Vijay Amritraj protests: "Tennis is not just a European sport!" — his heartfelt cry in the face of changes made by the ATP

As the ATP continues its calendar overhaul, Vijay Amritraj steps up to the net. The former Indian player denounces a reform that, in his view, jeopardizes the global dimension of tennis.

© AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 13/12/2025 à 21h36

2 min to read

Amritraj Vijay Gaudenzi Andrea

Little by little, the ATP is reducing the number of ATP 250 tournaments, which have gone from 38 to 29 per season in recent years.

A reduction that will be more drastic in the coming years, as the head of the organization, Andrea Gaudenzi, would like the circuit to be limited to about ten tournaments in this category.

"Reducing the number of ATP 250s is a mistake"

A change that does not convince former player Vijay Amritraj. Inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, he criticized the lack of tournaments organized outside Europe and North America, as well as the desire to eliminate ATP 250s, in an interview with the website Clay:

"I think every Asian capital deserves to host a tournament. In the 70s and 80s, that existed. There were tournaments in Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila, Bangkok, Tehran, Seoul, Osaka, Tokyo...

Today, there is nothing left! We need tournaments in Asia, Africa, or South America. It's not just a European sport! We need ATP 250s for tennis to remain a global sport.

The ATP needs to first take a look at the rest of the world. They want to reduce the number of ATP 250s, and I think that's a mistake. All South American countries should also have a tournament. There was one in Bogota, I also played in Caracas. Where have all these tournaments gone? There is room for everyone!"