Saudi Gazette report

PARIS — Saudi Arabia will host a new expanded ATP Masters 1000 tournament starting in 2028, marking the first time the prestigious series has added a new event since its inception, SURJ Sports Investment announced on Thursday.

The new tournament, launched through a partnership between SURJ Sports Investment — a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company — and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), will make Saudi Arabia the tenth Masters 1000 host city, joining Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris.

The announcement builds on the strategic partnership between PIF and the ATP, which includes PIF’s role as the official naming partner of both the PIF ATP Rankings and WTA Rankings, collaboration on major ATP Tour events, and the launch of the new data-driven platform “ATP Tennis IQ Powered by PIF.”

As part of the agreement, the new tournament will also become a shareholder in ATP Media, the Tour’s global broadcast and media arm.

The Saudi ATP Masters 1000 event will emphasize player experience and fan engagement while serving as a catalyst for tennis development at all levels.

A nationwide grassroots program, developed with the Saudi Tennis Federation, will promote inclusivity, accessibility, and talent development — supporting PIF’s ambition to grow sports participation across both men’s and women’s tennis.

Bander Bin Mogren, Chairman of SURJ Sports Investment, said the tournament reflects a shared commitment with ATP to growing the sport globally. “Bringing an ATP Masters 1000 event to Saudi Arabia is a major step forward for tennis in the region,” he said. “This announcement underscores Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a major destination for world-class sport and strengthens our ambition to support athletes, fans, and the wider tennis community for years to come.”

ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said the addition of Saudi Arabia marks a milestone for the Tour. “Saudi Arabia has shown a genuine commitment to tennis – not just at the professional level, but also in growing the game more broadly at all levels,” he said. “Strengthening our premium events is driving record growth and transformation across the Tour, and we’re grateful to our partners at PIF and SURJ for helping deliver that growth.”

Danny Townsend, CEO of SURJ Sports Investment, described the launch as “a defining moment” in Saudi Arabia’s sports evolution. “This tournament is more than an event; it is a statement of ambition, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s role as a global sports hub,” he said.

Sports have become a key strategic pillar for PIF, which invests across multiple disciplines — including football, tennis, golf, motorsports, combat sports, and esports — to drive global growth while enriching domestic participation and economic development.

With Riyadh hosting the WTA Finals since 2024 and Jeddah home to the Next Gen ATP Finals since 2023, the new Masters 1000 tournament will further solidify Saudi Arabia’s growing connection to global tennis and offer fans another opportunity to witness the sport’s biggest stars in action.