Five Historic Tournaments That Deserve an ATP Masters 1000

Saudi Arabia will become the 10th ATP Masters 1000 host, but five tournaments make more sense for players and fans.

The Queen's Club Championships are among the ATP 500 tournaments worthy of a Masters 1000 status. | IMAGO / Action Plus

On Thursday morning, the ATP and SURJ Sports Investment, a PIF company, announced the launch of an all-new ATP Masters 1000 tournament to be hosted in Saudi Arabia. It will be a one-week, non-mandatory event.

Details such as the location, dates and prize money have not yet been announced. However, early reports indicate the tenth Masters 1000 will likely take place in February, beginning as soon as 2028. The prize money is expected to be in line with other Masters events.

Currently, there are nine ATP Masters: Indian Wells (outdoor hard court), Miami (outdoor hard court), Monte-Carlo (clay), Madrid (clay), Rome (clay), Toronto/Montreal (outdoor hard court), Cincinnati (outdoor hard court), Shanghai (indoor hard court), and Paris (indoor hard court).

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Tennis fans voiced their displeasure on social media. Additionally, this comes as many players have called for a shorter schedule and a few have spoken out against the practice of "sportswashing."

However, the scheduling problem has been more salient among players than the sportswashing issue, as Saudi Arabia has rapidly expanded its presence in the ATP and WTA in recent years.

While both issues are worthy of debate, there is no denying that some tournaments are more deserving of Masters 1000 status due to their history and timing on the ATP Tour schedule. Below are five events that make more sense for players and fans.

Mexican Open (Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC)

The outdoor hard courts at the Mexican Open. | IMAGO / Xinhua

Location: Arena GNP Seguros in Acapulco, Mexico.

Dates: Last week of February.

Surface: Outdoor hard court.

History: Players have voted Acapulco as the best tournament of the year in its category on three occasions (2007, 2017, 2019). After spending 20 years as a clay tournament, the iconic event switched to blue hard courts in 2014.

Rio Open (presented by Claro)

The clay courts at the Rio Open in Brazil. | IMAGO / Action Plus

Location: Jockey Club Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Dates: Mid-February.

Surface: Clay.

History: The current iteration of the Rio Open is a newcomer compared to many other tournaments. However, it has made a lot of history since 2014. Players like Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz have won titles in Rio, fueling South America's rapidly growing tennis fandom.

Queen's Club (HSBC Championships)

The grass courts at the Queen's Club Championships. | IMAGO / Action Plus

Location: Andy Murray Arena in London, Great Britain.

Dates: Mid-June.

Surface: Grass.

History: Earlier this summer, five-time Queen's Club champion and British tennis legend Andy Murray was permanently honored by renaming the stadium at the Queen's Club 'The Andy Murray Arena'. The premier lead-in tournament to Wimbledon dates back to 1890.

Halle Open (Terra Wortmann Open)

The grass courts at the Halle Open. | IMAGO / Ulrich Hufnagel

Location: OWL Arena in Halle, Germany.

Dates: Mid to late June.

Surface: Grass.

History: The Halle Open (Terra Wortmann Open) is one of seven grass-court events on the calendar and is a key warmup for Wimbledon. In 2015, it was elevated to an ATP 500 tournament. Roger Federer won his tenth title in 2019.

Tokyo Open (Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships)

The outdoor hard courts at the Tokyo Open. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Location: Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan.

Dates: Last week of September.

Surface: Outdoor hard court.

History: The Japan Open is the longest-running ATP Tour tournament in Asia, first held in 1972. The Ariake Colosseum is an expansive tennis center comprised of 48 courts and a stadium with one of the first retractable roofs in tennis.