"This tournament has cost us money, but the goal was to ensure that it stayed here in France"

A new edition of the Paris Masters 1000 has concluded, the last of the year and the one responsible for putting the finishing touch to the tournament season in this category. However, things were different this time: the event moved in a new direction, inside the impressive La Defense Arena, a new home after more than 40 years where Bercy had been the venue for the French tournament.

A move of this kind always comes with complications. The intricacies of such a change, although aimed at evolution, are complex and require meticulous work that the fans sometimes do not see. All of this was discussed in a press conference by Cédric Pioline, director of the ATP Rolex Paris Masters 2025. He gave an informative and entertaining speech about how the changes have impacted the tournament economically, the future of the Masters 1000 following the arrival of Arabia Saudí in tennis, and many other topics.

Cédric Pioline, tournament director, evaluates the ATP Rolex Paris Masters 2025 and reveals the costs of an event of this magnitude

- Review after a year of changes and satisfaction with the event's evolution

"We had said that the Paris tournament was entering a new era. And it has come true. We had an attendance of approximately 220,000 spectators. In 2024, the numbers were 176,000, so this is a significant step forward that we are very proud of. The players have been the best ambassadors: they are very satisfied with the project we have offered them, with the facilities and new areas at their disposal: dressing rooms, players' area, the general setup, practice courts, the new gym area...

The Central Court has increased its capacity to 17,500 spectators, the second-largest capacity court in the world after the Arthur Ashe in New York, but the largest in Europe. Courts 1 and 2 have greatly improved, both in playing conditions and capacity. Court 1, in particular, has functioned very well. It's something we are very proud of and what the tournament aimed for, to find a certain balance between outdoor courts and the Central Court, and the fans have embraced this Court 1."

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- The tournament's harsh economic reality after the move from Bercy

"The results have been very satisfactory, I must say, without going into complete numerical details as this is confidential. The truth is that this tournament costs us more money than the earnings generated, but the goal of the French Tennis Federation has not been financial. The objective was not to make more money, but to ensure that this tournament stays with us, in France. One of the reasons we relocated here was so that the tournament could be in a larger venue, to make it a bigger event, to start a new chapter in the life of this event. Since 1986, for 40 years we had a beautiful tournament in Bercy, but we needed to step up. The goal was not economic, even though we ended up with a lower margin compared to 2024."

- As a Masters 1000 director, evaluation of a year where Alcaraz and Sinner seem well above the rest, but with room for stories like Mensik's or Vacherot's

"The ATP calendar is moving at an intense speed, there's no doubt. We forget that during the spring, Sinner barely played Masters 1000. There was a time when we had a Big-4, then a Big-3, and now a Big-2. Will we have a Big Three again? I hope so because the more, the merrier. We need time to see if a victory is just a fleeting success or a long-lasting one: currently Alcaraz and Sinner are ahead of the rest. This is evident in the Grand Slams. However, in the Masters 1000, there is more space. They cannot win everything all the time. There is a 4,000-point difference between them and the next player, showing how much these players stand out currently compared to their peers."

- A tournament known for its affordable prices, offering a lower profit margin, with interesting details that many are unaware of

"Regarding ticket sales, we have been very stable, unlike in 2024. As for the ticket prices, this was what we aimed for. We wanted to maintain these prices. Now we have a larger attendance, but a higher capacity does not necessarily mean more profit. We have additional costs, and the contract is not the same as we had with the Bercy arena. I will give you some clues."

"We currently have 9,000 square meters of curtains. These are not the shower curtains you have at home. The price per square meter is not the same, but you can calculate what it represents. This is quite costly but necessary for the comfort of players and fans. We also have grandstands and temporary sections, where we make an investment. We purchased them and adapted to our liking. I will draw a comparison with the real estate market: when you have a 100 square meter apartment and move to a 200 square meter one, of course, it costs more. For example, we have a stunning press area. We love it. But there are costs everywhere, some hidden. There are things you don't see, but they cost money. When it all adds up, it comes out for us to pay. Still, we are proud because we have seen that it was worth it."

- The issue of court speed, much slower than last year

"We don't have the ability to specify something particular in terms of CPI. We can't say: 'We want courts with a CPI of 35.5, 36, or 37.' We offer a range. We wanted a slower court than last year, that was clear. However, I would like to emphasize something. Of the four semi-finalists, three spoke about the court or the balls... but if they reached the semi-finals, it's for a reason. Felix, for example, said the balls were trash. He said that in the first round. I told him that after making it to the final, maybe they aren't so bad, right? But these are debates between the tournament and the players, and I've been a former player, I know how they feel when they arrive at a completely new place, and I know that making comment after comment is not constructive. I believe we have reached a good compromise with the surface for all tennis styles."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Este torneo nos ha costado dinero, pero el objetivo era asegurar que se quedase aquí, en Francia"