An ATP team tournament brings together players who normally compete as individuals, asking them to earn wins for a country or a chosen side. The best-known event to carry the ATP name was the ATP Cup, but it ended after 2022. Its place on the tennis calendar was taken by the United Cup, a mixed-team event run jointly by the ATP and WTA.
That change can make the phrase “ATP team tournament” confusing. Here’s how the former ATP Cup worked, what replaced it, and how other major team events—especially the Davis Cup and Laver Cup—fit into the picture.
What Was the ATP Cup?
The ATP Cup was a men’s national-team competition held in Australia at the start of the season. It ran from 2020 through 2022 and gave top ATP players a chance to represent their countries before the Australian Open. Serbia won the first edition, Russia won in 2021, and Canada took the 2022 title.
Each tie between two countries usually featured two singles matches and a doubles match. The singles contests gave a team’s top player and second player a chance to contribute, while the doubles match could decide a close tie. Matches used best-of-three sets, so a country could not rely on one star alone: depth and doubles chemistry mattered.
The event began with round-robin groups, followed by knockout rounds. Players could earn ATP ranking points and prize money, which set it apart from some exhibition-style team competitions. A strong run could reward a player individually as well as give the team a trophy.
What Replaced the ATP Cup?
The United Cup began in 2023, taking over the early-January team-tennis slot in Australia. It is a joint ATP and WTA event, with men and women representing the same country. A tie includes men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles, giving teams more ways to win than the ATP Cup’s men’s-only lineup.
The mixed doubles rubber can be especially important. If the singles matches are split, the team that handles the deciding doubles match better advances. That makes lineup choices, communication and comfort at the net just as useful as a high singles ranking.
For fans looking for an ATP team tournament today, the United Cup is the closest successor to the ATP Cup. It features ATP players, but it is not an ATP-only event. The distinction matters: the ATP Cup was a men’s national competition, while the United Cup is a combined men’s and women’s event.
How the Main Team Events Compare
| Event | Who competes? | What teams represent | Key difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATP Cup | Men | Countries | Former ATP event; ran from 2020 to 2022 |
| United Cup | Men and women | Countries | Joint ATP-WTA event and ATP Cup successor |
| Davis Cup | Men | Countries | Long-running national competition organized by the ITF |
| Laver Cup | Men | Team Europe and Team World | Short, captain-led event; no ATP ranking points |
ATP Cup vs. Davis Cup: What’s the Difference?
The Davis Cup is often mistaken for an ATP event because many of the world’s leading ATP players compete in it. It is not run by the ATP, though. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) organizes the competition, and players represent their countries. It has a much longer history than the ATP Cup, dating back to 1900.
The formats have changed over time, but the basic idea is national teams competing through singles and doubles matches. For a player, a Davis Cup tie can feel different from a regular tour week: the crowd is strongly behind one country, teammates sit close to the court, and every point adds to a shared result. The ATP Cup offered a similar national-team atmosphere in a separate event, but it was a newer tour competition and has been discontinued.
How the Laver Cup Works
The Laver Cup pits Team Europe against Team World. Players are selected for each side, rather than qualifying through a national team. The event runs over three days, and match wins carry more weight as the weekend goes on: one point on Friday, two on Saturday and three on Sunday. The first team to reach 13 points wins.
That scoring creates a different kind of pressure from a standard tour event. A team may be behind after Friday but still have plenty of time to catch up. Captains also make strategic choices about who plays singles, who pairs up in doubles and when to use their strongest combinations. The Laver Cup is an ATP-sanctioned event, but it does not award ATP ranking points.
Why Team Tennis Can Change the Match
Team events reward skills that can be easy to overlook on the regular tour. A player who is nervous in singles might settle after teammates encourage them between changeovers. A doubles specialist can become the key figure in a deciding rubber. And a captain may choose a matchup based on style—such as a strong returner against a big server—instead of simply sending out the highest-ranked player.
For example, a team might have two players with powerful serves but little experience together in doubles. Another country may have a lower-ranked singles player paired with a regular doubles partner who moves well at the net. In a deciding match, the second team’s familiarity can be more valuable than its opponents’ ranking advantage. That is part of what makes team tennis tactically engaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there still an ATP Cup?
No. The ATP Cup ran from 2020 to 2022. The United Cup took over the early-season team slot in 2023 and includes both men’s and women’s players.
Is the United Cup an ATP tournament?
It is jointly run by the ATP and WTA. It features ATP players, but it is a mixed-team competition rather than a men’s-only ATP event.
Is the Davis Cup part of the ATP Tour?
No. The ITF organizes the Davis Cup. ATP players can represent their countries in it, but that does not make it an ATP-run tournament.
Do players earn ATP ranking points at the Laver Cup?
No. The Laver Cup is an ATP-sanctioned team event, but match results do not earn ATP ranking points.
Final Thoughts
The ATP Cup was a short-lived but popular men’s team competition, and the United Cup is its closest successor. The Davis Cup remains the major ITF-run national contest, while the Laver Cup offers a captain-led Europe-versus-World format. Knowing who organizes each event—and whether players represent a country or a selected side—makes the crowded world of team tennis much easier to follow.
