Saudi Arabia makes massive $2 billion offer for combined ATP-WTA tennis tour in exchange for new Masters 1000 event in January: Reports
According to new reports, the PIF (Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund) has decided to make roads in tennis by offering a massive $2 billion bid for a combined men's and women's tour. In exchange, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will get to host a new Masters 1000 event in January.
As reported by the Telegraph on Tuesday, ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi held a discussion with the organizers of the Masters events in Indian Wells, where he briefed them on the offer. The offer - $1 billion each for the ATP and the WTA (Women's Tennis Association) - is rumored to come with a 90-day deadline.
If the deal is accepted, Saudi Arabia will host a Masters 1000 event to herald the new year. As per the reports, the merger is being strongly opposed by Tennis Australia, the host of the Australian Open, as the opening week slot is currently held by them to organize the United Cup.
With the United Cup being used as a warm-up event to the season's first Grand Slam, the tournament witnessed significant participation in 2024, with the likes of WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek, ATP No. 1 Novak Djokovic and others opting to play there. Australia also holds a number of ATP 250 events during the time in Adelaide and Brisbane, where the likes of Rafael Nadal and Grigor Dimitrov were in action this time around.
It is pertinent to note that the ATP recently entered into a deal with the PIF, wherein they take over as the naming partner of the rankings as well as becoming a partner at six major tournaments across the season, including the ATP Finals.
New Saudi Arabia tennis ambassador Rafael Nadal recently addressed the country's inroads into tennis
Prior to the deal with the ATP, Saudi Arabia appointed Rafael Nadal as its new tennis ambassador, a move that did not go down well with tennis fans on social media. For those unaware, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a longstanding history of human rights violations, as well as displaying a rather conservative outlook towards women and LGBTQ+ communities.
When Nadal signed the deal, he came under criticism for participating in the country's "sportswashing" attempt by selling himself to money, a stance that the Spaniard understood but refused to accept.
"I don't think Saudi Arabia needs me to wash any image. It is a country that has opened up to the world and it is a country with great potential, okay? Therefore, it is logical that the world is going there and the feeling is that everything is bought with money and that now Rafa has also sold himself to money. I understand that people think that, of course they do," Nadal said.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion, instead, believes that there is a chance of progress in the country. Nadal also accepted the premise that he might end up being wrong a few years down the line, but it was risk he was willing to take
"Are there things that need to be improved today? Without a doubt. It is a country that is very behind in many things, it has recently opened. If the country does not achieve the evolution that I believe it needs to follow in the next 10-15 years, I will tell you that I was completely wrong," he said.