ATP Increases Prize Money in Masters 1000 Tournaments
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) announced a significant increase in prize money for players, based on their performances in the nine Masters 1000 tournaments last year. This measure, implemented under a benefit-sharing plan initiated in 2022, involves an additional sum of $18.3 million.This increase represents a considerable increment compared to the $6.6 million distributed in profit-sharing bonuses at the 2023 Masters events. The ATP announced that, by including this amount, the total compensation for ATP players in 2024 reaches a record figure of $261 million.
The expansion of the Masters tournaments, which now include combined events for men and women, larger draws, and more extensive schedules, has generated some criticism from some players, who believe that the duration of these events is excessive. This announcement comes in a context of growing demands from some athletes, who are requesting higher financial compensation and greater influence in sports decisions. The Professional Tennis Players’ Association, co-founded by Novak Djokovic, filed a class-action antitrust lawsuit in March against the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation, and International Tennis Integrity Agency, accusing them of forming a “cartel”.
