A tennis tour merger between the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has been put on hold indefinitely according to a Monday report from The Guardian.
The two tours had been discussing a pooling of commercial and media rights and were near a deal in 2025 under previous WTA chair Steve Simon. His successor, Valerie Camillo, found the terms of the revenue share to be unacceptable, leading to the WTA pulling back from any agreement.
ATP chief executive Eno Polo had expressed public confidence in January, saying the two tours were “quite close” to a deal.
The WTA had a reported revenue of $142 million in 2024, less than half of the ATP’s reported $294 million. The WTA would have most certainly locked in more revenue by pooling rights, but would have likewise locked in a lower percentage of revenue than the ATP in the process – a blow for women’s leagues and tours battling for more financial equality.
Financial difficulties have forced the ATP to cut its doubles programming in recent days. While the WTA has so far resisted a similar move, the WTA has reportedly begun to initiate other cost-cutting measures, including fewer staff members attending major events such as Wimbledon.
–Field Level Media
