A proposed merger between professional tennis’s two major tours — the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) — has been shelved with no clear timeline for revival, according to a report published Monday by The Guardian.
The two organizations had been working toward combining their commercial and media rights into a single deal. Talks had advanced to near-agreement in 2025 under the WTA’s former chair, Steve Simon. However, when his replacement, Valerie Camillo, took over, she determined that the revenue-sharing arrangement on the table was not acceptable, causing the WTA to walk away from negotiations.
As recently as January, ATP chief executive Eno Polo had spoken optimistically about the discussions, telling reporters the two sides were “quite close” to finalizing an agreement.
A significant financial gap between the two tours lies at the heart of the dispute. The WTA reported revenues of $142 million in 2024, which is less than half of the ATP’s reported $294 million for the same period. While joining forces on rights deals would have boosted the WTA’s total income, it would have also locked the women’s tour into a smaller share of the combined revenue — a setback for women’s sports organizations that have been pushing for greater financial parity.
Both tours are currently dealing with budget pressures. The ATP recently announced cuts to its doubles programming as a cost-saving measure. The WTA has so far avoided a similar step, but reports indicate the organization has begun trimming expenses in other ways, including sending fewer staff members to major tournaments like Wimbledon.
