Although you may never have played tennis, there’s a fair chance you may have heard or watched a major tennis event where two or four people use rackets to hit a ball across a net. The sport of tennis has been there for generations and every year its popularity continues to increase.
Furthermore, the world’s top tennis tournaments attract thousands of fans per season. They witness the amazing atmosphere (through television or at the auditorium) underlying these global events with lot of amusement. So, are you curious about the tennis tournaments that will take place in 2021? No worries. We’ve put together a list of tennis-related major events taking place in 2021.
What are the Major Tennis Events?
Grand Slams in Tennis and ATP Masters 1000 Tournaments.
Okay, so now some may wonder what these two events are. No worries. Simply keep reading to find out.
What Are The 4 Grand Slams in Tennis?
The four most significant yearly tennis events are the Grand Slam tournaments, also called majors. Meanwhile, they grant the most ranking points, prize money, attention to the public and media, the greatest field strength and size, and the highest number of “best of” sets for men, which would be 5.
So, the Grand Slam consists of,
- Australian Open
- French Open (also known as Roland Garros)
- Wimbledon
- US Open
Point Distribution in Tennis Grand Slams
| Win | Final | Semi Final | Quarter Final | Qualified for main draw |
| 2000 | 1200 | 720 | 360 | 25 |
Who Has Won All 4 Grand Slams in The Same Year?
Steffi Graf won all four Grand Slam tournaments in year 1988. As a result, it introduced The Golden Slam, or Golden Grand Slam. In the same year he won the gold medal in tennis in Summer Olympics.
What Are The 9 ATP Masters 1000 Tournaments?
The Association of Tennis Professionals – ATP Masters Series is a series of nine tennis tournaments featuring the ATP Tour’s top-ranking players. Following the four Grand Slams, the series is the most prestigious in men’s tennis.
The Big Four (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray) have managed to win 81 of the past 102 ATP Masters 1000 finals since the beginning of 2009.
Here are the 9 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments,
- Indian Wells Masters
- Miami Open
- Monte-Carlo Masters
- Madrid Open
- Italian Open
- Canadian Open
- Cincinnati Masters
- Shanghai Masters
- Paris Masters
Point Distribution in ATP Masters 1000
| Win | Final | Semi Final | Quarter Final | Qualified for main draw |
| 1000 | 600 | 360 | 180 | 25 (12) |
- Qualifying points changes to 12 points only if the main draw is larger than 56.
International Tennis Federation
The world governing body of tennis is the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The ITF governs the game of tennis through its some 200 affiliated National Associates, and also six Regional Affiliates.
This organization,
- Oversees the administration and regulation
- The organization of global tournaments, and the structure
- Production and promotion of the game.
What Tennis Tournaments Are Coming Up in 2021?
This is the real question right? So here is a summary of major events and tournaments related to tennis that happens in 2021. (Please note that some of these events have already taken place. Also, any changes to the venue or dates associated with a specific upcoming event are completely up to the organizers)
| Event | Dates in 2021 |
| 1. ATP Cup | February 2 – 7 |
| 2. Australian Open | February 8 – 21 |
| 3. Miami Open | March 24 – April 4 |
| 4. Monte-Carlo Masters | April 12 – 18 |
| 5. Madrid Open | May 1 – 9 |
| 6. French Open | May 23 – June 6 |
| 7. Wimbledon Championships | June 28 – July 11 |
| 8. Canadian Open | August 8 – 15 |
| 9. Cincinnati Masters | August 14 – 22 |
| 10. US Open | August 30 – September 12 |
| 11. Laver Cup | September 24 – 26 |
| 12. Shanghai Masters | October 11 – 17 |
| 13. Paris Masters | November 1 – 7 |
| 14. Next Generation ATP Finals | November 9 – 13 |
| 15. ATP Finals | November 14 -21 |
| 16. Davis Cup Finals | November 25 – December 5 |
1. ATP Cup Tennis Event
The ATP Cup is an international men’s tennis tournament played between competing teams from 24 countries. This is played over ten days in the lead up to the Australian Open. ATP Cup was first carried out in January 2020.
