The long-awaited merger of the ATP and WTA tours has hit a wall, stalling a landmark deal that was expected to redefine professional tennis. Despite sharing venues and calendars, men’s and women’s tours remain divided by governance and prize money. Joint tournaments have not bridged deeper structural gaps, and as ambitions collide with authority and revenue disputes, the vision of unity falters, with the ATP and WTA falling short of a landmark merger.

While insiders suggested the two organizations may reach an agreement by the end of the year, talks have stalled, meaning that any merger is still a ways away. Talks will continue into 2026, but growing doubt surrounds whether a deal will be reached anytime soon.

Both tours confirmed the delay in a joint statement to Front Office Sports. “The WTA and ATP have agreed to continue our conversations in the new year regarding a potential joint commercial venture. There are no updates beyond that at this time,” the statement said.

This update marks a clear shift in tone. Just two months ago, ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi sounded far more optimistic. In October, he believed progress was close and expected a preliminary framework to be agreed upon soon.

“Once you sign the short-form, even though, technically, until you sign the long-form [agreement] it is never binding, then you have [2026] to go through the negotiation of the long-form, to the integration, selecting the board, selecting the CEO,” Gaudenzi said at the time.

Revenue sharing has emerged as the biggest obstacle. The financial gap between the two tours is significant. In 2024, the ATP reported $293 million in revenue and a surplus of $52 million. The WTA reported revenues of $142.6 million but posted a loss of $4.9 million.

Because of this imbalance, the ATP has pushed for an uneven revenue split. A source familiar with the whole situation said discussions began with an 80-20 proposal. But critics argue that this approach ignores the fact that tennis’ most popular tournaments are combined events.

Furthermore, structural differences have also slowed progress. The WTA’s commercial operations sit under WTA Ventures. In 2023, the tour sold 20% of that unit to CVC Capital Partners for $150 million, adding another layer of complexity.

In contrast, thej ATP operates very differently. Its commercial rights are spread across multiple entities. Some sit in one unit, broadcast rights for Masters 1000 events in another, media rights elsewhere, and data in a separate division. 

As talks move into next year, WTA leadership has continued to stress the long-term benefits of unity, but major hurdles remain firmly in place.

Portia Archer delivers her verdict on a potential ATP-WTA merger

Alongside ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi’s comments, WTA CEO Portia Archer has also spoken positively about merger progress. She shared her views while appearing on CNBC’s “CNBC Sport” podcast in June this year. She explained that the merger is being approached in phases, rather than as one immediate and sweeping change.

“The commercial assets is the first step,” Archer said. She stressed that business alignment must come before deeper integration. According to her, this foundation would allow both tours to move forward more smoothly.

She also highlighted the importance of preserving differences between the tours. “Then I think the tours can look at what are the differences that we need to keep the same, because the WTA athletes are different from the ATP athletes, what the needs are different,” Archer said.

Top Stories

Alexander Zverev Snaps at Father as Hubert Hurkacz’s Leaves Him Fuming at United Cup: “Guy Can Barely F**** Walk”

Novak Djokovic Makes Concerning Statement Amid Withdrawal From Australian Open Warm-Up

Martina Navratilova Offers Blunt 2-Word Take On America’s Venezuela Oil Sanctions

Venus Williams’ Auckland Swing Ends Early but With an Important Twist

Australian Open Announces Massive Hike in Pay for Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, & Others

Archer made it clear that collaboration is already happening. “But I think once we complete that first step, we can look at sort of that second step. In the meantime, we can still collaborate and coordinate very closely, as we do today,” she added.

She later emphasized that full alignment does not mean uniformity. Archer noted that while “there should be differences where they are necessary,” she is “a fan of aggregation or combining at that level, at the sporting competition level as well.”

With new partnerships, including Mercedes-Benz, momentum is building. 

Still, the question remains not if, but when, the merger will finally take shape.