Carlos Alcaraz backs Rafael Nadal's decision to become ambassador for tennis in Saudi Arabia

Rafael Nadal plans to open Rafa Nadal Academy

Rafael Nadal has signed a deal with the Saudi Arabia Tennis Federation, the state-owned tennis body of Saudi Arabia, and will assume the role of ambassador to enhance the sport’s presence in the country. The announcement was made on January 16th via the official accounts of Rafael Nadal and the Saudi Tennis Federation.

Carlos Alcaraz voiced his support for Rafael Nadal’s decision to represent the Saudi Tennis Federation as its ambassador in an interview with Marca. According to Alcaraz, Nadal’s move is beneficial as it will promote tennis in a country that is opening up to the world of sport.

In his new role, the former World No. 1 will be promoting tennis in the Middle Eastern kingdom and plans to open a Rafa Nadal Academy there eventually. The successful efforts to attract Nadal are part of a larger plan by the kingdom to penetrate into tennis and other sports.

The “King of Clay” will spend time each year in the desert kingdom to help increase interest in the sport. Nadal is expected to participate in the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, which runs from February 19-24 in Doha.

Saudi Arabia already hosts the Next Gen ATP Finals for top players under 21 in Jeddah through 2027. The desert kingdom previously hosted high-profile exhibition matches in 2023, where Novak Djokovic played with Carlos Alcaraz, and Ons Jabeur faced off against Aryna Sabalenka.

The ‘Six Kings Slam’ is also scheduled for later in 2024, with Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, and Daniil Medvedev confirmed to play.

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There are ongoing discussions about the Women’s Tennis Association moving the season-ending WTA Finals to Riyadh, with players expressing both support and opposition to the move.

Tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have criticized the reported move, amid growing speculation that the 2024 WTA Finals will be held in Riyadh. The Middle Eastern kingdom has a poor record on women’s rights and gay rights and is known to suppress dissent under Mohammed Bin Salman.

Women’s World No. 1 player Iga Swiatek is undecided about the potential move of the WTA finals to the kingdom, stating that it was difficult to assess whether the plans for the women’s tour to head to the Gulf country would yield a positive outcome. World No. 6 and Tunisian Ons Jabeur entered the debate, saying she would support the move by both playing and campaigning for the cause.

Former World No.1 Andy Roddick also expressed his concerns, questioning how a WTA event will impact LGBTQ+ players such as Daria Kasatkina.

Billie Jean King, a member of the Original 9 that founded the WTA, stated that she strongly believes in engagement as a catalyst for change. She predicts a WTA event will soon be added to the Saudi calendar.

Saudi Arabia’s role in tennis and the broader sporting world has led to polarized opinions and created divisions where none previously existed. The desert kingdom’s financial power makes it crucial for the authorities to reach a consensus.

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