This master's thesis examines the impact of organizing ITF World Tennis Tour (WTT) tournaments in Slovenia on the performance of Slovenian male tennis players in the period from 2023 to 2025. The aim of the study was to determine whether and to what extent the organization of domestic international tournaments affects the participation of Slovenian players in these tournaments and their points and ranking achievements. In addition, the purpose of the thesis is to analyze the role of wildcard allocations and the financial investment of Tennis Slovenia in the success of Slovenian players, and to provide Tennis Slovenia and other stakeholders in Slovenian tennis with an insight into this project and its effectiveness. The study is based on a descriptive approach using retrospective analysis of quantitative data obtained from publicly available databases of ATP Tour, International Tennis Federation, and Tennis Slovenia.
The results show that as the number of domestic tournaments changed, the total number of appearances by Slovenian players and their participation in the main draw changed proportionally. In 2023, 6 tournaments were organized, in 2024 nine, and in 2025 eight. The number of different Slovenian players competing in the main draw increased steadily over the three-year period, as did the share of those who earned at least one ATP point at domestic tournaments — rising from 43.8% in 2023 to 56.5% in 2025. The number of Slovenian players on the ATP rankings increased from 12 to 16 during this period, while the average ranking declined, reflecting the entry of new, lower-ranked players. The total number of ATP points earned at domestic tournaments fluctuated in line with the number of tournaments held, while the share of domestic points in total annual ATP points varied considerably across years, reflecting the dependence on individual performances of specific players. The number of wildcards awarded to Slovenian players ranged between 47 and 59 per year, with main draw wildcards ranging from 22 to 28. Results show a positive association between the number of main draw wildcards awarded and the number of ATP points earned. The financial investment by Tennis Slovenia ranged between €110,000 and €155,000 per year, with cost-efficiency — measured as cost per ATP point earned — varying considerably across years, ranging from €1,535 to €4,400 per point.
The findings indicate that organizing WTT tournaments in Slovenia positively affects participation and accessibility of the international competitive system for Slovenian players. The direct impact on performance, assessed in terms of ATP points earned and ATP ranking positions, is moderate but certainly present, and is largely dependent on the individual achievements of specific players and other interrelated factors. The shared view among experts in Slovenian tennis, whom we interviewed, is also that the organization of domestic WTT tournaments represents a step in the right direction for Slovenian tennis. Above all, it provides additional support in the transition to and early stages of professional tennis. At the same time, they emphasize that this is only one of many factors that together determine an individual competitor's chances of success.
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