The ATP Cup 2021 was the second edition of the ATP Cup. It was conducted at Melbourne Park in Australia with 12 players, from 2 to 7 February 2021. It was initially expected to take place from 1 to 10 January 2021 in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. But was revised because of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the tournament was won by Team Russia, beating Italy 2-0 in the final.
Location: Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia
Played on: Outdoor hard court
Prize money: 15 million USD
Sponsored by:
Nine sponsors belong to the ATP, namely –
- Emirates
- FedEx
- Infosys
- Peugeot
- Rolex
- Tecnifibre
- Dunlop
- Maui Jim
- Lacoste
The numerous levels of sponsorship are notable. The highest being Emirates as Premier Partner. Three Platinum Partners, one Gold Partner, two Silver Partners and one Official Supplier are all part of the ATP.
2. Australian Open Tennis Event
The Australian Open, held annually, is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held each year. Over the years, the Australian Open has developed into one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest sporting events. The tournament, named “the happy slam” and also referred to as the “Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific” is the most attended Grand Slam event, with more than 812,000 people participating in the 2020 tournament.
Location: Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia
Played on: Before 1988, it was played on grass courts, but since then three types of hardcourt surfaces have been used:
- Green-coloured Rebound Ace up to 2007
- Blue Plexicushion from 2008 to 2019
- Blue GreenSet since 2020
Prize money: 80 million AUD (2021)
Sponsored by: Korean motor company Kia has been funding the tournament and they also has a long-term partnership with 17-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
3. Miami Open Tennis Event
It’s part of the ATP Tour Masters 1000 men’s circuit, and is a WTA Tour Women’s Premier Mandatory event. There is also the chance of achieving the Sunshine Double that Roger Federer achieved in 2017 by winning Indian Wells and Miami back to back. And also there is a significant prize money pool and 1000 ranking points on offer.
The Miami Open is the year’s second Masters 1000 and is immensely popular with both fans and players alike. In 2010, the 12-day tournament was attended by a record 300,000 visitors, making it one of the world’s biggest tennis tournaments other than the four Grand Slams.
Location: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (Earlier it was held at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Key Biscayne, Florida from 1987 to 2018)
Played on: Five of the tournaments have been held on outdoor hard courts since 2009, three on clay and one on indoor hard courts, while two indoor tournaments were held at the top-9 level from 1987 to 2008.
Prize money: $9,035,428 (2019)
Sponsored by: Itaú, Latin America’s largest privately owned bank
4. Monte-Carlo Masters Tennis Event
The Monte-Carlo Masters is an annual tennis tournament for male professional players that forms part of the ATP Tour’s ATP Tour Masters 1000.
Between 2005 and 2012, Rafael Nadal won the title eight consecutive times, subsequently making him the only player to win eight consecutive titles at the same tournament. He won the title for an Open Era record 10th time in 2017, contesting his 11th final against Albert Ramos Viñolas. Nadal extended this record to 11 wins in the final against Kei Nishikori the following year.
Location: Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
Played on: Clay courts
Prize money: €5,207,405 (2019)
Sponsored by: Rolex, a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland
5. Madrid Open Tennis Event
The Madrid Open is a joint professional men’s and women’s tennis tournament. In 2002, the tournament first started life as an indoor men’s event, but the tournament was turned into a combined event in 2009. Meanwhile, this tournament is listed on the ATP Tour Masters 1000, and on the Women’s Tennis Association tour as a Premier Mandatory event.
Location: Madrid
Played on: Usually, the tournament is played on a red clay surface. In the 2012 tournament edition, the event was played on blue courts even though ATP decided against blue thereafter.
Prize money: €7,279,270 (2019)
Sponsored by: Mutua Madrileña, a large Spanish insurance company established in 1930, which offers life, vehicle, health and accident insurance, pension and investment funds.
