Tennis, Saudi Arabia’s new playground
The Saudi kingdom is accelerating its offensive in the world of tennis. Lavish exhibition tournaments, partnerships with the ATP and WTA, and the creation of a Masters 1000 in Riyadh: the sports soft power strategy is unfolding at high speed.
Between economic opportunity and ethical controversy, tennis is becoming the Gulf’s new arena of influence.
SPORT, THE NEW WEAPON OF THE SAUDI KINGDOM
It was only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia, already omnipresent in many international sports, extended its influence to tennis and became a major player in the calendar, hosting the WTA Finals, the Next Gen Finals and a Masters 1000 from 2028.
To understand this new offensive, you have to look at other sports. After turning its soccer league into a global showcase by attracting a superstar like Cristiano Ronaldo to Al-Nassr, the Saudi kingdom also bought soccer clubs such as Newcastle United (England) and secured the organization of a Formula 1 Grand Prix in the city of Jeddah (since 2021).
These initiatives reflect a methodical strategy: making sport a pillar of Saudi soft power. The same model has already taken root in golf, where LIV Golf, backed by the sovereign wealth fund, competes with the PGA Tour with colossal appearance fees, ranging from 30 to 100 million dollars per participant.
In 2019, Medvedev pockets one million dollars in the middle of December
For tennis, the beginnings go back to 2019 with the creation of the Diriyah Tennis Cup. This first exhibition on Saudi soil, held in the middle of December, was already offering one million dollars to the winner. Russian Daniil Medvedev won it amid relative media indifference.
An event far from suggesting that a few years later, another competition with a similar format, called the Six Kings Slam, would allow the winner to pocket a sum six times higher and play a key role in a much broader investment policy.
Because these investments, across all sports (soccer, tennis, golf, motorsports), are part of the Vision 2030 program, a vast economic transformation plan launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Its goal: to reduce the country’s dependence on oil revenues, which still account for nearly 40% of gross domestic product (GDP). By multiplying these initiatives, Saudi Arabia is seeking to transform its international image and establish itself as a central player in the global sports market.
THE SIX KINGS SLAM, SAUDI ARABIA’S WEAPON FOR MEN’S TENNIS
In 2024, a new exhibition event was launched under the impetus of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), a body created in 2016 and headed by Turki Al-Sheikh, a close associate of Mohammed bin Salman.
Named the Six Kings Slam, the competition aims to bring together six Grand Slam champions in a condensed format played over three days, with no ATP points at stake but with unprecedented prize money.
The concept is simple: six matches (two quarterfinals, two semifinals, a third-place playoff and a final) for a compact and highly lucrative show. The winner walks away with a colossal check for six million dollars, while each participant is guaranteed to leave with 1.5 million dollars.
By comparison, the winners of the 2025 US Open received 5 million after winning seven matches. In Riyadh, Alexander Zverev pocketed 1.5 million for 55 minutes spent on court.
“We all know what’s at stake”: Sinner, double Six Kings Slam champion
Unsurprisingly, money rules and convinces. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have all played the first two editions.
And Sinner is open about it: money is a motivating factor. “I’d be lying if I said there was no motivation related to money. We all know what’s at stake. But we also want to make the sport more popular here,” the Italian admitted to the press.
These comments are in line with Saudi Arabia’s objectives: attracting figures from global sport with large sums, while offering a playground that meets their expectations.
However, the name “Six Kings” starts to lose coherence as early as 2025, since only three of the participants have actually won a Grand Slam. But that hardly matters, as the event gains even more visibility: streaming platform Netflix has acquired the TV rights to the exhibition, allowing for a much broader global broadcast and turning it into a genuine consumer product.
Through this exhibition as lucrative as it is extravagant, Saudi Arabia laid the foundations of its tennis offensive.
A media showcase that paves the way for a deeper strategy, this time driven by the PIF (Saudi Public Investment Fund). For it is thanks to the PIF that Riyadh is forging solid ties with the ATP and the WTA, gradually establishing itself as an essential player on the professional tours.
TOWARD MAJOR INTEGRATION INTO THE ATP AND WTA TOURS?
If you follow the tennis season closely, you’ve probably seen the PIF logo on the courts of various tournaments at least once. Behind this mysterious acronym is the Saudi Public Investment Fund, created in 1971 and tasked with investing on behalf of Saudi Arabia in various projects.
But it’s only been a little over ten years since the fund was authorized to expand its portfolio. Without hesitation, the PIF pounced on the ATP and WTA to secure a foothold in the tennis world.
