Cédric Pioline: "The bet on a new era has paid off"
Speaking to the press this morning, Tournament Director Cédric Pioline looked back on an eventful 2025 edition of the Rolex Paris Masters, one defined by major innovations. He expressed his great satisfaction about the tournament’s successful transition to its new home at Paris La Défense Arena.
A popular success
Cédric Pioline: We said that the Rolex Paris Masters was entering a new era and I think we can now say that the bet has paid off! We welcomed 220,000 spectators this year, compared to 176,000 in 2024, that’s a huge leap forward. If I remember correctly, the maximum capacity is around 227,000, so we were almost sold out. That’s extremely satisfying. This tournament needed to grow. We might consider a separate ticketing system for Court 1 in the future, but that would have an impact on logistics, pricing structures, and crowd flow, it’s not something you decide overnight.
Players, the first to be convinced
The players are our best ambassadors, and they were all won over by this new environment.
Their spaces - restaurants, locker rooms - have been upgraded, and above all, they appreciated the playing setup. We received very positive feedback about the practice courts and the gym area, which now includes a section of court surface so players can warm up in real match conditions.
Court configuration
The centre court, second-largest indoor court in the world after New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium, along with courts 1 and 2, now offers improved capacity and playing conditions compared to previous editions. We’re proud of this achievement because balancing the experience between centre court and court 1 was a clear objective for us. Fans quickly took ownership of the space, and we’ve seen some incredible atmospheres throughout the week.
Highlights and areas for improvement
We’re fully aware that things aren’t perfect and that there will be room for improvement next year. We’ll conduct an extensive internal debrief, followed by discussions with the ATP. A report will be delivered and although we expect it to be positive, we’ll listen carefully to any feedback. Even though collaboration between all teams has been extremely smooth and constructive, that doesn’t mean we can’t continue striving to improve the event collectively.
Among this year’s highlights, I’d mention the new player walk-on show. The iconic tunnel has been retired: new venue, new stage, new story, and a new show! As for the partitioning between courts, there were concerns about potential noise issues, but it’s actually become one of the event’s distinctive features. The energy, the applause, it all encourages fans to explore what’s happening on other courts. Finally, I’d like to end with another very positive addition: the introduction of wheelchair tennis competitions at the Rolex Paris Masters.
