The tennis players’ association ATP has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF. In the future, the Saudis will sponsor, among others, the renowned ATP tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami as well as the ATP Finals.
As the ATP and the sovereign wealth fund PIF announced in a joint statement on Wednesday (February 28, 2024), the cooperation is intended to represent “an important joint commitment to promote global tennis.” Accordingly, the PIF will now be an official partner of the ATP rankings as well as the ATP tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing, the ATP finals at the end of the season in Turin and the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah.
ATP boss Calvelli: “Important moment for tennis”
ATP boss Massimo Calvelli described the new agreement as “a significant moment for tennis.” Saudi Arabia had recently intensified its efforts in tennis and, among other things, hired 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal as an ambassador. Last December, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz traveled to Riyadh for an exhibition match.
Nadal, Djokovic, Alcaraz – big tennis names in Saudi Arabia
Next October, right in the middle of the ATP season, the desert state will host a top-class show tournament for the first time with a total of five Grand Slam winners. In addition to Nadal, Grand Slam record champion Djokovic and Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner will also be playing at the “Six Kings Slam” in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia on the rise in world sport
The cooperation with men’s tennis can be seen as the next step in the kingdom’s sportswashing strategy, which has come under international criticism because of the human rights situation there. Saudi Arabia has been making headlines for years as the host of major sporting events – most recently, football stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema were lured into the Saudi league with astronomical salaries. Several clubs there are controlled by the state fund PIF.
It is well known that the Saudis want the 2034 World Cup – and will probably get it. In boxing too, the biggest fights now take place in Riyadh. In golf, the LIV Tour has poached numerous top players. However, the cooperation with the professional tour PGA is under scrutiny by US judicial authorities because of possible violations of antitrust law.