6. French Open Tennis Event
The French Open is the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments and is a major tennis tournament held for two weeks. Above all, the event is commonly considered to be the most physically challenging tennis tournament in the world, between the seven rounds required for a championship, the slow-playing surface and the best-of-five-set men’s singles matches.
ITV Sport and Eurosport possess the broadcasting rights until 2021 to show the French Open tennis tournaments.
Location: Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France
Played on: Clay court (the only Grand Slam tournament held on clay)
Sponsored by: BNP Paribas, the French International Banking Group
7. Wimbledon Championships Tennis Event
Wimbledon Championships is the world’s oldest tennis tournament. This most prestigious tournament is also one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. This tournament consists of five main events, four junior events and seven invitation events.
The five main events are:
- Gentlemen’s Singles
- Ladies’ Singles
- Gentlemen’s Doubles
- Ladies’ Doubles
- Mixed Doubles
The four junior events are:
- Boys’ Singles
- Girls’ Singles
- Boys’ Doubles
- Girls’ Doubles
No mixed doubles event is held at this level
The seven invitational events are:
- Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles
- Ladies’ Invitation Doubles
- Senior Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles
- Gentlemen’s Wheelchair Singles
- Ladies’ Wheelchair Singles
- Gentlemen’s Wheelchair Doubles
- Ladies’ Wheelchair Doubles
The rights to air the Wimbledon Tennis Championships live on its television channels are currently owned by BBC Sport.
The 2020 Championships were cancelled, the first cancellation of the tournament since World War II, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Location: All England Club in Wimbledon, London
Played on: Grass courts
Prize money: £10 million (2020)
Sponsored by: The tournament is particularly noteworthy for the absence of advertising by sponsors around the courts, with the exception of Rolex and Robinsons barley water.
Know more
If you are a true tennis fan, try Wimbledon: The Official History of the Championships. In addition to having all the Wimbledon singles draw sheets from its start, it provides the official history of the championships, ingeniously and elegantly relates events at the championships to changes in contemporary world history and much more. Also, according to readers, it is a book that no genuine tennis fan can do without.
Also, in the book Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played, the most iconic battle between these two champions mentioned in the title of the 2008 Gentleman’s Championship is explicitly explained by Jon Wertheim. Moreover, the book explores how they learned the game, how they train, how they think, who has inspired them, and much more. Meanwhile, it speaks about a tennis game and fills the reader with what’s going on at Wimbledon.
Who Was the Youngest Player to Win Wimbledon?
In 1985, Boris Becker won Wimbledon at age 17, becoming the youngest champion in the history of the tournament. It explains the story of Boris in the book Boris Becker’s Wimbledon, from fascinating teenage talent, to champion, to renowned television commentator, manager. And now as coach to Novak Djokovic, one of the greatest contemporary players in the world.
8. Canadian Open Tennis Event
The Canadian Open is the second oldest tennis tournament in all tennis (behind only Wimbledon) and contested annually. The men’s competition is a Masters 1000 event on the ATP Tour, and the women’s competition is a Premier 5 tournament on the WTA Tour.
Location: Events switch between the cities of Montreal and Toronto from year to year, Canada
Played on: Hard courts
Prize money: $5,701,945 (2019)
Sponsored by: The National Bank of Canada, which is the sixth largest commercial bank in Canada.
9. Cincinnati Masters Tennis Event
Annually held, Cincinnati Masters is the oldest tennis tournament in the US that was held in its original city. After the US Open, the tournament is the second largest summer tennis event in the US. The men’s division comes in one of nine elite Masters 1000 tournaments on the ATP Tour and its women’s event is one of five Premier 5 events on the WTA Tour.
