The South American Tour Is in Danger… and Tennis Would Lose a Lot Without It

Carlos Navarro | 13 Feb 2026 | 18.38

Are tournaments like the Argentina Open in danger? Source: Getty

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The South American tour is unconditional passion. Stands packed to the brim cheering on players who find refuge in a time of year with the scent of yesteryears, of moments from a more atomized circuit, of globality without looking so much towards oil-rich and money paradises. Each season, we talk about tournaments like the ATP Buenos Aires and Rio as special events, of a different color... but every year we unfortunately warn of the danger that tournaments face which do not stand out in the unconditional currency of the current management of the circuit: money.

While these tournaments are struggling for various reasons, the ATP is looking towards Saudi Arabia and does not hide its preferred location for the staging of the new and brilliant tenth Masters 1000 on the circuit: February. A direct collision with those who prefer Argentine, Brazilian, or Chilean clay; an almost deadly blow to the heart of places where tennis is breathed, from the first to the last seat in their Central Courts.

The presence of Andrea Gaudenzi, president of the body governing the world circuit, in Buenos Aires (starting this Thursday; he will also be in Rio, while skipping Santiago, perhaps a premonition of what may happen in the near future), is a demonstration that something is brewing behind the scenes. The ATP's push towards 1000 and 500 category tournaments, veering towards a "premium" calendar that clearly reduces 250 category events, and the likely calendar slot for the Saudi tournament, are topics under discussion in an arrival that raises more doubts than certainties: no press communications will be held, giving his visit a mystical aura that does not seem to bode well.

Could this be the new placement of the South American tour on the calendar? Is it viable?

Seba Torok commented in LA NACION that alternatives are being considered so that such valuable pieces of tennis history do not lose their place each season. One solution that seems to be on the table is to move this tour to September and October, just after the US Open: while the travel for many players would remain within the same continent, it seems more unlikely than ever that many top players decide to play on clay... before heading to the Asian or indoor tour, locations where the surfaces are faster than ever.

Meanwhile, the words of those who travel to Argentina, Brazil, or Chile are crystal clear. Matteo Berrettini, who is not even local, highlighted the richness of the atmosphere on the Central Court of the Argentine tournament, giving credit to a tournament he had not visited before (in fact, he expressed that experiencing the tournament atmosphere was one of his motivations to say yes). Mariano Navone gave a lucid example illustrating how passion and the presence of fans on the court have taken a back seat: he played a match in a Chinese tournament, against Learner Tien, with barely five people on the Central Court, whereas every evening session at the Buenos Aires Tennis Club is a success, with many days sold out.

It's the eternal unsolvable debate, the inexorable passage of time, a reflection of a society that looks solely at profit margins and the pursuit of wild growth, regardless of what may be left behind. With the now confirmed presence of Saudi Arabia in 2028, perhaps this is the penultimate week of the South American tour as we have always known it: a revolution is brewing internally where the circuit does not grant these tournaments a dominant role. Perhaps it is one of the biggest mistakes Gaudenzi could make... and from here, we advocate for the role of weeks that bring magic to the circuit. What feasible solutions do you see in the short and medium term?

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La gira sudamericana corre peligro... y el tenis perdería mucho sin ella