Association of Tennis Professionals#Organizational structure

{{see also|Grand Prix tennis circuit|World Championship Tennis}}

Launched in 1972 by Jack Kramer, Donald Dell, and Cliff Drysdale, it was first managed by Jack Kramer, as executive director, and Cliff Drysdale, as president. Jim McManus was a founding member.{{cite web |url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/Corporate/History.aspx |title=How it all began |work=ATP World Tour |publisher=ATP |access-date=2013-04-11 |archive-date=2016-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529121707/http://www.atpworldtour.com/Corporate/History.aspx |url-status=live }} Kramer created the professional players' rankings system, which started the following year and is still in use. From 1974 to 1989, the men's circuit was administered by a sub-committee called the Men's International Professional Tennis Council (MIPTC). It was made up of representatives of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the ATP, and tournament directors from around the world. The ATP successfully requested that the MIPTC introduce a drug testing rule, making tennis the first professional sport to institute a drug-testing program.

In May 1973 Nikola Pilić, Yugoslavia's number one tennis player, was suspended by his national lawn tennis association, who claimed he had refused to play in a Davis Cup tie for his country earlier that month.{{cite web|title=Davis Cup Results|url=http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie/details.aspx?tieId=10005155|publisher=ITF|access-date=23 July 2012|archive-date=22 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722122909/http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie/details.aspx?tieId=10005155|url-status=live}} The initial suspension of nine months, supported by the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF), was later reduced by the ILTF to one month which meant that Pilic would not be allowed to play at Wimbledon.

In response, the ATP threatened a boycott, stating that if Pilić was not allowed to compete, none should. After last-ditch attempts at a compromise failed, the ATP voted in favor of a boycott and as a result, 81 of the top players, including reigning champion Stan Smith and 13 of the 16 men's seeds, did not compete at the 1973 Wimbledon Championships.{{cite web|title=Wimbledon faces 2004 boycott|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/wimbledon_2003/3011882.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=23 July 2012|date=23 June 2004|archive-date=27 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427004958/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/wimbledon_2003/3011882.stm|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=The History of the Championships|url=http://aeltc2011.wimbledon.com/125th-championships/history/index.html|publisher=AELTC|access-date=20 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627155450/http://aeltc2011.wimbledon.com/125th-championships/history/index.html|archive-date=27 June 2011|url-status=dead}} Three ATP players, Ilie Năstase, Roger Taylor and Ray Keldie, defied the boycott and were fined by the ATP's disciplinary committee.{{cite book|title=World of Tennis '74|year=1974|publisher=Queen Anne|location=London|isbn=978-0362001686|pages=15–17, 45–47|editor=John Barrett}}

But the tour was still run by the tournament directors and the ITF. The limited player representation and influence within the Men's International Professional Tennis Council (MIPTC) as well as dissatisfaction with the way the sport was managed and marketed culminated in a player mutiny in 1988 led by active tennis pros, including then world number one ranked Mats Wilander which changed the entire structure of the tour.{{cite news|author1=Christine Brennan|title=Men's tennis in limbo|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1988/12/09/mens-tennis-in-limbo/0ec3b0be-7d2a-4494-8999-a20636ee3939|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=December 9, 1988|access-date=March 4, 2018|archive-date=March 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305204142/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1988/12/09/mens-tennis-in-limbo/0ec3b0be-7d2a-4494-8999-a20636ee3939/|url-status=live}}

