use of video review technology to ATP 500 events in 2026 and ATP 250 events in 2027.

"A new Heat Rule is being implemented across ATP events, with clear protocols to suspend or adjust play in extreme conditions," the ATP said in its statement.