Serve On SI

Rolex Paris Masters Announces Major Changes for 2025

The final ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year will undergo major changes in 2025.

Pat Benson

Alexander Zverev won the final Paris Rolex Masters to be played in Bercy.
Alexander Zverev won the final Paris Rolex Masters to be played in Bercy. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The 2024 Rolex Paris Masters delivered an incredible product to tennis fans in Bercy and those who watched from all over the world. There was drama, upsets, and rowdy fans.

Last week's action will send as a bitter-sweet sendoff for an important chapter of the tournament's history. On Tuesday, the ATP and tournament organizers announced sweeping changes to build on its momentum.

First, the tournament will no longer be played at Accor Arena (formerly known as Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy). The venue served as the host since 1986, before then the ATP Tour created the Masters 1000 Series of events in 1990.

Starting in 2025, the tournament will be played in Paris La Défense Arena. Europe's largest indoor arena, with its state-of-the-art facilities, will host the 40th edition of the tournament. Fans can watch the 50-second social media video below for a sneak peek at the new venue.

According to French Tennis Federation, the new venue will make it possible to set up four competition courts, including a center court with a seating capacity of 16,500 and a practice court. The player areas will also be extended, enhanced, and modernized.

To accommodate the larger crowds and enhance the fan experience, the venue will enable optimized crowd-flow management, in particular for ticket holders for evening sessions, thanks to its large, covered reception hall with catering areas and giant screens.

Additionally, Rolex Paris Masters unveiled the tournament's new signature: "Vibrons plus grand" (Ever more vibrant). This captures the event's desire to offer an intense experience to fans and players by sharing the kind of powerful emotions that only a major indoor tournament can guarantee.

The move from the Southeast corner of Paris in Bercy to the Northwest suburb of Nanterre will still have excellent transport links (by RER, metro, tramway, etc.) This is truly an end of an error for French tennis.

Regardless of how fans feel about the move, no one can deny that Bercy bid adieu in stunning fashion this year. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

More ATP Tennis News

Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

Home/News