The ATP has approved the extension of its off-season to seven weeks from 2012, ATP president Adam Helfant announced.
The extension of the season break was designed to allow players more time for rest and training, and was approved for the 2012 and 2013 ATP World Tour calendars by the Tour Board at its London meetings held in conjunction with the World Tour Finals.
"The length of the off-season is arguably the biggest issue confronting the sport of tennis, and it was the responsibility of the ATP to find a way to address the problem," Helfant said.
"I'm pleased to say there was broad consensus among our members that the players, and the sport as a whole, needed a longer off-season, and that both the player and the tournament representatives on the ATP Board found a way to come together and make meaningful progress for the sport."
The changes were achieved by removing the free week between the BNP Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals, which may result in higher-profile players skipping Paris to focus on the season-ending tournament.
Helfant said the idea behind the schedule alteration was to ensure the best players were on court more often with less injuries.
"The health and wellbeing of our players is paramount. Preserving and extending their playing careers is critical for the long-term good of the sport," Helfant said.