The Saudi push materialized in 2024: the PIF became partner of the ATP and WTA rankings, now renamed the “PIF ATP Rankings” and “PIF WTA Rankings.” The deal also includes the fund’s presence as a sponsor at several major tournaments: Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing.
Negotiations with the ATP did not stop there: the men’s tour body has confirmed the organization of a Masters 1000 in Saudi Arabia starting in 2028.
“Saudi Arabia has shown its commitment to the world of tennis, not only at the professional level but in terms of development at all levels,” said ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi when the tenth Masters 1000 was made official.
A support program for players who want to become mothers
On the WTA side, the women’s year-end championships, which bring together the best players of the season, are now held in Riyadh through 2026. And in June, the PIF announced the introduction of a support program for players who wish to start a family, including 12 months of paid maternity leave, a protected ranking upon return to competition, and logistical support for fertility treatments.
An ambitious yet paradoxical initiative: these advances for women’s tennis are taking place in a country where women’s rights remain tightly controlled.
Although Saudi women now have the right to obtain a passport and travel without the authorization of a male guardian from the age of 21, the guardianship system has not been completely abolished. Amnesty International reminds us that women must still, in some cases, obtain a man’s consent to marry, divorce, or access certain types of health care.
Despite the lifting of the driving ban (in 2018) and progress in the workplace—36% of Saudi women were active in the labor market in 2024 according to the World Economic Forum (WEF)—many reforms remain symbolic, as the guardian’s role continues to exert influence over women’s legal and social lives.
Some players are nonetheless enthusiastic. After her triumph at last year’s WTA Finals, Coco Gauff said: “I had a great time, it was more fun than I imagined. I’m very honored to have won the first women’s tennis tournament in Saudi Arabia.”
Others, like Taylor Townsend, go even further: “I hope people will stop believing that women are mistreated there. It’s just another way of living, not worse or bad, just different.”
For these two governing bodies of tennis (ATP and WTA), the resources provided by the PIF are attractive and offer unprecedented stability. On tour, the debate rages between supporters, drawn to this new player, and skeptics.
BETWEEN ATTRACTION AND SUSPICION: TENNIS AT A CROSSROADS
Saudi Arabia’s presence in tennis and sports more broadly leaves no one indifferent. Opinions are divided between open supporters and skeptics concerned about Saudi influence.
Rafael Nadal, a true legend of the game, led the way by becoming an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) in January 2024.
“Everywhere you look in Saudi Arabia, you see growth and progress, and I’m happy to be part of it,” said the record holder for Roland-Garros titles, before adding: “I want to help tennis develop around the world, and there is real potential in Saudi Arabia.”
This “long-term” commitment is mainly reflected in the creation of an academy in his name on Saudi soil, where the Spaniard has pledged to travel several times a year.
Other well-known players have become ambassadors for the PIF: Matteo Berrettini, Paula Badosa and Arthur Fils have joined the project over the past twelve months to contribute to the global development of tennis.
“We share the same values, namely growing tennis and creating opportunities for everyone,” Badosa said in her statement, while Fils, one of the faces of French tennis, spoke of his “pride in joining the PIF family and representing the next generations.”
“It’s obviously a controversial country. I’ve chosen not to go there for now,” Casper Ruud, world no. 12
These carefully worded statements contrast with those of Andy Murray. The former world no. 1 took a swipe last year at the Six Kings Slam and its promotional video: “It’s not a movie you’re going to watch, it’s a tennis exhibition that nobody cares about.”
A clear stance from the Brit, who has always refused to play in Saudi Arabia. Casper Ruud has also spoken of his discomfort: “It’s obviously a controversial country. I’ve chosen not to go there for now, but it seems inevitable that they will become important in tennis.”
But the vast majority of the tour, like Alexander Zverev, prefers to adopt a more neutral position: “I’m not a politician. If there is a Masters 1000 in Saudi Arabia, I will play it,” he said, before comparing it with other events held in Gulf countries: “Tournaments have been held in Doha or Dubai for 30 years; I don’t think there have been any problems.”
These opinions show how much Saudi Arabia’s presence is dividing the tennis world, between the convictions of some and the financial opportunities for others. For now, nothing seems likely to stop the kingdom’s rise, as it increases its influence over the ATP and WTA year after year.
MILLIONS ON COURT, QUESTIONS OFF IT: SAUDI ARABIA’S TENNIS GAMBLE
Saudi Arabia has not finished extending its influence over global tennis. Between economic ambitions and diverse investment strategies, the kingdom is establishing itself as a key player in world sport.
In a world where sport is used as an instrument of diplomatic power, tennis is now entering that dimension as well. Time will tell whether this strategy of massive investment leaves a lasting mark on tennis or remains just a brief interlude.
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