"Has been the same for a very long time and people don’t like disruption": Laura Robson believes tennis should embrace new ideas amid breakaway tour and Saudi rumors

With several tennis fans still against the idea of Saudi Arabia's involvement in the sport, former British No.1 Laura Robson has suggested people need to be more open-minded regarding this new development.

Saudi Arabia has recently developed a record of investing in mainstream sports, with golf and boxing already being hosted in the oil-rich nation. The country appears to be leaning towards a greater involvement in tennis, as six of the top male tennis players have signed up to play an exhibition event, dubbed "The Saudi Slam" in October 2024. Furthermore, the WTA Finals is set to be played in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this year.

Although thousands of fans were against the idea of a Saudi-backed tour due to the nation's questionable stance on human rights, Robson is of the opinion that some changes brought about by this collaboration could benefit the sport.

“I’m all for new plans, new developments,” said Robson in a recent interview. “I just came back from the Australian Open and I loved the fact that people were coming in a 1-0 and not having to wait outside until three games were played. It made it so much better for spectators and once the players got used to it, there were zero issues.
“I’m all for quicker balls, quicker courts, whatever makes tennis more entertaining to the biggest audience possible. Matches that go on for four and a half hours seem unnecessarily long, so I would welcome any changes that improve the sport. Tennis has been the same for a very long time and people don’t like disruption, but we should try new things.”