Tennis joins Saudi Arabia’s sport takeover as ATP broadcasts occasion in Jeddah
The ATP has formally introduced its transfer into Saudi Arabia. Following months of hypothesis, the boys’s tennis tour confirmed that the Next Gen ATP Finals could be staged in Jeddah as a part of a brand new five-year deal. The 21-and-under occasion has beforehand been received by the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas. It marks the primary skilled tennis match to be held within the nation.
Tennis has turn out to be the newest sport to hitch the Saudi Arabia sporting takeover, following within the footsteps of soccer and golf. On Thursday, the boys’s tennis tour formally confirmed that the Next Gen ATP Finals could be relocating to Jeddah from Milan, Italy.
The transfer to Saudi Arabia had been rumoured for months however Express Sport understands that particulars had been finalised forward of the announcement. The match can be held within the King Abdullah Sports City multi-use stadium from 2023 to 2027, with this 12 months’s version happening from November 28 to December 2.
The 21-and-under match may even see a lift in prize cash, with £1.58 million ($2 million) on supply. The ATP confirmed that the bidding course of for the Next Gen Finals was launched in March of this 12 months after the earlier five-year deal in Milan expired.
In a press release explaining the choice, the ATP stated: “The process evaluated host cities from multiple regions against criteria including venue, international connectivity, and potential to grow professional tennis in a new market.
“In addition to delivering document prize cash for gamers, Jeddah’s profitable bid, led by the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF), makes historical past as the primary official skilled tennis occasion to happen in Saudi Arabia. It builds on a greater than 30-year presence within the Middle East for the ATP Tour.”
Following confirmation that the event would relocate to Jeddah, ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “The ATP Tour is actually international and exploring new markets is central to rising the sport. Bringing the Next Gen ATP Finals to Jeddah is our probability to encourage new followers, in a area with an unlimited younger inhabitants, and unite audiences round tennis.”
Saudi Tennis Federation president Arij Mutabagani said: “We are extraordinarily proud that ATP has chosen Jeddah to host such an necessary tennis occasion. The Next Gen ATP Finals embodies the philosophy of our Federation, which is to encourage younger expertise to achieve the game’s highest ranges. We’re excited to collaborate to advertise the ATP Tour’s most promising rising stars, and showcase new sporting improvements, in our particular metropolis of Jeddah.”
The Next Gen ATP Finals follows a similar format to that of the official year-end finals, where the top eight players aged 21-and-under compete in a round-robin format to reach the semi-finals and the final. The tournament uses a fast-4 scoring format and counts Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as former champions.
While it marks the first official tennis tournament to be staged in Saudi Arabia, the nation held an exhibition at the end of 2022. Daniil Medvedev and Nick Kyrgios were among those who competed in the Diriyah Tennis Cup, which was won by Taylor Fritz.
The sport’s move into Saudi Arabia previously received mixed reception from tennis players. Earlier this year, Kyrgios reposted a tweet following earlier reports that the nation would invest into tennis and the Next Gen Finals. “FINALLY. THEY SEE THE VALUE. WE ARE GOING TO GET PAID WHAT WE DESERVE TO GET PAID. SIGN ME UP,” he wrote.
WTA world No 5 Ons Jabeur echoed his sentiment during Wimbledon however shared her hopes to see the ladies’s tour concerned. “Believe it or not, we’ve the most effective two ladies in Arabic world proper now taking part in in tennis. It’s now or by no means. I hope they actually put money into WTA. I went to Saudi final 12 months, and I used to be very impressed. I used to be very impressed with the individuals there. I imagine it could possibly be an amazing thought to go there and play tournaments,” she stated.
But Daria Kasatkina didn’t agree. The world No 13 stated: “It’s within the arms of the larger individuals, sadly. So as I stated, sadly now on the earth cash talks and performs a really large half. Also, as Nick Kyrgios stated, he could be so joyful to go there only for a giant cheque. For me, cash is just not the primary precedence on this case, for positive. It’s simpler for the boys as a result of they really feel fairly good there, to illustrate. We do not feel the identical approach.”