Milos Raonic has claimed that the discussions over a potential
WTA and
ATP merger are simply a way to create 'a more cohesive product to sell' to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Canadian tennis player Raonic has weighed in on the highly controversial issue of the relationship between professional tennis and Saudi Arabia. Specifically, he has commented on the talks between the ATP and WTA about a possible merger, which they claim would be done to counter increased Saudi interest and influence in the sport.
It has already been confirmed that the Next Gen ATP Finals will be moved to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah until 2027, and there is a lot of noise among fans and players alike at the moment as officials consider holding the WTA Finals in the country's capital city of Riyadh.
Players give their opinions on issue
Several players have spoken out about Saudi involvement in the sport, with the likes of Nick Kyrgios, Ons Jabeur, and Billie Jean King in favor of working with the country.
The latter two have expressed how playing there could be a gateway to helping those suffering from the country's poor human rights record, especially women, whose freedoms are often restricted. Meanwhile, Kyrgios shared his delight at the paychecks that playing in Saudi Arabia would offer him.
However, others have opposed the move, including John McEnroe, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Daria Kasatkina. Evert referenced the country's treatment of women as a direct reason not to go there, and Kasatkina, who is an openly gay player, has suggested that she would not feel safe in the country.
Raonic adds to 'sportswashing' debate
Moreover, many fans have accused Saudi Arabia of 'sportswashing' in order to improve its international reputation. In doing so, the country has already massively changed the face of some sports. This is especially the case for golf, where a merger between the PGA Tour and the rival Saudi league LIV means that Saudi Arabia now essentially owns the sport.
In order to avoid this happening in tennis, officials from the ATP and WTA have been discussing a potential merger between their two tours in order to combat any rival tours that Saudi Arabia creates. Aside from a disdainful tweet from Kyrgios, no players other than Raonic have commented on this development.
His response has been one of cynicism, claiming that it is still all about the money, and a merger would just give the two tours a better product to sell to Saudi Arabia.
"IMO, it’s not to prevent Saudi investment it is to have a more cohesive product to sell to PIF. ATP and WTA are more intertwined at Grand Slams so therefore you cannot go in separately like with PGA. PIF wants equity, not only events like Next Gen and potential WTA finals," he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