CEO Hamilton Jordan is credited with the "Parking Lot Press Conference" on 26 August 1988 during which the ATP announced their withdrawal from the MIPTC (then called the MTC) and the creation of their ATP Tour from 1990 onwards.{{cite web|title=The Tour Born in a Parking Lot – Part I|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/news/heritage-1988-parking-lot-press-conference-part-i|publisher=ATP|author=James Buddell|date=August 14, 2013|access-date=October 1, 2019|archive-date=October 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001232235/https://www.atptour.com/en/news/heritage-1988-parking-lot-press-conference-part-i|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-may-27-sp-dwyre27-story.html |title=Jordan used political skills to help tennis |newspaper=LA Times |date=2008-05-27 |access-date=2018-02-07 |first=Bill |last=Dwyre |archive-date=2012-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016121832/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/27/sports/sp-dwyre27 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://www.inside-tennis.net/tennis-stories_10_The-Formation-of-the-Womans-Tennis-Association.html |title=The Formation of the Woman's Tennis Association |publisher=Inside Tennis |author=Frank Riley |date=2004-03-22 |access-date=2009-06-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20111003004340/http://www.inside-tennis.net/tennis-stories_10_The-Formation-of-the-Womans-Tennis-Association.html |archive-date=October 3, 2011 }} This re-organisation also ended a lawsuit with Volvo and Donald Dell.{{cite web |url=http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/839/839.F2d.69.87-7784.87-7778.87-7776.html |title=Volvo v. MIPTC v. Volvo, Dell 1988 |year=1988 |access-date=2009-06-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515221855/http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/839/839.F2d.69.87-7784.87-7778.87-7776.html |archive-date=2010-05-15 }} On 19 January 1989 the ATP published the calendar for the inaugural 1990 season.{{cite web|title=The Tour Born in a Parking Lot – Part II|url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/08/35/Heritage-1988-Parking-Lot-Press-Conference-Part-II.aspx|publisher=ATP|author=James Buddell|date=August 14, 2013|access-date=November 16, 2013|archive-date=April 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421090313/http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/08/35/Heritage-1988-Parking-Lot-Press-Conference-Part-II.aspx|url-status=live}}

By 1991, the men had their first television package to broadcast 19 tournaments. Coming online with their first website in 1995, this was followed by a multi-year agreement with Mercedes-Benz. Lawsuits in 2008, around virtually the same issues, resulted in a restructured tour.{{cite web|url=http://www.tennis.com/features/general/features.aspx?id=140358 |title=Court in Session: Hamburg, ATP go to trial |date=2008-07-23 |publisher=Tennis.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026230346/http://www.tennis.com/features/general/features.aspx?id=140358 |archive-date=2009-10-26 }}

In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) moved the 2022 St. Petersburg Open from Saint Petersburg to Kazakhstan.{{cite web |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1119717/atp-relocates-st-petersburg-open |title=ATP relocates St Petersburg Open to Nur-Sultan |last=Sankar |first=Vimal |date=24 February 2022 |website=Inside The Games |access-date=25 February 2022 |archive-date=26 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226104812/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1119717/atp-relocates-st-petersburg-open |url-status=live }} In May 2022, the ATP stripped the Wimbledon tournament of its world ranking points over the tournament's decision to decline entries from Russian and Belarusian players. The UK Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, commented that the ATP's decision would send the "completely wrong message to both Putin and the people of Ukraine".{{cite news |last1=Jurejko |first1=Jonathan |title=Wimbledon: ATP & WTA strip ranking points from Grand Slam over ban for Russians and Belarusians |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/61401519 |access-date=23 May 2022 |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706220622/https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/61401519 |url-status=live }}

The ATP Tour comprises ATP Masters 1000, ATP 500, and ATP 250. The ATP also oversees the ATP Challenger Tour, a level below the ATP Tour, and the ATP Champions Tour for seniors. Grand Slam tournaments, a small portion of the Olympic tennis tournament, the Davis Cup, the Hopman Cup and the introductory level Futures tournaments do not fall under the auspices of the ATP, but are overseen by the ITF instead and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the Olympics. In these events, however, ATP ranking points are still awarded, with the exception of the Olympics and Hopman Cup. The four-week ITF Satellite tournaments were discontinued in 2007.