Location: Mason near Cincinnati, Ohio
Played on: Outdoor hard courts
Prize money: $6,297,080 (2020)
Sponsored by: Western & Southern Financial Group, also commonly referred to as Western & Southern, is a diverse community of financial services companies located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
10. US Open Tennis Event
The United States Open Tennis Championships is the latest incarnation of one of the world’s oldest tennis championships, the US National Championship. Subsequently, the US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the year in chronological terms.
The tournament consists of five main championships:
- Men’s singles
- Women’s singles
- Men’s doubles
- Women’s doubles
- Mixed doubles
The tournament also includes events for senior, junior, and wheelchair players.
ESPN took full control of broadcasting the US Open on television in 2015.
Location: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York City
Played on: Hard courts
Organized by: The United States Tennis Association (USTA)
Sponsored by: Polo Ralph Lauren
Have you read the 50th Anniversary US Open Tennis Book? Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the US Open, this magnificently rendered book honors tennis’s most unforgettable occurrence. Moreover, by vivid, exclusive photography, all the main moments and memorable personalities from the 50-year history of the competition are brought back to life.
Which Grand Slam has the highest prize money?
Yes, you guessed right- it’s the US Open. After the United States Tennis Association raised prize money again, the men’s and women’s singles winners at US Open will each walk away with a cheque of $3,850,000 (£3,074,128). In other words, this ensures the US Open retains its status as the wealthiest Grand Slam in the history of the tournament, as the totals are the highest.
11. Laver Cup Tennis Event
The tournament is named after the legend of Australian tennis legend, Rod Laver. It is an international men’s indoor hard court tennis tournament contested annually between two teams: Team Europe and Team World (with players from non-European countries). The tournament is known to be the tennis world’s Ryder Cup and it is also an officially recognized ATP Tour event.
Location: European city, World city rotation
Played on: Indoor hard court
Prize money: $250,000 for each member of the winning team
Sponsored by: Rolex, a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland
12. Shanghai Masters Tennis Event
The Shanghai Masters is a men’s professional tennis tournament that is held every year. The tournament is the eighth of nine ATP Tour Masters 1000 events on the ATP Tour on a chronological basis, and is the only one not played in Europe or North America.
Location: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in the Minhang District of Shanghai
Played on: Outdoor hard courts
Prize money: $7,473,620 (2019)
Sponsored by: Rolex, a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland
Points Distribution in Shanghai Masters
| Event | Win | Final | Semi Final | Quarter Final |
| Singles | 1000 | 600 | 360 | 180 |
| Doubles | 1000 | 600 | 360 | 180 |
13. Paris Masters Tennis Event
The Paris Masters is an annual tennis tournament for male professional players. This is the season’s ninth and final ATP Masters 1000 event.
However, 2020 Paris Masters took place with no fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France. It was held between 2 and 8 November 2020 at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France.
Location: AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France (Stade Pierre de Coubertin (1968–1982))
Played on: Indoor hard courts
Prize money: €5,207,405 (2019)
Organized by: French Tennis Federation
Sponsored by: Rolex, a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland
14. Next Generation ATP Finals Tennis Event
The ATP Finals Next Generation is an annual men’s youth tennis showcase tournament for the season’s best 21-and-under players. The points for the ATP rankings for the participants are not allocated by the tournament. It is not considered an official tournament victory by the ATP. But matches count towards the official record of the win-loss season. However, there is no acknowledgment of the event by the International Tennis Federation.
The format for the event, played over five days. This consists of two round robin groups, followed by the semi-finals and the final. Moreover, this is played on a singles-only court, featuring the season’s best seven qualified 21-and-under players, including one wild card.
Location: PalaLido, Milan, Italy
Played on: Indoor hard courts
Prize money: US$1,400,000 (2019)
Sponsored by: Emirates, which It is the largest airline in, and also the flag carrier of, the United Arab Emirates.
15. ATP Finals Tennis Event
After the four Grand Slam tournaments, the ATP Finals is the second highest tier of annual men’s tennis tournaments. Moreover, the tournament was one of the famous candidates for “the fifth grand slam” monicker. The ATP Finals are the season-ending ATP Tour championships. This one features the ATP Rankings’ top eight singles players and doubles teams. Roger Federer holds the record with six for the most singles titles, and similarly with seven for the most doubles titles, Peter Fleming and John McEnroe hold the record.
