(Reuters) – Australian Open chief Craig Tiley believes any Saudi investment in tennis is unlikely to have the same impact as the country’s disruptive entry into golf because talks are focused on bolstering the current structures of the game.
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi told the Financial Times last week that he had held “positive” discussions with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and other potential investors.
Talk of a potential partnership comes after the PIF-backed LIV Golf circuit engaged in a bitter two-year dispute with the PGA Tour before announcing an agreement to merge and form one unified commercial entity.
“What’s different to what we’re seeing (in other sports) is this is an investment in the current structure of the game and not an investment in an alternative option,” Tiley told reporters on Tuesday.
“But like everything in the world, there’s lots of changes always going on. So you’ve got to watch what’s going on and stay close to it.
“But, ultimately, that’s a decision for the men’s and the women’s tour.”
Saudi Arabia has pumped huge amounts of money into sport in recent years and media reports say it is bidding to host this year’s ATP Next Gen Finals, which feature the tour’s top Under-21 players.
Critics have accused Saudi Arabia of using the PIF to engage in “sportwashing” in the face of heavy criticism of the country’s human rights record.
Some of the world’s top players have already featured in the Diriyah Cup exhibition event on the outskirts of Riyadh and world number one Carlos Alcaraz said earlier this week he had “no doubts” he would compete in Saudi Arabia at some point.
Australia’s Nick Kyrgios welcomed the news of the ATP’s discussions on investment from Saudi Arabia and said it would bring players the financial rewards they deserved.
“Finally. They see the value,” he tweeted above a report of the talks between the Saudis and ATP.
“We are going to get paid what we deserve to get paid. Sign me up.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