Players and doubles teams with the most ranking points (collected during the calendar year) play in the season-ending ATP Finals, which, from 2000 to 2008, was run jointly with the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The details of the professional tennis tour are:

File:ATP Tennis Finals at The O2.jpg

In 2009, ATP introduced a new tour structure called ATP World Tour consisting of ATP World Tour Masters 1000, ATP World Tour 500, and ATP World Tour 250 tier tournaments.{{cite web|title=ATP Unveils New Top Tier Of Events for 2009 |url=http://www.tenniswire.org/archives/2007/aug/pr_923.html |publisher=Tenniswire.com |access-date=5 September 2012 |date=31 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522052803/http://tenniswire.org/archives/2007/aug/pr_923.html |archive-date=22 May 2011 }}{{cite web|title=ATP Unveils 2009, 2010 & 2011 Tour Calendars|url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2008/08/calendars.aspx|publisher=ATP|access-date=5 September 2012|date=30 August 2008|archive-date=15 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215205300/http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2008/08/calendars.aspx|url-status=live}} Broadly speaking, the Tennis Masters Series tournaments became the new Masters 1000 level and ATP International Series Gold and ATP International Series events became ATP 500 level and 250 level events respectively.

The Masters 1000 tournaments are Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris. The end-of-year event, the ATP Finals, moved from Shanghai to London. Hamburg has been displaced by the new clay court event at Madrid, which is a new combined men's and women's tournament. In 2011, Rome and Cincinnati also became combined tournaments. Severe sanctions are placed on top players skipping the Masters 1000 series events, unless medical proof is presented.

Plans to eliminate Monte Carlo and Hamburg as Masters Series events led to controversy and protests from players as well as organisers. Hamburg and Monte Carlo filed lawsuits against the ATP,{{cite web|title=ATP Violates Antitrust Laws, Lawsuit Alleges |url=http://montecarlo.masters-series.com/3/en/news/2007/lawsuit.asp |date=9 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430214946/http://montecarlo.masters-series.com/3/en/news/2007/lawsuit.asp |archive-date=April 30, 2008 }} and as a concession it was decided that Monte Carlo would remain a Masters 1000 level event, with more prize money and 1000 ranking points, but it would no longer be a compulsory tournament for top-ranked players. Monte Carlo later dropped its suit. Hamburg was "reserved" to become a 500 level event in the summer.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3048762|title=Hamburg listed among second-tier events for 2009 season|date=4 October 2007|access-date=18 August 2008|archive-date=7 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107103321/http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3048762|url-status=live}} Hamburg did not accept this concession, but later lost its suit.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7515523.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=ATP wins crucial anti-trust case | date=2008-08-06 | access-date=2010-04-25 | archive-date=2009-01-26 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126183317/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7515523.stm | url-status=live }}

The 500 level tournaments are Rotterdam, Dubai, Rio, Acapulco, Barcelona, Aegon Championships (Queens Club, London), Halle (Gerry Weber Open), Hamburg, Washington, Beijing, Tokyo, Basel and Vienna.

The ATP & ITF have declared that Davis Cup World Group and World Group Playoffs award a total of up to 500 points. Players accumulate points over the four rounds and the playoffs and these are counted as one of a player's four best results from the 500 level events. An additional 125 points are given to a player who wins all 8 live rubbers and wins the Davis Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/2008news/davis_atppoints.asp |title=ATPtennis.com – ITF and ATP Announce Dates and Ranking Points for Davis Cup by BNP Paribas |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122030421/http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/2008news/davis_atppoints.asp |archive-date=2008-11-22 }}

{{Main|ATP rankings}}

ATP publishes weekly rankings of professional players: ATP rankings (commonly known as the ‘world rankings’), a 52-week rolling ranking, and the ATP Race to Turin, a year to date ranking.{{cite web|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/rankings-faq|title=Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=ATP Tour|access-date=2020-02-19|archive-date=2022-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116160048/https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/rankings-faq|url-status=live}} All ATP players also have a Universal Tennis Rating, based on head-to-head results.

The ATP rankings is used for determining qualification for entry and seeding in all tournaments for both singles and doubles. Within the ATP rankings period which is the past year, points are accumulated with the exception of those for the ATP Finals, whose points are dropped following the last ATP event of the year. The player with the most points by the season's end is the world No. 1 of the year.

