You are here: Home >> ATP TOUR
The 2009 ATP  Tour has changed from the 2008 ATP tour. The main change is the way the points are bing calculated.

The 2009 ATP Tour  promises to be an exciting season of men's tennis with familiar faces leading the way and a number of young, up-and-coming players looking to join the game's elite. The changes have been introduced to create a healthier schedule for players and to make the sport easier to follow for fans with continued growth. A number of improvements have been implemented and here's a look at some of them:

* New Structure: New tiers of tournaments have been created -- ATP World Tour Masters 1000, ATP World Tour 500 and ATP World Tour 250 -- leading to the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London where the ATP World Tour Champion will be officially crowned. The number represents the points awarded to the winner in each respective tournament.

* Tour Calendar: The ATP World Tour will feature 61 tournaments in 31 countries with the following breakdown of tiers -- Nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, 11 ATP World Tour 500 events, 39 ATP World Tour 250 events and one ARAG ATP World Team Championship, all leading to the prestigious season finale, the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

* Player Requirements: In 2009, players in the 2008 year-end Top 30 will be required to compete in four Grand Slam tournaments and eight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. In addition, the Best four ATP Tour 500 and Best two other events (ATP World Tour 250 and Challengers) will be counted towards a player's ranking. All direct acceptance players at the time of the entry deadline who do not play will receive a 0-pointer in their ranking.

* Bonus Pool: A $6 million bonus pool for the Top 12 players in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings will be awarded based on fulfilling their commitment. The season will also feature a 20% increase in player compensation and a profit sharing model that will for the first time invite players to share in the sport’s growth.

For more about the ATP tour