Jimmy Connors recently shared his thoughts on the ATP’s decision to launch a new Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia, which is scheduled to begin in 2028. This tournament is expected to run for one week, likely in February, featuring a draw of 56 players.
The ATP has partnered with a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company called SURJ Sports Investment to establish the Masters 1000. Notably, Saudi Arabia has hosted other tennis tournaments, including the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah since 2023 and the WTA Finals in Riyadh since 2024. However, Connors isn’t entirely on board with the plan.
What Did Jimmy Connors Say About the New Masters 1000 Tournament To Be Launched in Saudi Arabia?
Starting in 2028, Saudi Arabia will become the host of the 10th ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year, joining the existing nine tournaments: Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Open, Italian Open, Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open, Shanghai Masters, and Paris Masters. It is important to note that participation in this tournament will be non-mandatory for players.
During a recent episode of the “Advantage Connors,” podcast, Connors expressed his concerns about the impact of introducing a new Masters 1000 tournament on players. He remarked that tennis nowadays is heavily focused on young players, their performances, and some of the names selling out stadiums.
“Tennis, I’m gonna say it and I’m gonna say it again if you ain’t selling out 25,000-seat stadiums, tennis ain’t gonna know your name. I hate to be so straightforward with that, but it’s all about the youth in tennis, and I agree with that,” Connors said.
The former World No. 1 voiced his frustration with the governing bodies for introducing new tournaments, like the one in Saudi Arabia, which he believes may lead to “burnout” among players. He mentioned that the tennis season is already long enough and questioned the necessity of adding new tournaments.
“I don’t disagree, but allow those who are selling the tickets for you now to be their best when they walk out. Don’t burn them out. Just don’t burn them out. Now they’ve added another Masters 1000 tournament. Isn’t the year long enough? Don’t you play enough?” he added.
In addition to Connors, former World No. 8 John Isner and the tennis community have also been critical of the ATP Tour’s decision to launch this new Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia.
Isner pointed out why players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will participate in the non-mandatory ATP Masters 1000 hard-court tournament in Saudi Arabia, scheduled for February, right after the Australian Open.