The ATP rankings Race to Turin is a calendar-year indicator of what the PIF ATP Rankings will be on the Monday after the end of the regular season. Players finishing in the top eight of the Emirates ATP Rankings following the Paris Masters will qualify for the ATP Finals.

At the beginning of the 2009 season, all accumulated ranking points were doubled to bring them in line with the new tournament ranking system.

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As of January 1, 2020, Andrea Gaudenzi is the chairman of ATP{{cite web|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/news/andrea-gaudenzi-appointed-atp-chairman|title=ATP Appoints Andrea Gaudenzi As ATP Chairman|website=ATP Tour|publisher=ATP|access-date=12 January 2020|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215015840/https://www.atptour.com/en/news/andrea-gaudenzi-appointed-atp-chairman|url-status=live}} and Massimo Calvelli is the chief executive officer.{{cite web|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/news/massimo-calvelli-appointed-atp-chief-executive-officer|title=ATP Appoints Massimo Calvelli As ATP Chief Executive Officer|website=ATP Tour|publisher=ATP|access-date=12 January 2020|archive-date=29 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229074956/https://www.atptour.com/en/news/massimo-calvelli-appointed-atp-chief-executive-officer|url-status=live}} Mark Young is the vice chairman, David Massey is the executive vice president for the European region and Alison Lee for the International group.ATPTour.com. [https://www.atptour.com/en/corporate/management "Management"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213132649/https://www.atptour.com/en/corporate/management |date=2021-02-13 }}

The ATP Board of Directors includes the chairman, along with three tournament representatives and three player representatives. The player representatives are elected by the ATP Player Council.{{cite web|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/corporate/board-of-directors|publisher=ATP Tour|title=Organizational structure|work=ATP Tour |access-date=13 December 2018|archive-date=11 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211030005/https://www.atptour.com/en/corporate/board-of-directors|url-status=live}} The current board members are:

• Chairman: Andrea Gaudenzi
• Player representatives
• Pablo Andújar
• Nick Basing
• Mark Knowles
• Eno Polo
• Tournament representatives
• Gavin Forbes
• Christer Hult
• Chris Kermode
• Herwig Straka

The twelve-member ATP Player Advisory Council delivers advisory decisions to the Board of Directors, which has the power to accept or reject the council's suggestions. As of 2024, the Council consists of a President (Matthew Ebden), a Vice President (Andrey Rublev), three players who are ranked within the top 50 in singles (Grigor Dimitrov, Alexander Zverev and Mackenzie McDonald), two players who are ranked between 51 and 100 in singles (Pedro Martínez and Dušan Lajović), two top 100 players in doubles (Wesley Koolhof and Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela), one at-large member (Pedro Cachin), one alumni member (Nicolás Pereira), and one coach (Federico Ricci).{{Cite news|url= https://www.atptour.com/en/corporate/about |title=ATP Tour Structure|accessdate=21 July 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Houston |first=Michael |date=30 January 2023 |title=Rublev and Dimitrov added to 2023 ATP Player Advisory Council |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1133126/atp-player-advisory-council-rublev |access-date=25 March 2023 |website=Inside the Games |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326000507/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1133126/atp-player-advisory-council-rublev |url-status=live }}

The ATP Tournament Advisory Council consists of a total of nine members, of which there are three representatives each from the Europe, Americas and the International Group of tournaments.

{{Portal|Tennis}}

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{{reflist}}

{{Commons}}

• {{Official website|https://www.atptour.com/}}
• [https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles ATP rankings]
• [https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments ATP tournament calendar]
• [https://www.atptour.com/en/corporate/rulebook ATP official rulebook]

{{ATP seasons}}

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{{Men's tennis seasons}}

{{ATP World Tour Masters 1000}}

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Category:Organisations based in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

Category:Sports organizations established in 1972

Category:Tennis governing bodies

Category:History of tennis

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Category:Men's tennis

Category:International organisations based in London