ATP 250 Tournaments Explained

The gateway to the main ATP Tour, ATP 250 tournaments sit beneath Grand Slams, Masters 1000s, and ATP 500 events in the pecking order.

That said, the 2026 tennis calendar features 29 ATP 250 events played all over the world and across all surfaces (hard, clay, and grass courts). The name for this tournament type is due to the fact that 250 points are allocated to the singles champion.

This guide reveals the full ATP 250 tournaments list, provides a points breakdown per round, and explains how they compare with ATP 500 and Masters 1000 tournaments.

What Are ATP 250 Tournaments?

ATP 250 tournaments have served as a launchpad for emerging players hoping to make a breakthrough on the professional circuit. They are defined by the following characteristics:

•         The category name reflects the 250 points offered to the champion.
•         It is the lowest tier on the main ATP Tour, sitting below Masters 1000 and ATP 500 competitions.
•         ATP 250s contribute the most events on the calendar, and there are 29 in 2026.
•         Events cover all corners of the world and are played on hard, clay, and grass.
•         Top players aren’t required to play ATP 250s, but some use them as a tuning up opportunity ahead of the Grand Slams.
•         ATP 250s are a great starting point for emerging players who have often gone on to win their first title.
•         Grand Slams are organised separately, and therefore aren’t part of the ATP’s tier system.

What Are the ATP 250 Tournaments in 2026?

The 2026 calendar is flooded with ATP 250 tournaments scattered across the world, serving a purpose for young and up-and-coming players. Our table highlights all 29 tournament names, locations, and surfaces contested on:

Hard-Court ATP 250 Tournaments

The ATP 250 tournaments are wide-ranging, so let’s begin by exploring the hard court component:

•         14 of the 29 events take place on hard courts, with five of these indoors, making hard the biggest contributor.
•         The Australian swing starts in January, with events in Brisbane, Adelaide, Auckland, and Hong Kong, all serving as crucial preparation for the Australian Open, the season’s opening Major.
•         Winston-Salem represents the final ATP 250 tune-up event before the US Open.
•         The indoor autumn swing in Europe can be useful for players chasing down a qualifying spot for the ATP Tour Finals. Events take place in Brussels, Lyon and Stockholm.
•         The Asian swing includes Chengdu and Hangzhou (outdoor hard) and Almaty (indoor hard).

Clay-Court ATP 250 Tournaments

There is also a healthy smattering of ATP 250 tournaments run on clay, so this mini section discusses tournaments played on red dirt:

•         During the 2026 campaign, there are 11 events taking place on clay.
•         The South American swing gets things underway in February with tournaments in Buenos Aires and Santiago.
•         The spring events provide preparation for the third Grand Slam of the season, the French Open, with Houston, Marrakech, Bucharest, and Geneva hosting events.
•         There is also a summer swing after Wimbledon. Tournaments are played in Bastad, Gstaad, Umag, Estoril, and Kitzbuhel.

Grass-Court ATP 250 Tournaments

Grass court tournaments are granted a small slot in the ATP calendar, as this section shows:

•         There are four grass court ATP 250 tournaments, and they all take place in June before Wimbledon gets underway — the BOSS Open in Stuttgart, the Libema Open, Mallorca, and Eastbourne.
•         The grass court aspect is therefore the shortest leg of the ATP calendar.
•         Eastbourne is the only ATP 250 event taking place in the UK.

How Does an ATP 250 Tournament Work?

ATP Tour 250 tournaments may not be the most prestigious on the men’s circuit, but there are some distinct features that we’ve underlined in this part of the guide:

•         Tournaments use knockout format, so players are eliminated when they lose.
•         Singles and doubles competitions run concurrently.
•         Most singles draws feature 28 players; Brisbane, however, has 32, while Winston-Salem possesses 48. There are usually 16 doubles teams in ATP 250 draws.
•         In 28-player draws, the top four seeds are awarded a bye.
•         Singles matches are best-of-three-sets.
•         Most events are held over a week.
•         Before the main draw, qualifiers take place.

How Many Ranking Points Are Awarded at ATP 250 Tournaments?

ATP 250 points are lower than at other regular-season events: 250 for the champion, compared with 500 at ATP 500s and 1,000 at Masters 1000s. We’ve produced a table illustrating the points breakdown for 28, 32, and 48-player draws to put things into context.

ATP 250 vs ATP 500

ATP 500 and 250 tournaments may have some similarities, but there are plenty of differences too, and that is largely down to prestige. We’ve underscored them here:

•         ATP 250 champions receive 250 points for winning an event compared to the 500 points ATP 500 champions pick up.
•         There are more ATP 250 events (29) in 2026 compared to ATP 500 tournaments (16).
•         ATP 500s generally tend to attract stronger fields (higher contingent of top-30 players), whereas the game’s biggest stars aren’t expected to take part in the 250s.
•         Draw sizes tend to be smaller for ATP 250s (mostly 28), whereas ATP 500s have 32 or 48 players.
•         The one common thread is that ATP 500s and ATP 250s are week-long, best-of-three-sets knockout competitions.

ATP 250 vs Masters 1000

ATP Masters 1000 events are the most prestigious tier below the Grand Slams. The main differences between Masters 1000 and ATP 250 tournaments:

•         A Masters 1000 champion receives 1,000 points for lifting the title, whereas 250 points are up for grabs for an ATP 250 winner.
•         There are considerably more ATP 250 tournaments (29) during the regular season compared to Masters (nine).
•         Masters 1000s, unlike ATP 250s, are mandatory for top players.
•         They tend to have bigger draws (96 players) and extend over 12 days, putting them more in line with Grand Slams for tournament length.
•         Masters 1000s are on hard or clay courts, while ATP 250s also stage grass events.
•         Here is the hierarchy of events from top to bottom: Grand Slams → Masters 1000 → ATP 500 → ATP 250.
•         The ATP Finals is a separate season-ending event where the top eight players qualify. It has a round-robin stage, followed by the semi-finals and final, with 1,500 points available to the undefeated champion.

ATP 250 Tournaments in the UK

Currently, Eastbourne is the only ATP 250 tournament in the UK. It is played on grass at Devonshire Park in late June, in the week before Wimbledon, and is held alongside the WTA event at the same venue.

Zizou Bergs claimed the Eastbourne title in 2026, beating Frenchman Ugo Humbert in three sets in the Final. The tournament took place between 22 and 27 June.

Queen’s is the only other ATP grass-court UK tournament, but it is more lucrative, offering 500 points to the winner as it has 500 status.

Frequently Asked Questions About ATP 250 Tournaments

How many ATP 250 tournaments are there?

The 2026 calendar contains 29 ATP 250 tournaments, split across hard, clay, and grass courts.

How many points does an ATP 250 winner get?

The singles champion receives 250 points.

Is ATP 250 lower than ATP 500?

Yes, ATP 500 events award twice as many ranking points to the winner.

Are there ATP 250 tournaments in the UK?

Yes, there is Eastbourne which is played on grass in June, directly before the start of Wimbledon.

Are all ATP 250 matches best of three sets?

Yes, all ATP 250 singles matches are played as best of three sets.

Who won Eastbourne in 2026?

Zizou Bergs, who beat Ugo Humbert 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

How many players are in an ATP 250 draw?

Most singles draws have 28 players. Brisbane has 32 and Winston-Salem has 48.

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