ATP changes schedule for the 2022 ATP Finals to avoid a clash with the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup

ATP changes schedule for the 2022 ATP Finals to avoid a clash with the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup

ATP Finals Trophy, 2022 FIFA World Cup's logo

The 2022 ATP Finals will be the 53rd edition of the tournament for singles while being the 48th edition for doubles. The event is scheduled in Turin for the second year running with the tournament starting on 13th November and the title decider on 20th November.

The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup is also starting on 20th November in Qatar and will be one of the most-watched sporting tournaments this year. However, to avoid a viewership clash with the mega-event of football, the ATP has decided to make amends to their own schedule.

With FIFA revising its schedule for the opening match of the tournament being moved to 5 PM CET, ATP has decided to start the day’s play at 4 PM CET with the doubles finals followed by the singles finals that won’t commence before 7 PM CET.

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3 spots still remain up for grabs for the ATP Finals this year in singles

Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev with their respective 2021 ATP Finals trophies
Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev with their respective 2021 ATP Finals trophies

Earlier, the singles finals were scheduled for 5 PM CET but with the change made by FIFA, the timing has been pushed by 2 hours. A group stage match at the World Cup should be over within 2 hours including the half-time break, giving fans enough time to tune in for the ATP Finals as well.

With the ATP Finals the last tournament on the Tour, the decision by ATP makes sense for both fans and the board. While fans get to enjoy the last official title-deciding match without the need to switch between channels, the Tour will also guarantee its viewership to generate revenue with a higher audience.

So far, in singles, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud have booked their spots for the Year-End Championships. For the remaining 3 spots, a lot depends on the next 3 weeks with 5 tournaments scheduled till 30th October before the 2022 Paris Masters kicks off on 31st October offering 1000 ranking points.

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