Back in 2023, the ATP announced that three tournaments in Doha, Dallas, and Munich would be upgraded from ATP 250 to ATP 500 status starting in 2025. It sounded like an exciting step for the tour, but one region seemed left behind: South America. Even though the Rio Open remains the only ATP 500 tournament on the continent, Mariano Navone isn’t too happy with the ATP’s recent choices.

During a chat on DSports Radio, the World No.72 shared his frustration about the current schedule. “Everything is weird, it’s difficult,” he said. “The ATP’s ideas are somewhat controversial at times. I feel like they’re boycotting it. It’s the tour where the most tickets are sold. It makes me sad because we’re a country with an incredible tennis tradition. They’re putting sticks in the wheels. They’re tournaments that sell a ton. I don’t understand this perspective.”

Right now, South America hosts a small yet vital cluster of ATP events, all played on clay and packed into the early part of the season during the “Golden Swing.” The main tournaments are the ATP 500 Rio Open in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and two ATP 250s: the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires and the BCI Seguros Chile Open in Santiago.

Navone views the ATP’s choices, from potential surface changes to hard courts to reduced support amid new big-money events like the Saudi Arabia Masters, as a series of “sticks in the wheels.” To him, it feels like a boycott in disguise. The irony cuts deep; these clay stops draw huge, passionate crowds, yet they’re slipping down the tour’s priority list. But why is that a concern?

The ATP calendar is already packed. Grand Slam events take up eight of the 52 weeks. Expanding multiple Masters 1000 tournaments from 56 to 96 players has extended those events to almost two weeks. Add the ATP Finals at the end of the year, and there’s little room left for new events like the Saudi Masters.

And Mariano Navone isn’t alone. Back in 2023, when the ATP announced the upgrades for Doha, Dallas, and Munich, former Argentine pro Diego Schwartzman voiced his frustration on X. “Terrible decision from ATP… To continue promoting countries and swings that already have all kinds of tournaments and facilities. And not so to choose a tour and region of the world that has so much history in tennis and that only has four tournaments in the year. Buenos Aires made a great effort.”

For now, fans can only wait and see what the ATP has planned for the South American tour. As for the new tournaments emerging in the UAE, insiders have offered their own take on why this move was made.

Sports Investment CEO defends Saudi Arabia Masters 1000

Following the announcement of the new Masters 1000s event set to join the tour in 2028, it wasn’t exactly well-received. Players have been noting the hectic tour with back-to-back matches as a strain already and weren’t pleased with the addition of another tournamnet. However, for Surj Sports Investment CEO Danny Townsend, the move signals far more than just another tournament slot. On November 25, speaking to The National, Townsend unpacked the thinking behind Saudi Arabia’s newest tennis venture and why it’s shaping up to be a smart play for the long haul.

“When you’re investing in sports IP [intellectual property], you want to invest in assets that have had a history of growth,” Townsend said. “When you look at the Masters 1000 licenses over time, they’ve continued to grow in enterprise value. So first and foremost, as an investment, the return profile was clear that if we could secure one, it would be a good investment.”

The global sports scene is racing ahead, and tennis is sprinting right with it. Every major tour is chasing new markets and fresh audiences. Over the last few years, the sport’s ambitions have gone global like never before. Saudi Arabia has now stepped squarely into that spotlight, aiming to turn its new Masters 1000 into one of the game’s biggest crossover moments.

If the project takes off, it could open tennis to fans far beyond its comfort zones in Europe and North America. For the Kingdom, it’s a chance to redefine where major tournaments can thrive. For players and stakeholders, it’s an unmistakable sign of where the future of the ATP Tour might be heading.

Still, Saudi Arabia joins a part of the world already alive with tennis. The Qatar Open and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships have carved out strong reputations, bringing in top players and huge crowds year after year.

That’s why some wonder what this means for other regions. As Mariano Navone mentioned, will the ATP still fight to keep South America on the tennis map? What’s your take on this? Share it in the comments below!