Location: Pala Alpitour in Turin, Italy
Played on: Indoor hard courts
Prize money: US$5,700,000 (2020)
Sponsored by: Nitto, who are chemical and material product manufacturers
Points Distribution in ATP Finals
| Win | Final | Semi Final | Quarter Final/ Qualified for main draw |
| 1000 | +1100 (1500 max) | +600 (1000 max) | 200 for each round robin match win (600 max) |
16. Davis Cup Finals Tennis Event
The Davis Cup is the premier international men’s tennis team event. It is contested in a knock-out format annually between teams from the world’s best 18 national teams. The event is defined as the “World Cup of Tennis” and the winners are referred to as the World Champion Team. Spain, who beat Canada to win their sixth title in 2019, are the current champions.
Location: The Magic Box, Madrid, Spain (2019)
Played on: Indoor hard courts
Organized by: International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Kosmos Holding
Sponsored by: Safra Sarasin Ltd, which is a Swiss private bank
Best Tennis Players of All Time
Before concluding this article, we couldn’t just resist mentioning some legendary tennis players all the time. So, here’s a little bit about the following prominent tennis players.
- Roger Federer
- Rafael Nadal
- Novak Djokovic
- John McEnroe
- Andy Murray
- Pete Sampras
- Andre Agassi
- Serena Williams
- Venus Williams
- Maria Sharapova
Let’s start with Roger Federer. Shall we?
Roger Federer
Roger Federer, adored around the world, has become one of the most iconic and famous figures in sport. Above all, the ATP ranks him as No. 5 in the world. He claimed 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, an all-time record that Rafael Nadal shares with him.
Federer’s talent is discussed in his groundbreaking graphic biography – Fedegraphica: A Graphic Biography of the Genius of Roger Federer. It includes beautiful infographics looking at his serving patterns, the pace of his shots, the spin he makes, his motion. Moreover his success in high-pressure situations such as tiebreaks and Grand Slam finals are included in this book as well.
Rafael Nadal
Rafael “Rafa” Nadal Parera is a professional Spanish tennis player. He arose as one of the leading competitors of the game in the early 21st century. He won a record 13 French Open career championships. His total of 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles was tied for the most in the history of tennis. Also the ATP ranks him No. 2 in the world and has been ranked No. 1 in the ATP rankings for 209 weeks. Also he has ended five times as No. 1 at the end of the year.
He is particularly noted for his success on clay. The dominance of Nadal on clay is also illustrated by 60 of his 86 ATP singles titles coming on this surface. That includes 25 of his 35 ATP Masters 1000 titles. Above all, the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era is his 81 consecutive wins on clay.
Above all, tennis star Rafael Nadal reveals the secrets of his game in his biography – Rafa: My Story. It was written with the award-winning journalist John Carlin, and shares the inspiring personal story behind his success.
Novak Djokovic
In 2011, Novak Djokovic had what a professional tennis player has called the greatest single season ever. He has won ten championships, three Grand Slams, and 43 matches in a row. Currently, the ATP lists him as World No. 1. Also, he has completed an Open Era record shared with Pete Sampras as year-end No. 1 on six occasions.
Djokovic explains in Serve to Win how he survived the bombing of Belgrade, rising to the top tier of his sport from a war-torn childhood. In addition, the diet that improved his health and moved him to the pinnacle, he reveals.
John McEnroe
McEnroe reached the No. 1 world ranking in both singles and doubles, ending his career with 77 singles and 78 doubles titles. This remains the Open Era’s highest combined men’s total. He has won seven singles Grand Slam titles, four at the US Open and three at Wimbledon, and nine doubles Grand Slam titles for men. You can learn more about him in his autobiography – But Seriously: An Autobiography.
