The Erste Bank Open in Vienna and the Swiss Indoors in Basel both run from 24 October to 1 November, and they are the last two ATP 500 tournaments of 2026. That makes them the final chance this season to earn 500-level ranking points, to complete the 500 commitment the top players owe the tour, and to qualify for the full share of a $3,075,000 bonus pool. This is how the tier works.
Where the ATP 500 Sits
The 2026 ATP Rulebook divides ATP Tour tournaments into the Nitto ATP Finals, the United Cup, the ATP Masters 1000, the ATP 500 and the ATP 250. The Grand Slams, the Davis Cup, Challengers and ITF events are separate categories of event. The 500 level is the step between the Masters 1000 events and the 250s.
There are 16 ATP 500 events in 2026, grouped by the ATP into three swings:
- Swing 1: Rotterdam, Rio de Janeiro, Doha, Dallas, Dubai, Acapulco, Barcelona, Munich
- Swing 2: Hamburg, London (Queen’s), Halle, Washington
- Swing 3: Beijing, Tokyo, Vienna, Basel
A 500 has a qualifying draw half the size of its main draw. Its centre court must seat at least 7,000 for an outdoor event and 6,000 indoors, against 3,500 and 2,500 for a 250.
Ranking Points
The champion receives 500 points, half the Masters 1000 figure and twice the 250 figure. The 2026 singles distribution is:
- Winner: 500
- Finalist: 330
- Semifinalist: 200
- Quarterfinalist: 100
- Round of 16: 50
- Round of 32 (48-player draws only): 25
Qualifiers earn 25 points at a 32-player event and 16 at a 48-player event. A player who loses in the final qualifying round earns 13 and 8 respectively.
How 500 Results Count
The ATP ranking is built from 18 results. For a top player who plays every event with automatic entry, that means the four Grand Slams, the eight automatic-entry Masters 1000s and six “best other” results, with the Nitto ATP Finals added as a 19th. The best-other group is where ATP 500 results go, alongside the United Cup, the Monte-Carlo Masters, ATP 250s, Challengers and ITF events. A 500 title therefore competes with a 250 title or a Monte-Carlo run for one of six places, rather than occupying a reserved slot of its own.
Who Has to Play Them
A 2026 commitment player is any man who was in the Top 30 of the ATP singles rankings on 10 November 2025. His commitment covers every Masters 1000 he is accepted into, the Nitto ATP Finals if he qualifies or is named alternate, and four ATP 500 tournaments, one of which must be played after the US Open. For commitment and ranking purposes, Monte-Carlo counts toward that minimum of four, even though it is a Masters 1000.
In return, commitment players are accepted automatically into the main draw of any ATP 500 they enter properly. They are also barred from playing exhibitions during a 500’s tournament week, or within 30 days before or after it if the exhibition is within 100 miles or in the same market.
The Bonus Pool
The ATP 500 Fixed Bonus Pool is $3,075,000 in 2026. It goes to the top six players by ranking points earned at ATP 500 events during the season. Seventy percent is paid as fixed amounts, from $1,025,000 for first place down to $51,250 for sixth, and the other 30 percent is paid per point after the season ends. Monte-Carlo points do not count toward this pool.
To collect the full amount, a player must play four ATP 500 events, including at least one from each swing. Each event missed below four costs 15 percent for one, 30 percent for two and the whole bonus for three or more, and each swing left unfulfilled costs a further 25 percent, with the reductions added together. An event does not count as missed if the player’s ranking would not have earned him direct entry. A player out of all competition for at least 30 consecutive days through physician-verified injury or illness keeps his bonus for a missed swing if he still plays four 500s across the year. The Masters 1000 and Finals pool works on different rules, set out in GTN’s ATP bonus pool explainer.
Why Vienna and Basel Matter
Vienna and Basel are the only Swing 3 events left once Beijing and Tokyo are played. A player who has not yet entered a post-US Open 500 has one week, and a choice of two cities, to meet that part of his commitment and his swing requirement for the bonus.
They are also the last 500-level points before the Paris Masters, after which the top seven in the Race to Turin qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. For players near the cut-off, a week in Vienna or Basel can decide a place in Turin. GTN’s Race to Turin tracker follows the standings.
ATP 500 vs Other Tiers
| Level | Winner Points | Typical Draw |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam | 2,000 | 128 |
| Masters 1000 | 1,000 | 56–96 |
| ATP 500 | 500 | 32–48 |
| ATP 250 | 250 | 28–32 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ATP 500 tournaments are there?
There are 16 in 2026, grouped into three swings across the season.
Are ATP 500 tournaments mandatory?
For commitment players, yes. A man in the Top 30 on the November cut-off date must play four, one of them after the US Open, and Monte-Carlo counts toward the four.
Do ATP 500 winners receive automatic seeding advantages?
No direct seeding guarantees, but the ranking points they earn feed into seedings everywhere else.
Sources: 2026 ATP Rulebook, Chapter 1; ATP Rankings FAQ.
