After retiring from chair umpiring, Carlos Bernardes enjoys new chapter on ATP Challenger Tour

After more than 30 years on the ATP Tour and over 8,000 matches officiated, Carlos Bernardes closed the chapter on his remarkable career at the ATP Finals 2024 in Turin. Nonetheless, the Brazilian, who once oversaw matches on some of the sport’s biggest stages including a Wimbledon final, remains closely connected to tennis.

Now living in Bergamo, he has taken on new responsibilities as a tournament director on the ATP Challenger Tour. On the sidelines of the Monza Open, Bernardes spoke about his new role, the evolution of the sport and why he still enjoys being around the game.

Tourist in Monza

“My wife is working here as part of the official review team, and I had the chance to come as a visitor,” Bernardes explained about his presence in Monza.

“I was here last year, and it was nice, but this year the organizers are doing an unbelievable job. The stands have been packed since Sunday when qualifying started. It’s great to see people coming out to watch tennis—not only the Italian players, but the sport in general.”

Tournament director on the Challenger Tour

Earlier this year, Bernardes stepped into a new role as tournament director at the ATP Challenger event in Cesenatico, Italy, an experience that gave him a completely different perspective on the sport.

“It was very nice and interesting to see the side of the organizers. You have to interact a lot with the players. The team there did a very good job,” he said. “At that time of the year, there is usually nothing going on in that region. Many hotels are closed and the city feels like a ghost town. Because of the tournament, a lot of people came, and it was very successful. The mayor and the city representatives were very happy.”

He will continue in that position at the ATP Challenger in Cervia, Italy in May, where conditions are expected to be quite different.

“It will be at the beginning of the high season, with better weather and outdoor matches. I think we will have more spectators, as the days are longer and there are more hours of sunshine,” Bernardes noted.

One of the more surprising aspects of his new role has been dealing with players’ lack of awareness regarding tournament procedures.

“Some players don’t really know the rules, especially those coming from lower-level events. They don’t always read the fact sheet, like deadlines for hotel reservations. I had quite a few conversations about that,” he said.

Tennis family

While he no longer sits in the umpire’s chair, Bernardes admits that it is not the officiating he misses most. “Not the umpiring itself,” he said with a laugh, “but the people. I met some colleagues here that I haven’t seen in more than 10 years. That’s really nice.”

For many of today’s umpires, I was a kind of teacher at some point. It’s like a second family, Carlos Bernardes

Looking back on his early days on the Challenger Tour, Bernardes recalls how much the sport has evolved.

“We once stayed in a hotel with no stars—the only star was you,” he joked. “It was raining and we had water in the room; it was a disaster. We used to share rooms with two, three or even four people to save money. It’s incredible to see how professional everything has become. I’ve been around for 40 years and have seen how much conditions have improved.”

Despite stepping away from officiating, Bernardes remains closely connected with many colleagues. “Sometimes I watch matches on TV and comment on their decisions,” he said with a smile. “For many of today’s umpires, I was a kind of teacher at some point. It’s like a second family—you spend so much time together on tour.”

New technology, new challenges

The game itself has also changed significantly, particularly with the introduction of new technologies. “This is not only about sport, but it also affects every day life,” Bernardes explained. “With artificial intelligence and automated systems, things are different now. Umpires don’t have the same communication with players about decisions anymore. Their role is more about explaining what’s happening to the crowd or on TV. It’s completely different from when we started.”

Even after retiring, Bernardes remains a passionate fan of the sport. Asked which match he would pay to watch, his answer came quickly.

“I really like Alexander Bublik and his style," he said. "He can put on a great show and is dangerous for anyone. I also like Carlos Alcaraz and his creativity. There aren’t many ‘magicians’ left like Fabrice Santoro, but Bublik against Alcaraz—that’s a match I would definitely watch.”