Andy Murray
The British professional tennis player from Scotland, Sir Andrew Barron Murray is the 2013 Wimbledon Championships singles champion. The ATP has ranked him as world No. 1 for 41 weeks, and finished as year-end No. 1 in 2016. From July 2008 through October 2017, Murray was ranked in the top 10 for all but one month, and finished no lower than No. 4 in eight of the nine year-end rankings during that time. Moreover. 46 ATP singles titles have been won by Murray, including 14 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.
Andy Murray brings readers on a personal journey through his career in his book – Andy Murray: Seventy-Seven: My Road to Wimbledon Glory. He shares his reflections on the crucial moments of his playing career in this biography. It also reflects the last two dramatic years and offers fans a peek into his world.
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras is a retired professional tennis player from America who started his career in 1988. His specific and powerful service gave him the “Pistol Pete” nickname. Above all, he was enrolled into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007. He is the only man to have won the final Grand Slam tournament in the open era that he played in.
In A Champion’s Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis, Pete expressed openly about the personal challenges he faced.
“Consider this book Sampras’ 15th Grand Slam. A thoroughly compelling read that–apart from retracing a gilded sport career–really probes the ‘hard drive’ of a champion. It’s as if all the emotion and insight that Sampras sometimes seemed reluctant to express during his playing days comes spilling forth.”
—Jon Wertheim, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated and SI.com
Andre Agassi
From 1986 to 2006, Andre Agassi played tennis professionally. He was ranked No. 1 in the world by winning eight singles Grand Slam tournaments and an Olympic gold medal. Agassi is just one of five men to win all four Grand Slam singles titles. Also the only man in history to win GS titles on all three playing surfaces (hardcourt, grass, and clay). He won the Tennis Masters Cup as well and was part of a Davis Cup winning team. Over the years, he won prize money of over $30 million.
To every pivotal match, and every public relationship, Agassi brings a near-photographic memory in his Open: An Autobiography book. Agassi also offers unstinting accounts of his relationships alongside vivid portraits of tennis rivals.
Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player. With her powerful style of play, she reshaped women’s tennis in a better way. She is the former world No. 1 in single women’s tennis. Above all, she won 23 singles Grand Slam titles, the most by any Open Era player. And the second-most behind Margaret Court of all time.
For any true fan of Serena and the Williams sisters, My Life: Queen of the Court is a must read. For instance, Serena shares personal accounts of experiences that have helped shape her as a person and a player who has been very inspiring to many readers.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams is former world No. 1 in both singles and doubles. She is widely recognized as one of the best women’s tennis players of all time. She has won 14 double Grand Slam Women’s titles, all with Serena Williams (sister). She’s got two Mixed Doubles titles as well. Meanwhile, on the women’s professional tennis tour, she is credited with advent of a new age of strength and athleticism.
Maria Sharapova
If you are a fan of Maria Sharapova, you must have already tried Unstoppable: My Life So Far. This is the compelling and inspiring autobiography of Maria Sharapova. She tells her tale from her origins in the small Siberian town to which her parents fled after the Chernobyl disaster. Also about her arrival in the United States from nothing and her phenomenal rise to fame. Which was a result of winning Wimbledon at the age of just seventeen. And of course the tragedies that challenged her career and her fight back.
Conclusion
Are you a fan eagerly waiting to watch or attend these world famous tennis events? Or a player who dreams of playing at any of these events? We hope you’ve got your answers regarding the best tennis events happening in 2021 through this article. We also encourage you to watch and get inspired by these events as true tennis fans!s
Here’s a tip for tennis players. Grab the best tennis equipment like any other player can do in any game like baseball, football, and many others. And make the best of your abilities and talents on the court! Because we know how much you dreamed by watching these events from the television or auditorium to actually play on the court and become the next Rafa. Also, remember him saying – “If you don’t lose, you cannot enjoy the victories. So I have to accept both things.“
