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ATP and WTA Tours: What’s next after the Australian Open

ATP and WTA Tours: What’s next after the Australian Open


After the Australian Open, both ATP and WTA players face a busy and crucial stretch of the tennis season, with tournaments spanning across the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

For the ATP, the action picks up with the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha (Feb 16-22), followed by the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (Feb 23-Mar 2), where top players like Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Zverev will aim to regain form after Australia. From there, the focus shifts to the U.S. for the Sunshine Double, with Indian Wells (March 4-17) and Miami (March 20-April 1). These prestigious hard-court events are vital for players seeking to fine-tune their games before the clay-court season. The ATP then transitions to Europe for a demanding clay-court swing, starting with the Monte-Carlo Masters (April 13-19), followed by the Barcelona Open (April 20-26) and Madrid Open (May 4-10), before heading to the ultimate challenge of the French Open (May 26-June 8).

Similarly, the WTA tour heads to the Middle East for the WTA Qatar Total Open (Feb 16-22) and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (Feb 23-Mar 2), where top players like Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff will aim to build momentum after their performances in Australia. Afterward, the WTA follows the ATP with stops at Indian Wells (March 4-17) and Miami (March 20-April 1), both crucial for preparing for the French Open. The WTA’s clay-court season begins with the Stuttgart Open (April 21-27) and the Madrid Open (April 28-May 5), offering players an opportunity to hone their skills before heading to the grueling French Open in Paris.

These next few months are critical for both men’s and women’s players as they strive for consistency, navigate injury concerns, and gear up for one of the most prestigious tournaments in tennis. With the transition from hard courts to clay, and the diverse range of conditions and surfaces, the coming months will be a true test for the world’s best.

Inside the Baseline…

The road ahead after the Australian Open feels like a deep breath for both ATP and WTA players, who can finally take a moment to reset before the hectic months ahead. The Middle East swing is always interesting because players either thrive in the fast conditions or struggle to adjust after the grind of Australia. It’s also the time when we start to see players’ true form emerge, whether it’s a breakout performer or a veteran finding their rhythm. With the Sunshine Double on the horizon, you can’t help but feel like it’s the perfect segue into the clay season—a time of reinvention for so many. I always love the contrast between these hard-court battles and the slow grind on clay; it’s a mental and physical shift that separates the good from the great. In the end, this next stretch feels like a necessary but exciting build-up to the most intense part of the season.


Kelly Keller, Tennishead Writer, is not only a journalism graduate with a Masters in Technical Writing from the University of Arkansas, she is also a professional tennis player on the WTA Tour, so to say she's qualified to write about tennis is somewhat of a understatement!