What is ATP 500 in Tennis?
ATP 500 is a level of professional tennis tournament in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. It is the second highest tier of men’s professional tennis tournaments after the ATP World Tour Masters 1000. The ATP 500 tournaments are held annually in different cities around the world, usually in the first half of the year. They feature some of the world’s best players, providing an opportunity for them to earn points to help them qualify for the prestigious year-end championships.
History of ATP 500
ATP 500 tournaments have been held since 1990, when the ATP Tour was introduced. The tournament’s original name was the Super 9 and included nine tournaments held in Europe and the United States. The Super 9 was later renamed the ATP Championship Series in 2000, and then the ATP Masters Series in 2003. In 2009, the ATP Masters Series was changed to the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and the ATP 500 became the second tier of tournaments for the same year. The ATP 500 tournaments have been held since then.
Events Covered in ATP 500
The ATP 500 tournaments include five events that are held annually in different cities around the world. The events include:
- Rio Open – held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Barcelona Open – held in Barcelona, Spain
- Hamburg Open – held in Hamburg, Germany
- Washington Open – held in Washington D.C., United States
- Rotterdam Open – held in Rotterdam, Netherlands
Prize Money and Points Distribution
Players competing in ATP 500 tournaments are eligible to earn prize money and ATP ranking points. Prize money is awarded to the players in the form of direct prize money and points that are used to calculate their ATP rankings. The total prize money for each tournament is usually around $2.5 million. The points distribution for the ATP 500 tournaments is as follows:
- Winner: 500 points
- Runner-up: 300 points
- Semi-finalists: 180 points
- Quarter-finalists: 90 points
- Round of 16: 45 points
- Round of 32: 10 points
Qualification Requirements
Players must meet certain requirements in order to qualify for the ATP 500 tournaments. Qualifying players must have an ATP Ranking of at least 50 and must have earned a certain number of points in the past 12 months. Points can be earned through participation in ATP and Challenger tournaments, as well as ITF Futures tournaments.
Notable Winners
The ATP 500 tournaments have seen some of the world’s best players compete and win. Some of the notable winners include:
- Novak Djokovic: The Serbian player has won 7 ATP 500 titles, including the 2020 Rotterdam Open.
- Andy Murray: The British player has won 5 ATP 500 titles, including the 2017 Washington Open.
- Rafael Nadal: The Spanish player has won 4 ATP 500 titles, including the 2020 Barcelona Open.
- Roger Federer: The Swiss player has won 3 ATP 500 titles, including the 2019 Hamburg Open.
ATP 500 and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000
The ATP 500 tournaments are the second tier of tournaments in the ATP Tour, after the ATP World Tour Masters 1000. The ATP World Tour Masters 1000 is a series of nine tournaments held annually in different cities around the world. The tournaments offer the highest level of prize money and points and feature many of the world’s best players.
ATP 500 and the ATP Finals
The ATP 500 tournaments are also used to help players qualify for the year-end championships, the ATP Finals. The ATP Finals is the last tournament of the ATP Tour season and features the world’s top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams. The tournament is held in London, England and is the most prestigious tournament in men’s professional tennis.
Conclusion
The ATP 500 tournaments are a key part of the ATP Tour, providing an opportunity for the world’s best players to compete and earn points to help them qualify for the year-end championships. These tournaments are held annually in different cities around the world and offer a large prize money pool and points to the players. Notable winners of the ATP 500 tournaments have included Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.