Qatar ExxonMobil Open to become ATP 500 event

The Qatar ExxonMobil Open will be upgraded to ATP 500 status from 2025, it was announced on Wednesday. The Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha is a five-time ATP 250 Tournament of the Year winner, as voted by players, known for its world-class standards and attracting one of the strongest player fields in the category.
Along with the Doha event, ATP Tour tournaments in Dallas and Munich will also be upgraded to ATP 500 status from 2025 as part of an unprecedented set of reforms to strengthen the tennis calendar.
The three event upgrades are set to deliver benefits for fans and players alike, with more action and playing opportunities at bigger events. It marks the ATP’s latest move to enhance the sport’s calendar and premium product, a core objective of the OneVision strategy.
Each of the three tournaments – Doha, Dallas and Munich – will offer approximately $2.8mn in prize money from 2025 and contribute to a growing ATP 500 Bonus Pool. In total, the three upgrades will deliver approximately $51.7mn in additional player compensation over a five-year period at the ATP 500 category.
As part of the process, ATP 250 tournaments in Atlanta, Lyon and Newport will be retired from 2025. The upgrades will expand the ATP 500 category from 13 to 16 tournaments across the season.
The cities of Dallas, Doha and Munich join an impressive list of global destinations that already feature across the 500 category, including Acapulco, Barcelona, Basel, Beijing, Dubai, Halle, Hamburg, London, Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, Tokyo, Vienna, and Washington DC. The changes also coincide with enhancements to the ATP Masters 1000 category, with seven of the nine tournaments to be held as marquee 12-day events from 2025.
Welcoming the move, the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF) said in statement: “We are very happy to announce the upgrade of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open from ATP250 to ATP500, a wonderful achievement in a journey that started in 1993, when we hosted the first edition of the event. The upgrade of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open will be effective starting in 2025.
“Qatar has established itself as a great international sports hub, and our upgraded ATP500 event will continue to be one of its most precious jewels. Our country is very proud for its many sports organisational achievements, and will continue to deliver its traditional warm hospitality and values through this wonderful event.
“We would like to thank the ATP for the continuous trust and co-operation, and for having provided us with the opportunity to achieve this tournament level upgrade. Our goal has always been to excel in the organisation of our tournament, resulting in our event having been voted ATP250 of the year on 5 of the last 8 years. This commitment remains, and we are determined to offer all players, officials, guests, and spectators an even more wonderful experience through our new ATP500 event.”
Nasser al-Khelaifi, President of the Qatar Tennis Federation, said: “We are delighted to announce that the Qatar ExxonMobil Open has been awarded ATP500 status from 2025, recognising the standards of excellence our tournament has maintained since 1993. Qatar has a proud reputation for delivering world-class sports events, always ensuring the very best facilities for players and officials, and creating premium experiences for fans. The Qatar ExxonMobil Open ATP500 will help tennis continue to grow in the region and globally; and we look forward to welcoming the world to our fantastic tournaments in Qatar.”
Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: “OneVision is all about raising the bar for tennis, and unlocking new investment in the game. We’re thrilled to have our Doha event step up to ATP 500 status – delivering improved standards for players and most importantly an enhanced product for our fans.
“Of course, this achievement also constitutes a reward to the endless support from our sponsors, and especially our amazing companion from the start of this journey, our title sponsor ExxonMobilm which has always been by our side, despite all the challenges faced throughout the years, and we could not think of a better partner. We look forward to this new challenge and want to invite all players, guests, and spectators to join us in Doha for a fantastic tennis experience.”