1. Australian Summer (January)

Starting at the beginning of the year and culminating with the Australian Open. Includes Australian ATP tournaments, ATP Cup, and regional AO lead-in tournaments like Doha. The CH Tour also has Australian and regional (ie, Noumea) tournaments that begin in late November, take a 6 week break and begin again at the start of the new year.

Challenger Tour Swings during this part of the year:

•Australian Summer Challenger Swing from late October to late February, including regional tournaments before and immediately after the AO (for example, tournaments like Chennai).

•Spring North American Hardcourt Swing from the beginning of the year, acting as a primer for North Americans heading to AO, and continuing through March, with tournaments leading up to the Sunshine Double.

2. Open Season (Feb-end of March)

The name I have given to that time in the season not leading to any grand slams or the tour finals. Really consists of 3 mini-seasons or swings:

a. Spring European Indoor Swing: Various indoor hardcourt tournaments in Europe, culminating in ATP 500 Rotterdam.

b. South American Golden Swing: 4 South American clay court tournaments, highlighted by ATP 500 Rio.

c. Spring North American Harcourt Swing: Beginning in NY and Delray, including ATP 500 Acapulco, and culminating with the Sunshine Double.

Challenger Tour Swings during this part of the year:

•Spring North American HC Swing concludes after Indian Wells with Phoenix CH 125. Includes several American tournaments and a 4-tournament Mexican Swing.

•Spring European Indoor Hardcourt Swing from post-AO to the end of March and heading into European clay season, with most tournaments held in France.

•Challenger Golden Swing has a couple South American clay challengers sandwiched around the tour’s golden swing.

•Spring East Asian Swing from February to May, going from Thailand, Japan, Taipei, with mini-swings in China and Korea.

3. Clay Season (April-May)

Starting with Houston/Marrakech and culminating with the French Open.

Challenger Tour Swings during this part of the year:

•Spring hardcourt swings in Asia and North America conclude in May.

•U.S. green clay swing includes 3 tournaments in the SE U.S.

•European Challenger Clay Season: Pretty much lasts all summer, with swings in Spain in the spring, France in summer, Germany in late summer. Also mini-swings in Central Asia in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and in Portugal. Italy’s clay season lasts all summer, from late April through September, and includes 15 clay challengers.

4. Grass Season (June-July)

Six tournaments leading into grass court Mecca, Wimbledon.

Challenger Tour Swings during this part of the year:

•UK Grass Swing includes three CH125s

• North American Summer Hardcourt Season begins, leading up to USO

4b. There is a mini-clay season post-Wimby in July, highlighted by ATP 500 Hamburg.

5. USO Series (July-Aug)

Series of North American tournaments leading up to the USO in late Aug/early Sep

Challenger Tour Swings during this part of the year:

• Summer North American HC season continues alongside USO Series, including a swing through Canada.

• European Summer HC swing includes a few outdoor HCs leading up to the USO.

6. Fall Hardcourt Season

Really two separate swings: the Asian Swing leading to Shanghai M1000, and the Fall European Indoor HC Swing, leading to M1000 Paris and the Tour Finals.

Challenger Tour Swings during this part of the year:

•Fall Asian Swing played alongside the Tour’s Asian Swing and lasting until the end of the year.

•Fall Euro Indoor HC played alongside the Tour’s indoor HC season and lasting until the end of the year.

•Fall USTA Pro Circuit begins post-USO and concludes at the end of the year.

•Fall Challenger South American Swing from late September until the end of the year.

•The start of the Australian Summer, beginning in late October and continuing into the new year and the Australian Open, where it all starts up again.