Rafa Nadal has signed a multi-million dollar deal to be an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation as they step up spending in tennis. The Kingdom’s huge spending in sport has seen Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar play in the Saudi Pro League and Jon Rahm join LIV Golf. They have also secured the 2034 football World Cup.
Now after bringing the Next Gen ATP Finals to Jeddah and trying to land the WTA Finals, Saudi Arabia’s desire to increase investment in tennis has been shown with the signing of one of the greatest players of all time. The Spanish superstar, who turns 38 in June, pulled out of the Australian Open with a hip injury and has admitted this season will “probably” be his last on Tour.
And after on-court earnings of £106,187,929.48 ($134,659,704) during a career where he has won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, world No.446 Nadal has signed for the Saudis and claimed he wants to “help the sport grow far and wide across the world”. The Spaniard had agreed to play an exhibition match in the Kingdom with Novak Djokovic in December 2018 but the event was cancelled after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia wants a full ATP or WTA Tour event – preferably a Masters tournament – and Nadal’s signing is another step in the PR campaign. In a statement, the 14-time French Open champion said: “Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you can see growth and progress and I’m excited to be part of that. I continue to play tennis as I love the game.
“But beyond playing I want to help the sport grow far and wide across the world and in Saudi there is real potential. The kids here today are looking to the future and have a real passion for all sports. If I can help them pick up a racquet or simply get fit and enjoy the benefits of healthy living, then I’ll be happy to have made a difference.”
The press release claimed that sports participation for men and women in Saudi Arabia had more than tripled since 2015. But critics such as Amnesty International have accused the Kingdom of “sportswashing” by using sport to clean up its international reputation.
Tennis is one of the most high-profile female sports and there was opposition from Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert to taking the WTA Finals to Saudi Arabia because of the treatment of women.
Speaking on ESPN before the start of the Australian Open, John McEnroe claimed “it wouldn’t shock me” if the season-ending event went to Saudi. The American legend added: “Let’s put it this way: money talks. ‘Oh, no, I wouldn’t do that. How much was I offered? On second thought maybe I will do that.”
“Personally, I disagree with it completely, with the golf and the tennis,” McEnroe added. “The ladies are going to play the WTA Finals there? Are you kidding me? Because they treat women so well? That part is to me is laughable.
“At the same time, which is also laughable, is the people that can criticise tennis players or golfers for doing something that virtually every business and the government do, which is deal with Saudi Arabia. This idea that tennis players have to set the moral standard, or golfers for that matter, when they’re all making the money, it’s a total joke as far as I’m concerned. We’ll see what happens.”
