Saudi PIF links up with ATP in bid to boost tennis in kingdom

Saudi Arabia has made its biggest foray into tennis yet, as its Public Investment Fund yesterday announced a multiyear strategic partnership with the Association of Tennis Professionals.

The PIF will become the official naming partner of the ATP rankings, with the world No 1, presented by PIF, to be crowned at the ATP Finals each year.

The PIF will partner with ATP

Tour events in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing and the ATP Finals.

It will also be the presenting partner of the Next Gen ATP Finals for men’s under-21 players, which will take place in Jeddah each year until 2027.

The ATP called the deal “a significant shared commitment to enhancing global tennis for players, fans, tournament organisers and stakeholders at all levels of the sport”.

“Following the launch of the

ATP’s Baseline programme earlier this year, the PIF has further committed to develop and unlock new opportunities for young players and player pathway initiatives, providing a significant boost to the game’s next generation of stars,” it said.

Tennis has been growing rapidly in Saudi Arabia over the past few years, with the number of registered players growing by an estimated 46 per cent since 2019. The PIF hopes the deal will help young Saudis to get involved in tennis by developing state-of-the-art facilities and coaching.

Last month, 22-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal was announced as an ambassador of the Saudi Tennis Federation.

Meanwhile, discussions have taken place with the Women’s Tennis Association with the hope of staging the WTA Finals in the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia has been making serious inroads into various sports around the globe.

The PIF reshaped the world of golf in 2021 with the establishment of LIV Golf as a rival to the PGA.

That same year, it purchased Premier League football club Newcastle United and has since invested heavily in the Saudi Pro League, attracting global stars such as Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The kingdom is also set to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup.