Saudi Arabia’s Potential Future in Tennis Is More Complicated Than Just Sportswashing

The Middle Eastern nation is likely to play a role in the sport going forward. The WTA and ATP will have to decide how large that role is.

Hey everyone … a few tidbits before we get to your questions:

• Here’s a Q/A with Alex Gibney, director of the excellent Boris Becker doc, out this week on Apple.

• Congrats to Miami’s Todd Rubinstein—Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High Head Tennis Coach—on his 500th coaching win.

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Jon,

I saw your piece on 60 Minutes about Saudi Arabia and sportswashing. Very interesting. I noticed you mentioned the exhibition won by Taylor Fritz. My question: what is tennis’ official position and will we see an ATP or WTA tournament there?

Charles S.

For what it’s worth, here’s the piece. And I do think this is an important issue, especially since Saudi Arabia—and its vast wealth—is likely to figure ever larger in tennis going forward. In addition to the lure of the money, there are already connections in place. Ari Fleischer, a critical advisor to WTA CEO Steve Simon, also works closely with the Saudis. And the de facto tournament of the December exo you reference—won by Fritz, who earned three times more that weekend than he did for reaching the Wimbledon quarters—is also a WTA board member. And, remember, the WTA still needs a home for their year-end prom. So short answer: I suspect the tennis/Saudi Arabia overlap will expand.

I went to Riyadh with an open mind and agenda and tried to observe and listen. And I hope the piece made clear, it’s complicated. It’s easy when there is a simple, binary solution. Saudi Arabia is an irredeemable autocracy and accepting their appearance fees is akin to taking blood money! No wait, the U.S. has school shootings and Russia is a one-country-war-crime-wave and authoritarian China has the Uighurs and if you are taking checks only from perfect countries, you will go broke! On both sides, there’s considerably more nuance.

If it’s not undeniable, I think it’s easy to make the case that, at least outwardly, Saudi Arabia is “trending in the right direction,” liberalizing its culture, relaxing all sorts of strictures, improving conditions for women in particular. Realizing the oil is finite (and fossil fuel reliance is a ticking clock), the Kingdom is trying to diversify its economy. Cynically, realizing that a happy young WWE-watching citizenry is less inclined to push for democracy than an angry young citizenry that feels deprived … it is providing modern-day bread and circuses.

Saying “Saudi Arabia should be a pariah state” and insisting it must be avoided at all cost by the global players is an oversimplification. But so is casual insouciant moral equivalency (“No country is perfect.”) and the invertebrate fallback “I’m an athlete, not a politician.” When athletes and entertainers go to Saudi Arabia they are making a statement. They are taking money from a country that has no criminal code, that resides near the bottom in human rights rankings, that removes rainbow-colored toys from shelves, lest they encourage homophobia, that, per the CIA, has a ruler that, at a minimum “approved an operation to capture or kill” a Washington Post journalist.

Even within tennis, opinions and stances vary.

Here’s part of an exchange I had in December with Nick Kyrgios.

JW: You've been outspoken about human rights, about LGBT rights. There's some pushback from human rights groups saying the athletes that come here, they need to know that they're helping to launder the image of this country and to maybe mask some of these human rights abuses. What would you say to that?

NK: I don't know about all that. You know, I'm here to just play the sport that I love. And I feel like the people have only been supportive of that. And, look at all the show they put on for us. You know, everyone I've met here has made sure that I'm, you know, very comfortable. So, look, I'm not gonna go into all that. I'm just gonna come here and play tennis and be embraced.

JW: Could something like LIV Golf work in tennis?

NK: I hope so. You know, if something like that happened, I'd be the first to jump on, let me tell you. The guaranteed money for me, my family and, you know, the people around me, that's why I play. I play to provide for all those people. So really, that would be amazing, you know? I mean, look, I know the ATP's not gonna be happy with that.

In researching this story, I was struck by the fact that Andy Murray was quite outspoken against playing in Riyadh. (“I wouldn’t play in Saudi Arabia,” he said flatly.) On the other hand, Judy Murray held a clinic for girls, labeled sportswashing by the BBC and seen as inspirational and bridge-building in other corners.

The WTA in particular has a choice to make. The money is undeniable. You could make a case that a women’s tennis tournament is an exercise in cultural outreach, spreading the gospel and gender equity and opportunities through sports. You could also make the case that a tour that suspends operations in China on human rights grounds, only to set up shop in Saudi Arabia has ceded the moral high grounds.

