(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Former seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe says he “would not encourage” the ATP to allow Saudi Arabian investors to get into tennis. Andrea Gaudenzi, who was re-elected as the ATP Chairman this week, revealed recently that the organization has had positive talks with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).“I’m not surprised.
I wouldn’t encourage it, me personally, the Saudi thing, but I’m not surprised that tennis is being thrown into the mix after what we saw in golf. I don’t think that’s something that we should be pursuing, per se, but it’s not in my hands,” McEnroe said, via Forbes.
McEnroe urges the ATP not to do a deal with Saudi Arabia
The golf world was divided for quite some time until recently the PGA Tour backed down and agreed on a deal with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.Although now all golf players compete in the same circuit, some fans are still not happy that the PGA agreed to merge with the LIV.
McEnroe is calling the PGA “hypocrites” and he thinks tennis should avoid any involvement with the Saudis. “It looked to me like the PGA were total hypocrites when they cut a deal after they’d been fighting them, in my opinion.
But at the same time the people that are complaining about it, a lot of the people are hypocrites, because our government does business with them along with tons of other hedge funds, wealth funds, you could down the list of people that do have dealings.
What about Ronaldo? He’s getting a couple hundred million a year. They’ve been buying players in other sports. They brought boxing fights,” McEnroe explained. But the rumored ATP and Saudi Arabia partnership has also received some support as Nick Kyrgios and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley backed the idea.”Finally.
They see the value. We are going to get paid what we deserve to get paid. Sign me up,” Kyrgios tweeted.
