Tennis/Covid-19: a $5.2m "support package" for ATP 500 and ATP 250 tournaments

The Association of Tennis Professionals has granted a "support package" of $5.2m (€4.3m) to enable the ATP 500 and ATP 250 tournaments to raise the prize money distributed to players to a level of 80% (for the ATP 500) and 60% (for the ATP 250) of those paid to players prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, announced the body on 03/03/2020. The organisers have reduced, since the beginning of the crisis, the allocations by 50% to compensate for the lack of revenue generated mainly due to the absence of spectators.

This aid is part of a series of "special Covid-19" measures introduced by the ATP to support professional tennis players and tournaments, whose activities have been disrupted by the pandemic, including the extension of an adapted ranking system (see below).

"Increases, which equate to a maximum expenditure of $5.2m (€4.3m), will be primarily funded through a redistribution of part of the ATP Bonus Pool, ordinarily distributed to the Top 12 eligible players at the end of the season. Redistribution of the funds has come with the support of the ATP Player Council, including Top 10…