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There were, at time, plenty of open seats at the Miami Open two weeks ago :: Rebecca Blackwell/AP

We may be missing a data point concerning tennis tournaments and empty stands. How many tickets are sold, and simply not used? I ask because of personal experience, e.g. the number of times I have attended tournaments where I am told the tickets are essentially all sold out vs. the actual absence of people in the stands. Maybe the venues are less than honest about their ticket sales; and then again maybe people are buying tickets without having a commitment to actually attend [I am thinking particularly of the corporate sponsor type, but there may be others]. Maybe scalpers buy them up and then are unable to resell them: who knows? Whatever the reasons, it is a bad look and should be fixable, if anyone has the will. So far, though...

David W.

Yeah, you would think some creative thinking would go a long way here. Allow common fans to squat in the good seats….and then graciously leave if/when the rightful ticketholders arrive? Let corporations and the billionaire class resell—or, get this, donate—their seats if they know the tickets are going unused? Something. It’s a terrible look when stands are empty. It’s also a terrible look when the fat cat seats are empty, and then the cameras scan to the upper decks and they are filled with committed fans.

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Jon,

I am looking forward to Roger Federer as a broadcaster at this year’s Wimbledon. If reports are true, he will split time between ESPN and BBC. Do you think this is the start of a broadcasting career?

Darrel M.

Everyone wins. The broadcasters get an eight-time Wimbledon champ—and astute tennis observer—in the booth. Most of us would watch a high school tennis team challenge match if Federer were on the call. Because he will be toggling back and forth between networks, they both likely got a discount. Wimbledon gets a guaranteed Federer showing. (Remember last year, he came for the middle weekend celebration, but kept a low profile.)

Let’s not forget the benefit to Federer here. He can get agreement from Wimbledon to provide tournament inventory to promote Laver Cup. He can make contractual appearances. He and his team can do some business. He can visit old friends. He can rekindle all the positive associations.

Do I think Federer becomes a full-time commentator? Or even a John McEnroe, who can parachute in for a half-dozen big events? I do not. He has other interests and opportunities. But if fans knew that every year, he would come to All England Club to call matches and plug Laver Cup and remain under the Tennis Tent, it’s a W all around.

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Jon, 

I am wondering if there is any update of the Simona Halep suspension and of her efforts to clear her name?

Bret C.

We have gotten a few of these lately. I reached out to Halep’s new agent of record as well as coach Patrick Mouratoglou and have not heard back. If either wants to respond, I am happy to provide that forum.

(Aside: this is not a dig at Patrick, but rather the structures the sport accepts. You’re a media member. You are also coaching a two-time Major winner. And during that time, the player faces a significant doping allegation. This is not about guilt or innocence; or correlation or causation. It’s simply the optics. Hard to imagine this fact pattern permitted in too many other sectors of media.)

Halep has kept a low profile. Her supporters have been resolute. Here’s Darren Cahill, her long-time coach before Mouratoglu on a recent podcast: “I understood they found the source of the contamination, not sure if it was in food or supplements, but they found out where it came from … Whether it be, a company made a mistake, or a medical person, or whether it's been someone in the WTA or on her own team, someone who didn’t do their due diligence. Whatever it may be, I hope somebody puts their hand up and takes responsibility. Because the one thing I do know, is that Simona is not at fault here.”

There was a scheduled initial hearing in February. Inasmuch as there is good news here: Tennis players have quite a strong record in getting penalties and bans reduced and getting the equivalent of time served. Inasmuch as there is bad news here: Halep is north of 30, hasn’t played a match since August.

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So, Sesil Karatantcheva is playing a challenger this week - last time she played was 2019, winning $25K where she beat in the final...Coco Gauff! She's 33 now, not necessarily that old anymore!

Willie T.
East Lansing, MI

Good pull. Yes, as I write this she is to take the court in Spain. Sesil Karatancheva is 33. Next thing you’re going to tell me, Kim Clijsters is looking at colleges for her kids. A few points on Karatancheva:

A) Note she might be playing but also has her own academy ... “plotting the next Bulgarian tennis invasion.”

B) She reached the French Open quarters in 2006, beating Venus Williams in the process. After losing at Roland Garros, she failed a doping test (nandrolone) and did a two-year ban. That being the case, shouldn’t the result be invalidated in the WTA records?