Alexander Zverev gives honest opinion on new Masters event in Saudi Arabia
NewsTuesday, 28 October 2025 at 13:13
Alexander Zverev did not express opposition to a future Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia, but said he wants that to occur alongside other changes.
A few days ago, the ATP announced that a Masters 1000 event will be held in Saudi Arabia, starting no earlier than 2028. It will be the tenth tournament with that status, and not replace other existing ones.
Although unconfirmed, it is expected to be held in February. Rumors have been circulating that it will be non-mandatory, like the Monte-Carlo Masters, but that is also unknown until further information emerges.
Saudi Arabia's involvement in tennis had been growing before the announcement. It hosts the WTA Finals in Riyadh, the Next Gen Finals in Jeddah, and the Six Kings Slam exhibition, finances a historic WTA maternity fund, and sponsors the ATP rankings.
While the country hosting a Masters 1000 tournament was unsurprising and had been rumored for some time, the treatment of women, despite some reforms in recent years, and the LGBTQ community makes Saudi Arabia's role in sport controversial.
During a press conference at the 2025 Vienna Open, Zverev was asked whether he had any reservations about playing in Saudi Arabia. The German, who played at the 2025 Six Kings Slam earlier this month, said the country seemed more open when he was there.
"On political matters, the context is not always the best, but they are trying to change. Three years ago, I wasn’t there, but this year it felt like a new country to me. I’m not a politician. If there is a Masters 1000 there, I play it."
"They have been played in Dubai or Doha for 30 years, and I don’t think there have been any problems. I can speak for what I know, which is tennis. The ATP should start using that money to give something back to the players."
The world No. 3 has been among the most vocal critics of the intense tennis calendar. Zverev wants a shorter season and fewer mandatory tournaments and previously claimed the ATP does not care about the players.
When the Masters 1000 tournament is held in Saudi Arabia, Zverev wants the money from it to be used to shorten the season and give players a breather instead of lengthening the schedule without reforms.
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"If they promise us that, with the money from the 10th Masters 1000, they will get back tournaments and weeks and thus shorten the season, it would be great for us, the players."
"If the season is shortened by three or four weeks and we don’t have to play until the end of November or early December, but only until mid-November, it would be a great idea. If they don’t do anything with that money and just add a tournament, it would be a nice story, but it wouldn’t make much sense for the top 10 and top 20."
"Maybe buy back some of the year-end 250 tournaments or reorganise them, to have a season that is three or four weeks shorter and a preseason that is not only four weeks but maybe eight."
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