Nick Kyrgios expressed his support for Craig Tiley, the director of the Australian Open, regarding the possibilities of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia.
The PIF has been a significant investment player in sports over the past year, including the acquisition of the Newcastle United football club for £300 million, making it one of the wealthiest clubs. They have also made investments in golf, such as the controversial merger of the LIV Tour with another golf tour.
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia may now be considering investing in tennis. According to ATP CEO Craig Tiley, there have been "positive" discussions about reaching an agreement, although no further details were provided.
“I think what’s different is this is more an investment in the current structure of the game and not an investment in an alternative option,” Tiley said.
“But, like everything in the world, there are lots of changes always going on, so you’ve got to watch what’s going on, and we’ve been staying close to it, but ultimately, that’s a decision for the men’s and the women’s tour.”
“One thing that’s really important to note is that the four grand slams run independently … it’s most important that we take care of what we need to take care of, and that’s our five weeks of tennis in January,” he added.
Indeed, the interest of Saudi Arabia in tennis raises concerns considering the country's legal framework, which prohibits homosexuality. This is particularly worrisome in the tennis world, where many athletes and former athletes openly acknowledge their homosexuality, including the legendary Billie Jean King, who has been a leader in the fight for inclusion.
“Everyone is welcome to Saudi Arabia and visitors are not asked to disclose personal details,” the Tourist website says.
“If you came with your boyfriend and didn’t show that to the public it’s not a problem,”
“Our problem is that we don’t accept anyone forcing his ideology or culture in public. It’s against our culture, that’s it,” Adel Alqarni said.
It appears that Nick Kyrgios has expressed support for the ATP's discussions with Saudi Arabia regarding a potential investment that could bring the Next Gen Finals to that country.
“Finally. The see the value. We are going to get pad what we deserve to get paid. Sign me up,” Kyrgios wrote on Twitter.
FINALLY. THEY SEE THE VALUE. WE ARE GOING TO GET PAID WHAT WE DESERVE TO GET PAID. SIGN ME UP 💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰
BREAKING 🚨 As reported by the Daily Mail, Saudi Arabia is currently in talks with ATP Tour as they seek to acquire a stake in the world of tennis with their Public Investment Fund. Keep in mind that Saudi Arabia will likely host this year's Next Gen Finals as well.
