The ATP has announced the new Player Advisory Council for the 2024 season.
Mackenzie McDonald, Alexander Zverev, Dusan Lajovic, Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela, and Matthew Ebden were each elected by their peers for two-year terms (2024-2025), joining existing members Grigor Dimitrov, Pedro Martinez, Wesley Koolhof and Pedro Cachin as representatives of the players on the Council.
Federico Ricci is the coach representative and Nicolas Pereira is the alumni representative.
This marks the first time staggered terms are being used on the Player Advisory Council, ensuring a degree of continuity year-on-year as the Council works to enhance the Tour.
Ebden, who began his stint at the start of 2023, was re-elected for two more years:
“We spent these past 12 months working really hard to develop the strength of the players' programmes within the ATP. Particularly now you see the stuff that's come out of the Baseline programme, including basic salary protection for players and insurance if they get injured. And, of course, prize money increases across the ATP and Grand Slams.” Ebden said.
“The expansion of the pension programme to well over 100 extra players, to about 300 players in total, has been another big win. It’s been a lot of hours, calls and meetings, with a lot of effort put in quietly and behind the scenes.
“For me personally, it’s been rewarding to see the action and outcomes that we've been able to produce and the runs on the board. I think that’s what really counts. It's a testament to all the hard work that everyone's been putting in on the Player Advisory Council and by ATP executives.”
2024 ATP Player Advisory Council
1-50 S | Grigor Dimitrov | Europe |
1-50 S | Alexander Zverev | Europe |
1-50 S | Mackenzie McDonald | North America |
51-100 S | Pedro Martinez | Europe |
51-100 S | Dusan Lajovic | Europe |
1-25 D | Wesley Koolhof | Europe |
1-75 D | Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela | North America |
At-Large | Pedro Cachin | South America |
At-Large | Matthew Ebden | International |
Coach | Federico Ricci | / |
Alumni | Nicolas Pereira | / |
Mackenzie McDonald wanted to get involved in the Player Advisory Council early in his career, but felt it was not the right time as he was just starting out his pursuit of his tennis goals.
“I feel like now maybe mid-career, almost in a veteran phase, that I know a lot more about the Tour. I also just want to be more involved,” McDonald said. “I know a lot of players and feel like I can connect well with them on the topics we work on.
“I think just the timing was right this year. I got asked by a couple people to do it. They thought I'd be good for the role. I’m very happy to be part of the council and to represent the players.”
Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: ‘I would like to extend a warm welcome to the new players on the Player Advisory Council. The Council plays a critical role in shaping and improving life on Tour for the players, and we look forward to building on some of the strong results we’ve achieved in recent years. I would also like to thank the players who participated on the Council over the past 12 months. We greatly appreciate the time that players invest to elevate and strengthen our Tour.’
The ATP Player Advisory Council meets several times a year and makes recommendations to ATP Management and the ATP Board of Directors through the Player Board representatives, whom the Council elects. The first PAC meeting of the year will take place in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open.