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| Chris Kermode | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chris Kermode |
| Birth date | 1965 |
| Birth place | Manchester, England |
| Occupation | Tennis executive, former professional tennis player, lawyer |
| Known for | Executive Chairman and President of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) |
Chris Kermode
Christopher Kermode is a British tennis executive, former professional player and lawyer who served as Executive Chairman and President of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He led organizational, commercial and governance initiatives for the ATP, presiding over the ATP World Tour and the ATP Challenger Tour during periods of negotiation with Grand Slam tournaments and national federations. His tenure drew attention across international sports organizations such as the International Tennis Federation, the United States Tennis Association, and major tournaments including Wimbledon and the US Open.
Born in Manchester, England, Kermode grew up in a milieu connected to British sport and law, attending schools that fed into British higher education systems and legal training. He studied law at an English university and completed professional legal qualifications that connected him to institutions such as the Inns of Court and solicitors' offices in London and regional legal chambers. Early influences included exposure to British sporting culture and connections with organizations like the Lawn Tennis Association and Manchester-based sporting clubs.
Kermode competed briefly on the professional tennis circuit, participating in tournaments that are part of the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF circuits, and encountered contemporaries from the ATP tour such as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal during his playing and coaching contacts. He later played in veteran and exhibition events alongside former players associated with Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open, and the US Open. His playing background informed later work with entities like the ATP Player Council and national federations including the United States Tennis Association and Tennis Australia.
Kermode joined the ATP organization in roles connected to legal affairs and tournament relations and advanced to chief executive positions within the ATP structure, eventually becoming Executive Chairman and President. In that capacity he worked with the ATP Board, ATP Player Council, tournament directors from events such as the Miami Open, Indian Wells Masters, Madrid Open, Italian Open, and Hamburg European Open, and negotiated with Grand Slam committees behind tournaments like Wimbledon, Roland Garros, the Australian Open, and the US Open. He engaged with stakeholders including sponsors such as Rolex, Emirates, and Kia, broadcasters like ESPN, BBC Sport, and Sky Sports, and governing bodies including the International Tennis Federation and national federations like the Lawn Tennis Association, French Tennis Federation, and Tennis Australia.
During his tenure Kermode oversaw reforms to the ATP calendar, player rankings, and tournament categorizations affecting the ATP Tour 250, ATP Tour 500, and ATP Masters 1000 levels, coordinating with entities such as the Grand Slam Board, the Tennis Integrity Unit, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. He championed initiatives related to player welfare, locker-room access, and prize-money distribution, engaging with stakeholders including the ATP Player Council, player representatives like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Stan Wawrinka, and tournament executives from Roland Garros and the Queen’s Club Championships. Commercial deals and media rights negotiations involved partners such as IMG, Live Nation, and global broadcasters including Eurosport and NBCUniversal. He also interacted with international sports organizations such as the International Olympic Committee and national Olympic committees during tennis at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
Kermode’s leadership attracted criticism from players, player agents, and commentators over issues such as scheduling, ranking point allocations for tournaments including Monte Carlo and Barcelona, and decisions around tournament status and prize-money distribution involving events such as the ATP Finals and ATP Cup. Disputes occasionally involved prominent figures including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and player representatives, and raised questions addressed in forums like the ATP Board, press coverage by The Times, The Guardian, Bloomberg, and Reuters, and commentary from organizations such as the International Tennis Federation. Criticism also touched on governance transparency and relations with national federations such as the Lawn Tennis Association and Tennis Australia.
Kermode is married and has family ties in England, maintaining connections with Manchester-area institutions and sporting clubs. Outside tennis he has been involved with legal and commercial networks in London, engaging with professional organisations and charitable activities linked to sports and youth development, interacting with entities including local councils, foundations, and community sports programmes.
Category:British sports executives Category:ATP people Category:British male tennis players