ATP Finals

The ATP Finals is the season-ending championship of men's professional tennis, second in prestige only to the four Grand Slams. Since its founding in 1970 as the Masters Grand Prix, it has been the ultimate test of consistency and skill, bringing together the year's eight best singles players and eight best doubles teams. Qualification is earned through results across the entire ATP Tour season, making a spot in the field a mark of elite performance.

The tournament uses a round-robin format unique on the tour. Players are split into two groups of four, each playing three matches. The top two from each group advance to the semifinals, followed by a final. This structure guarantees multiple high-stakes matches between the world's best, often including rematches from earlier in the season. The event has been held in cities around the world, from Tokyo and New York to Shanghai and London, before settling at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy, where it is contracted through 2028.

The 2025 edition offered a record prize pool of US$15.5 million, with an undefeated singles champion earning up to US$5.07 million. The event is currently known as the Nitto ATP Finals under a title sponsorship deal. The championship trophy is named after Brad Drewett, a former tournament director and ATP executive who died in 2013. [edit]

The ATP Finals began in 1970 as the Masters Grand Prix, a concept pushed by Jack Kramer, the first executive director of the ATP. The first edition was held in Tokyo in December 1970, with Stan Smith winning the singles title. Through the 1970s, the event moved among cities including Paris, Barcelona, Boston, Melbourne, Stockholm, and Houston.

From 1977 to 1989, the tournament found a long-term home at Madison Square Garden in New York, building a reputation as a major year-end event. In 1990, the ATP took over the administration of the men's tour, and the tournament was rebranded as the ATP Tour World Championships, held in Frankfurt and later Hannover through 1999. The event moved to Lisbon in 2000 under the name Tennis Masters Cup, then to Sydney, Houston, and Shanghai.

The tournament's profile grew significantly when it moved to The O2 Arena in London in 2009. The venue's capacity of over 17,000 seats for each of two daily sessions was considered a gamble, but it proved a commercial and critical success, drawing more than 250,000 spectators annually. The event stayed in London through 2020, celebrating its 50th anniversary that year. In 2021, the tournament moved to Turin, Italy, where it remains under a contract extended through 2028. [edit]

The ATP Finals has long served as the definitive measure of a player's season-long excellence. Winning the tournament carries weight comparable to a Grand Slam in terms of prestige, and the round-robin format often produces matches that become part of tennis lore. The event has been staged in iconic venues worldwide, from Madison Square Garden to The O2 Arena, and has helped popularize tennis in cities that host it. The Next Gen ATP Finals, a spin-off for players under 21, was introduced in 2017 and has experimented with rule changes like shorter sets and no-ad scoring, influencing discussions about the future of the sport. [edit]

The 2022 edition faced criticism after Novak Djokovic was allowed to compete despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19, while other tournaments had stricter rules. In 2021, Daniil Medvedev was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct after throwing his racquet during a match. The tournament's move from London to Turin in 2021 also drew mixed reactions from fans who preferred the O2 Arena's atmosphere. [edit]