2023

ATP Retirement Plan Record Contribution

Qualifying player members are sharing in the ATP's strong financial performance in 2022 through a record contribution to the ATP Player Retirement Plan. Contributions to individual player retirement accounts hit $167,900 in 2022 following a year in which the ATP saw growth in data value and revenue from the transfer of tournament licences, including those of ATP Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Cincinnati.

A total of 165 players received a contribution into the Retirement Plan for 2022. Formally established in 1990, the plan currently makes payments to 300 players, who receive funds for 20 years, beginning at age 50.

"I remember the first year I qualified for a contribution it was $10,000," said Australian veteran and ATP Player Advisory Council member Matthew Ebden, who has been on Tour for 17 years. "Although 2022 was unusually large due to strong revenue coming into the Tour, the annual contribution has been steadily growing over time. The returns of the fund have been good and certainly for players who have been on the tour for a few years, the plan is something in their thoughts.

"Not everyone has the career of a Roger, Rafa or Novak, and the pension plan is a key part of many players' financial security after 50.”

Contributions to the Retirement Plan for 2022 alone topped US$27.7m, more than double the $12.7m deposited in 2019. Historically, players needed five years of vesting in the plan to be eligible for payments from age 50, In 2018 a partial vesting component was created for players with three years vesting.

Fellow Player Advisory Council member and World No. 7 Andrey Rublev echoed Ebden's thoughts on the importance of the plan.

"The plan continues to grow each year and it will offer great support to players in retirement, especially those who may not get to play in the big finals and earn the big pay days many times. But these players are a big part of the Tour and deserve to be taken care of when their careers are over."

The start of the plan goes back to the early years of the ATP, when influential player and administrator Jaime Fillol played a key role in the establishment of the plan in the late 1980s. With the start of the ATP Tour in 1990, the plan became one of the key programs for the player members.